When we think about indoor plants, the first thing we need to think about is what kind of light we're working with. A north facing window will provide high indirect light which is great for growing ferns. If you need more light, take a look at plant lights or even a plant stand with fluorescent light. Once the amount of light is determined, keep an eye on your plants and watch how well they grow. If the worst case happens and you loose a plant, use the experience to learn what went wrong and how you can correct the problem. there are those of us who have killed our share of plants and those of us who will kill a plant. So don't let the loss of a plant stop you from trying to grow plants. Plants are fun and the successes always outweigh the failures. So we've decided to grow ferns, now what? Your local greenhouse can supply some of the more common ferns. these ferns are usually fairly easy to grow and inexpensive so a loss won't` be too costly.

Once you have your fern, you'll notice that the instructions will say to keep the plant damp but not wet. You need a medium with good drainage and high in organic content. How often you water will depend on the conditions in your home more humidity means less watering. Placing your plants in a tray with pebbles or marbles will allow you to add humidity to the plants. when you purchase your fern, it's a good idea to check to make sure the plant is not pot bound. Roots around the edge of the pot are a sure sign of being pot bound. If that's the case, replant the fern in a slightly larger pot so it has room to grow. After that check the plant every six months or so to make sure it's not pot bound again. If a plant starts to look puny, check to make sure the plant is not pot bound or over watered. brown fronds (fern leaves) can also be a sign of over watering. we should not finish our discussion of ferns as indoor plants without talking about what kinds of plants to grow. Some of the more common and forgiving ferns are maidenhair,Boston fern,Staghorn fern (Spectacular look but a little more challenging). Rabbits foot fern is a fun fern with little fuzzy feet which ramble around the bottom of the plant. Hares foot fern and Bears foot ferns are larger variations of the rabbits foot fern. Another nice fern is the crocodile fern which is easy to grow and likes a high light window. There are many other ferns and they all have botanical names which have not been given here in an effort to make growing and talking about ferns as simple as possible.

For more information on growing plants indoors go to http://www.newindoorgardening.com. If you come away with nothing else, know that ferns are fun easy and a good choice for the beginner or the seasoned gardener

Charles Wolfram is a long time grower of plants. As the assistant manager of a large greenhouse he was responsible for answering customers questions on many different plant problems and plant care. He is a member of the National Home Gardening Club and The Hardy Fern Foundation.