Overwatered Japanese fern Despite how much it loves water, it is possible to overwater the Japanese fern. This is most likely to happen if you leave your plant sitting in a pool of water or use a planter that doesn’t have drainage holes. Either of those conditions will be too wet and will prevent the roots from being able to take up nutrients and moisture. Too much moisture in the soil can also allow fungal or bacterial diseases to develop. Wilted and yellow leaves are the initial symptoms of overwatering. Over time, the stems may droop and fall over, or begin to feel soft and mushy. However, be sure to check for other causes if you suspect your Japanese fern is overwatered, since other issues can look similar and it’s difficult to give this plant too much water. Underwatered Japanese fern Vigilance is required to keep this plant wet enough, unless you’re using a self-watering planter, meaning that many fern owners inadvertently let their plant get too dry now and then. In dry conditions, this plant can change in appearance seemingly overnight, from lush and green to brown and crispy. In extreme cases, the plant may dry up so thoroughly that it seems there are no living fronds left. But it may still be possible to save the plant if some of the roots are still healthy. Cut off all of the dry and dead stems, then water thoroughly and return the plant to its usual location. Unless the roots are all dead, this plant can be surprisingly resilient and start putting out new fronds. It may take several months to grow back to the size it was before, but this is possible if you provide proper care in that time.

Your Japanese fern prefers consistently moist soil that mimics its native enironment, which could mean watering as often as every one or two days. This is a plant that should not be allowed to dry out. Once the top layer of soil begins to feel even slightly dry, it’s time to water again. And don’t just give it a few drops of water: soak the soil completely until water drains out from the bottom of the pot. After the excess water has drained out, dump it so the pot isn’t sitting in a puddle. This is the best method to ensure that soil never gets too dry.

The amount of humidity in the air around your Japanese fern will influence how often you need to water it. Higher humidity in the air means less frequent watering, as evaporation is slower. Keeping this plant near a heating or cooling vent will cause it to dry out quickly, so choose a location that is protected from any type of draft. They prefer dappled and indirect sunlight and temperatures between 55-80 degrees F (13-27 degrees C) meaning that keeping these ferns in a warm and sunny spot windowsill could cause them to get dehydrated quickly. Rainwater or distilled water is great for this plant if you have access to it, although tap water in most places also works fine. Certain minerals and chemicals in tap water can cause brown leaf tips, especially since Japanese fern has very thin and delicate leaves. Small pots can cause issues for Japanese fern , because they only hold a small amount of potting medium and can dry out more quickly. It is best to allow this plant more space in the pot than many other houseplants. Consider using a self-watering planter for Japanese fern. This type of pot uses a wicking system that allows the soil to continuously soak up water from a central reservoir, meaning that the moisture level in the soil stays consistently moist. Not only does this type of pot keep you from having to constantly water your fern, but it is also quite beneficial for the roots to have a constant supply of water instead of going from dry to wet and then back again.

Japanese fern should receive a small amount of indirect light each day. Filtered light from a tree canopy often provides the best growing conditions. Typically, three hours of daily light exposure represents the maximum for this plant. When the Japanese fern gains exposure to either too much light, more than three hours per day, or light that is too direct, it will likely burn, dry out, and die.

At all times, you should avoid giving your Japanese fern too much sun exposure. Likewise, you should also refrain from moving your Japanese fern into direct sunlight very suddenly. Most of Japanese fern are more tolerant of morning and afternoon sunlight than midday sunlight as midday sunlight is the hottest, most direct, and most capable of harming your Japanese fern quickly. Likewise, if you grow your Japanese fern indoors, you should not allow it to sit where it can receive direct light from a window. When growing indoors, choose a place that receives a small amount of indirect light each day, just as you would when growing outdoors. Finding the correct amount of sun exposure from the start, whether grown indoors or out, is ideal. However, if you find your Japanese fern is receiving too much light, you should move its container immediately, or, if your Japanese fern grows in the ground, find a more shaded area to transplant it.

While the Japanese fern requires very little light compared to most other plants, it still needs a few hours of light to put forth healthy growth. Without those few hours of indirect light, the Japanese fern may begin to lose its foliage color and can exhibit stunted growth. However, since Japanese fern is so fond of shady conditions, it is rarer for it to suffer from lack of sunlight than it is for it to suffer from too much.

Generally, the low light needs of Japanese fern will remain the same throughout the entirety of its life span. However, the one exception to that is when this plant is young. While the Japanese fern at any growth stage is vulnerable to damage from excessive or sudden direct light, the Japanese fern that is younger is even more vulnerable. The same is true for any Japanese fern that has been recently transplanted to a new growing location and has not yet had the chance to establish itself.

For the healthiest growth, Japanese fern should receive about three hours of indirect light per day or less. You can consider any amount of light beyond three hours to be too much for this shade-loving plant group. Japanese fern thrives naturally in the forest understory, which is why they can conduct photosynthesis with quite low volumes of daily sunlight.