Birds' Nest fern needs help, please!

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tucsonjill Lincoln, NE(Zone 5a) Aug 31, 2007

I posted this question over in the ferns and fungi forum, and they suggested I try here. Sorry to any who read the multiple post!

I have a very sad-looking bird's nest fern (I lost the tag, but I believe it's Asplenium nidus). The leaves are developing these brown spots on them, and I have no idea why! It's in a pot in full shade, and I do my best to water underneath its leaves, to prevent splash-up. It does have good drainage. I haven't seen any bugs on it or its soil except mosquitoes, and I control those using Mosquito Bits (the same bT as in Mosquito Dunks, only in a granular form; we do get soil-dwelling mosquitos here.)

Does anyone have any advice on how to fix this? It's getting worse...
Thanks in advance!

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DiamondD Baton Rouge, LA(Zone 8b) Aug 31, 2007

I don't really have any advice but I do have one. I notice on mine that if I mist it it will get a spot. I direct water mine [over head, sideways...a bath] using the shower spray on the nozzle and it always seems to perk up after the bath. Mine is inside and thriving. I don't give it a whole lot of attention and only give the shower [I take it outside] when the leaves start looking droopy. The temp ranges from 65 degrees to 95 degrees but the high temps are for no more than a few hours. The temp is usually around 70. I do notice that it seems to be happiest at the cooler temps. Mine is in a wire basket with a coco mat and I have orchid bark on the top. Hope this helps.

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tucsonjill Lincoln, NE(Zone 5a) Aug 31, 2007

Maybe it's just been too durn hot here... Our overnight lows have been around 75F, and daytime highs, even in the shade, up above 100F again. I can try giving it a cooling bath and see if that helps, but otherwise it's just gonna have to hold on for a little longer until it cools down. If I bring it inside, the cat will eat it, and that's a much faster ticket to Dead Plant City!

Thanks for the help!

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ceejaytown The Woodlands, TX(Zone 9a) Sep 02, 2007

This is a cultural problem, and you may have already hit the nail on the head. I was going to suggest that it may need more water (and it may), but that is torturous heat. I think DiamondD has given you very good advice.

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