How And When To Prune A Boston Fern For A Thriving Plant
The Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a popular plant featuring soft, arching fronds and a full appearance. It is one of the best types of ferns to grow on your porch for a beautiful plant display. Like many leafy houseplants, maintaining its appearance requires regular care and attention as the plant grows. Regular pruning supports healthy growth and helps maintain the plant's classic shape. The Boston fern is usually pruned during its active growth period, with focus put on cutting back older and declining fronds.
Like many other ferns including rabbit's foot (Davallia fejeensis), and maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum), Boston ferns grow by producing new fronds as older ones get weaker and die off. Allowing these aging fronds to remain intact can affect how energy is distributed throughout the plant, impacting its appearance. Old fronds can also restrict airflow and interfere with the health of the plant. By pruning your houseplants too heavily or at the wrong time, you can slow the plant's ability to bounce back.
Pruning a Boston fern without stressing it
The main goal of pruning a Boston fern is to clear away the old fronds that are no longer beneficial to the plant. This process is best done with a light hand, removing only a small amount of the plant at a time to avoid stressing it. Most of the pruning for your Boston fern can be handled with a clean, sharp pair of pruning shears or scissors. Start with any visibly damaged fronds and those that are discolored or shriveled, making your cuts at the base of the fronds you want to remove. This allows the plant to focus its energy on new growth, which is also good indication that it's ready for some light pruning.
While you can do light pruning any time, heavy pruning is best done in spring or summer for the fastest recovery. It's a good idea to prune your plant when you are repotting your fern to remove hard-to-reach fronds and clean it up before it goes in its new planter. If you notice that growth seems stalled or slow, wait to prune until the plant starts growing again.