Can You Put a Boston Fern in the Bathroom?

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If you want a low-maintenance, yet beautiful plant, a Boston fern is the way to go!

This draping plant is perfect to liven up any room. But, can you put a Boston fern in the bathroom?

Simply put, Boston ferns can easily thrive in the bathroom. In fact, bathrooms have the ideal conditions for your green leafy plant, particularly the high humidity and indirect sunlight.

In this article, we’ll explain everything regarding placing Boston ferns in the bathroom and their growth requirements. So, keep reading to put together your indoor mini-garden!

Can You Put a Boston Fern in the Bathroom?

Sure, you wouldn’t first think of your bathroom as a room that’s suitable for plants. That’s because bathrooms have a different atmosphere than the rest of the house.

Luckily, this atmosphere perfectly suits Boston ferns!

To explain, bathrooms are usually humid, and they also get little sunlight.

Because Boston ferns love moisture, this makes the bathroom an ideal location to place your fern.

You can also place your Boston fern right inside the shower. For the most part, this moisture-loving fern prefers to keep damp at all times. So, placing the cascading leaves inside the shower won’t hurt!

Furthermore, keeping your Boston fern in the bathroom provides a mutual benefit. First, the fern gets all its growth requirements. Then, it can brighten up your bathroom with its feathery leaves and even act as an air purifier.

How to Grow a Boston Fern in the Bathroom: Care Tips for Beginners

Ferns are known to be hardy plants. In particular, Boston ferns can live for years with almost no maintenance.

Still, you need to keep a couple of things in mind when growing your fern in the bathroom, and we’ll go through each one right below.

Humidity

Boston ferns love the humidity, which is why placing them indoors won’t meet the fronds’ needs. This is unless, of course, you put them in a bathroom or a shower.

To keep your plant healthy and happy, you must maintain a humidity level of 80% in your bathroom.

However, it can be impractical to keep your bathroom humid at all times for your fern. So, you might need to invest in a humidifier or use other methods to boost moisture levels.

You can always place your fern in a water-filled tray or simply mist it a couple of times a day.

Sunlight

You never want to place Boston ferns in direct sunlight since their leaves are prone to getting burned in the harsh sun.

Still, if you want your plant to grow green and big, you should give it plenty of indirect light. That said, it’s best to place it by a window that’s protected by a sheer curtain.

Since Boston ferns need at least two hours of soft bright light daily, it won’t make sense to place them in a bathroom that gets no sunlight.

However, if you’re keen on keeping your fern in the bathroom nevertheless, you only need to move it for a couple of hours to another room that gets some soft light.

Temperature

Even if Boston ferns are doing fine outdoors, bringing them inside during winter is crucial. This is because Boston ferns grow in warmer weather and can’t handle low temperatures.

Accordingly, Boston ferns are best grown at room temperature. Still, this doesn’t mean they tolerate extra hot weather.

Ideally, you’ll need to place your fern in the coolest area in your home, which is usually the bathroom in many houses. In a nutshell, a temperature between 68 °F and 78 °F is perfect.

Water

Since Boston ferns love all things moisture, you’ll need to keep your plant watered properly. Naturally, you have to keep the soil moist at all times.

So, in the summer, water your fern just before the soil dries. But during winter, leave the soil’s surface to dry before watering.

Even though the fern likes moisture, overwatering your fern is a thing! The first sign of an overwatered Boston fern is yellow wilted foliage.

Besides causing droopy, weak leaves, keeping your fern in soggy soil will likely make it develop rot and fungal diseases.

Ventilation

Bathrooms aren’t known to be the most drafty rooms. Also, plants rarely grow in stuffy conditions. That’s why you need to ensure your bathroom is adequately ventilated.

As with watering, an overly humid environment can aid in fungi growth. Moreover, using any harsh chemicals or cleaners in the bathroom can suffocate your plant.

With this in mind, make sure to crack open a window every now and again, or turn on the exhaust fan while cleaning.

Pruning

Routine pruning is a must for all fern-keepers. This is because you want to keep your fern looking its best.

Also, removing all dead leaves and stems is essential to allow for new growth as well as prevent the spread of any disease.

So, you’ll need to prune your Boston fern regularly. Ideally, thorough pruning is best left while you’re repotting the fern. This way, you can trim the plant without any causing damage, since it’ll be repotted in a larger, healthier pot.

Boston ferns, in particular, grow exceptionally well after a pruning session. Even if you’re unable to repot the plant, a simple trim would greatly benefit the fern.

You should prune Boston ferns by trimming any discolored or dead fronds from the side, as well as small stems near the soil line.

Final Thoughts

One of the most common questions asked when it comes to Boston ferns is: can you put a Boston fern in the bathroom?

In brief, you can definitely grow Boston ferns in the bathroom. Bathrooms are an excellent location for Boston ferns because these plants thrive in humid, partially shaded areas.

Whether you’re placing the plant in a simple pot or a hanging basket, a Boston fern’s beautiful cascading fronds will make a great addition to any bathroom.

That said, if you want to turn your bathroom into a green oasis, simply place a Boston fern in it!

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