How to make a basket out of a staghorn fern?
Some experts suggest making a basket out of the chain itself by attaching smaller pieces of chain together to form a spherical shape.
Why are staghorn ferns hung on limbs?
Because they get most of their water and nutrients from the air or fallen plant matter, they are often hung on limbs or in the crotches of trees much like they grow in their native environments. Chained staghorn fern plants should only be hung from large tree limbs that can support the weight of the plant and the chain.
How heavy are staghorn ferns?
With mature plants weighing between 100-300 lbs (45.5 to 136 kg.), supporting a staghorn ferns with a chain soon becomes the sturdiest option.
What zone do staghorn ferns grow in?
Printer Friendly Version. Image by London looks. Staghorn ferns are large epiphytic evergreens in zones 9-12. In their natural environment, they grow on large trees and absorb moisture and nutrients from the air.
Can staghorn ferns be saved?
During storms, these heavy plants can fall out of their tree hosts. Some nurseries in Florida actually specialize in saving these fallen ferns or collect them to propagate smaller plants from them. Whether attempting to save a fallen staghorn fern or supporting a store bought one, hanging a staghorn fern with chains may be the best option.
Can sphagnum moss be planted in a basket?
Sphagnum moss is placed in the basket and no soil or potting medium is used. In time, a happy staghorn fern plant will produce pups that may cover the whole basket structure. As these staghorn fern clusters grow, they will become heavier and heavier.
How to hang a staghorn fern?
Attach a hanger such as a hook, steel chain or sturdy wire to the back of the mounting board. Be sure the hanger is sturdy enough to support the staghorn fern as it grows. Attach the hanger to the mounting board with strong screws. Nails will pull out of the mounting board when the staghorn fern gets heavy.
How to attach a staghorn fern to a mounting board?
Attach some small nails to the center front of the mounting board in a pattern that will be slightly larger than the base of your staghorn fern. Cut a pair of panty hose into long strips. Tie one end of a strip to one of the nails, then cross it over the fern and wrap it around a nail on the other side.
How to make a staghorn fern mount?
Attach some small nails to the center front of the mounting board in a pattern that will be slightly larger than the base of your staghorn fern. Squeeze the excess water out of a large handful of sphagnum moss, and put the damp moss in the center of the nails. Put the staghorn fern on top of the damp sphagnum moss, with the "antlers" facing up.
Can a staghorn fern grow in tall trees?
The staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum), is an epiphytic plant that in nature, survives by attaching itself high up in tall trees. Staghorn ferns can grow to be large and heavy, so if you want to grow a staghorn fern at home, the fern must be mounted on a sturdy surface.
How to secure a plant with nails?
The more nails you use, the more opportunity you have to secure your plant, so feel free to go crazy. Above: Lay a base of soil on the board. Step 4: Add a small pile of potting soil to the board, inside the circle that you traced.
What to use as a backdrop for a green house?
Above: Use sheet moss as a green backdrop.
What kind of wood do you use for a fruit crate?
A wooden board (I used part of an old fruit crate, but any piece of flat wood will do)
How to hang a staghorn fern?
An alternative hanging method is simply to wrap the staghorn fern's root ball with chain, secure it with S-hooks and suspend it from excess chain around a tree limb, but this method tends to constrict the plant. Small staghorn ferns can grow in a galvanized metal basket with chains through the container's eyelets.
How thick is a staghorn fern chain?
The result is the length of 1/4-inch thick, galvanized, steel chain necessary to support the staghorn fern.
What is a small staghorn fern called?
Small staghorn fern offsets, called pups, are mounted to rough boards or placed inside wooden or heavy wire baskets, where they mature into large, rounded clumps that are often suspended from trees by chains.
How to attach a fern to a chain?
Lift the fern, and slip the S- hook at the bottom of the chain through the eye-bolt on the top of the longest pipe. The root ball should be supported on the two pipes that are below the plant.
How to connect a chain to a garden hose?
Thread the chain through the piece of old garden hose, leaving a few chain links exposed at one end of the hose. Nearly all of that end of the chain will be covered by the hose.
How much weight can an evergreen plant grow?
When grown outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 12, the epiphytic evergreen can reach more than 100 pounds and requires the heavy-duty support chains can give. The plant consists of upright, cuplike, sterile fronds, which collect moisture and organic matter, and large, flat, fertile fronds resembling antlers ...
How to hang a staghorn fern in a basket?
Place the staghorn fern in the middle, and apply a layer of peat on top to hold the potting mix inside the basket. You’ll still need to use twine or nylon hose to hold everything together until the fern attaches itself securely. Turn the basket sideways so that your fern is vertical and hang the plant this way.
How do staghorn ferns grow?
In its native jungle habitat, staghorn fern grows attached to tree trunks, branches and crevices. It is not a parasite that feeds off its tree host and depletes its nutrients, but it is an epiphyte, which uses trees for growth support only, receiving nourishment from decaying vegetation and dead insects. Rainwater waters and transports these nutrients to ferns, but between periods of rainfall it lives against dry tree bark. Most staghorns are frost-tender, with even the most cold-hardy species able to withstand temperatures only as low as 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is the most unusual fern?
Bearing little resemblance to its other plant relatives, staghorn fern (Platycerium spp.) deserves the University of Georgia's description as the most unusual member of the fern family. The common name hints at its striking likeness to deer antlers. Staghorn fern is not potted conventionally, but requires mounting on wooden surfaces or secured in wire baskets turned sideways.
How cold can a staghorn fern survive?
Most staghorns are frost-tender, with even the most cold-hardy species able to withstand temperatures only as low as 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can staghorn ferns be moved indoors?
Boards and Plaques. In frost-prone climates, staghorn fern can live outside during warm seasons but it must be brought indoors before frost threatens. Mounting plants on wooden boards or plaques lets you hang them outside in a shady location in warm weather and easily move them back inside when it's cold.
Can you put staghorn ferns on a fence?
In temperate climates, you can permanently mount staghorn ferns on trees or wooden fences. Gently line the inside of staghorn fern’s round collar with moistened long-fiber sphagnum peat moss. Add some bark-based potting mix and top with another layer of peat.
