u/Aurora_Storm

Hi everyone,

Posted on plantclinic a while ago because I had no idea this sub existed. Wasn't able to get much advice over there and figured you guys are probably a wealth of information and could help set me on the right track with my fern.

I've had this for a few years now, and while it's never thrived under my care (I expect a combination of poor lighting conditions and infrequent fertilizer), it's never had fronds that have died from the base like this before. This is the second consecutive time it's done this, where it finally gives some new growth only to turn yellow, then brown, then black at the base. They usually fall off shortly after this. What's more worrisome to me is that it's now happening to one of the few large fronds it has, and I fear this is the beginning of the end for one of my favorite plants since I suspect that big frond is going to fall off too and the fern won't have enough surface area left to get the energy it needs to survive in these conditions. Or, it's got root rot, which is even worse.

Last two photos are from about a month ago, when I first asked for advice and she was a bit healthier... I'd love to figure out what's going on and save her, I'm quite fond of this plant.

Notes:

- I suspect I'm overwatering it. I usually leave it until the medium is a bit crunchy, and then soak it in the shower until it's heavy and dripping (usually one good spray for a few minutes, come back and spray it again for about 30 seconds for a good soak) and leave it hanging in the shower to drip the excess. The medium holds a lot of water, more than I remember it holding. It gets a shower about once per week (not on a schedule, just depends on if the medium goes crunchy or not). It used to be that I underwatered it and fronds would die that way, so this is probably overcompensation.

- I realize that the lighting situation is not ideal. It's a little ways from the window, and was growing lopsided (I have no where else it can hang to get "even" lighting), so tried to compensate by adding a grow light to the other side. One of my recent attempts to make it happier was to "filter" the light through a little frosted plastic bag to avoid a direct lighting situation, but if that's not good enough I am open to suggestions.

- It used to have more antler fronds (and wasn't so lopsided), but as far as I am aware, it never had an obvious shield frond. It was purchased that way.

- The temperature and humidity level are kept fairly consistent. It's usually slightly on the humid side and ranges between 21-24c in the house on average. The air vents in the ceiling nearby are kept sealed to prevent cold or hot air from blowing all over the plants. That being said, sometimes I do throw the window open to let fresh air in at night for up to 6 hours at a time, and that can get as cool as 14c or so.

Thank you in advance for any advice you're able to provide!

Hi everyone! Been lurking here for a while and felt inspired by all the fantastic creations. I've decided to try and tackle a small necklace project ahead of local Ren Faires.

I have trouble visualizing things, so I found a necklace similar to what I wanted and painted over it in the colours I was planning to use. The only problem is I have absolutely no idea what size rings to order for the little interlocking loops. I figured a medium sized scale (from Weave Got Maille) would give me the coverage and oomph I want without being too small or too big, and that means using 1/4 rings for the weave, but I have no idea what size I'd order for the little ones.

Was going to get the little jump rings in matching colours as well, so ordering multiple sizes and hoping one of them works is a shot-in-the-dark approach I was hoping to avoid, especially given how expensive it's going to be ordering them internationally.

Any help would be appreciated! There's probably some simple guesstimate math I'm just missing here.

I've had this mounted staghorn fern about 4 years now, it's been sort of muddling along, I thought due to lack of fertilizer and light along with occasional "oops, I forgot to water it for so long the medium went crispy". It lost a bunch of big leaves on one side, so I figured I would fertilize it more often to try and stimulate some growth (I use MARPHYL All-Purpose Plant Food, probably far less frequently and consistently than I should).

Recently (~6 months ago) I added a grow lamp to the side that wasn't really getting natural light to try and supplement the fact there's nowhere for me to put it where it gets even light, nor anywhere I can "swap sides"--it will only ever get sunlight from one side unless I start taking it outside on sunny days which is a bit of an inconvenience. The grow lamp is usually a little closer/better angled to the side and I have it on for 12hrs per day (6am to 6pm, approximately).

It started growing new leaves, and I got excited--but we've been in a cycle the last 4-5 months where it will grow a batch of new leaves on the grow lamp side, only for them all to die off about a month in. As you can see, the three new leaves all have brown at the base of the stem. This signals to me that they will all die, again, and the poor plant wasted a bunch of energy on new leaves that aren't ever permanent fixtures. This is about the third cycle of initially exciting new growth I can see is all about to fall off.

I water by noticing when the medium starts to get slightly crispy and taking it into the shower to give it a good soak (usually once deeply, and then again a few minutes later to fully saturate it), and hang it to dry. It usually keeps dripping, which is why the cloth under the edge. I have also taken to misting the base of the leaves every day or so to try and help the new growth, but as you can see, they're still dying.

What might the issue be? The grow lamp seemed to stimulate growth, but is it "too much" and killing the new leaves? Are they too exposed in the medium? Is the grow lamp no good and I need to take the fern outside on sunny days? (It's usually very rainy here, so there are entire seasons where it won't get much.) Any advice is appreciated. I'm enchanted with this plant and haven't seemed to be able to do right by it. As I say, it's just been muddling along.

Bonus image of us "holding hands".

Noticed that Oswald was looking especially forge-burnt today, and then looked a little closer at his soot-smothered forearms. Is it just me, or does he have the distinct impression of a giant fingerprint above his elbow? Anyone else? Kind of looks like a dev was feeling cheeky.