A Frond in Need Is a Frond Indeed

Here are some tips for growing and displaying staghorn ferns:

* Choose the right location. They need filtered light. A protected patio or garden wall will be suitable. If the plant is in direct sunlight, the fronds will burn.

* Water regularly. In spring or summer, water once a week in coastal regions, twice a week in inland areas. During hot, dry Santa Ana winds, mist the fronds daily.

* Avoid over-watering. “If the plants get too much water, a sloppy, mossy condition forms at the bottom and can kill the plant,” Roberts says. “The gardener has to use reasonable judgment.”

* Fertilize. Platyceriums will become greener and more lush if they receive regular doses of a balanced liquid fertilizer with a formula of 10-10-5. Apply fertilizer every two or three weeks during spring, summer and fall.

* Protect from insects. Occasionally, the attack comes from mealybugs or scale, which can be controlled by blasts of water. Scale are hard-bodied insects that attach themselves directly to the plants; they can be removed by hand with the use of a wet cloth dipped in diluted alcohol. But if the infestation becomes severe, try several applications of nontoxic insecticidal soap. Pay attention to package directions.