The sword fern is often grown indoors because of its attractive fronds and ability to filter pollutants from the air. If the plant drops its leaves, this can have various causes, which we will discuss in more detail in this article.
Why does the sword fern lose its leaves and how can you counteract this?
The sword fern loses leaves due to drought, incorrect fertilization or too much sunlight. To stop leaf loss, you should increase air humidity, adjust watering behavior, change location and optimize fertilization.
Why does the sword fern lose leaves?
Most of the time,drought, fertilization or too much sunlight are to blame for the sword fern (Nephrolepis ex altata) losing its leaves:
- Dry air: Ferns need sufficiently high humidity to thrive.
- Watering errors: If the root ball dries out completely, the fronds wilt.
- Direct sunlight: In nature, the sword fern prefers partially shaded or shady locations.
- Incorrect fertilization: Too much or too little fertilizer also leads to leaf drop.
What can I do about leaf loss?
As soon as youcorrect any care errors,the sword fern usually recovers quickly.
- Place a bowl of water next to the plant and spray it regularly to keep the humidity high.
- Water whenever the soil surface feels dry.
- Place the sword fern in a bright, sunny spot.
- Ferns should be supplied every two weeks with half the dose of a special fertilizer for leafy plants (€7.00 on Amazon).
- If you have fertilized more frequently, reduce the fertilizer application for a while.
Could root rot also be the cause of leaf loss?
Wilting shoots and shedding of leaves aretypical symptoms of root rotin the sword fern. If you suspect that this plant disease is spreading, pot up the plant. Fern roots are always brown. However, when root rot occurs, the storage organs smell putrid and feel mushy.
Sometimes the sword fern can still be saved:
- Cut off affected roots.
- Choose a flower pot with good drainage.
- Cover the holes and fill in a drainage layer of expanded clay.
- Put the sword fern in fresh substrate.
- Water less in the future.
What should I do with the fronds affected by leaf drop?
You shouldcut out dried or yellowed leaves They cost the sword fern unnecessary energy and also don't look nice. Use a sharp knife to cut these out right at the base. The fern then quickly grows green again.
Tip
Sword fern is the ideal plant for the bathroom
Because it loves high humidity and copes well with shady locations, the sword fern feels extremely comfortable in the bathroom. Planted in a hanging basket, its up to one meter long fronds give your home wellness oasis a tropical flair.
