I got an adorable heart fern (Hemionitis arifolia) 2 months ago, but it has just been dying on me even though I feel like I'm doing everything right. Please help me figure out what I'm doing wrong here.
Problem: The fern initially started curling during week 1 or 2, with the sides of the leaves curling downward. I read that that means it needs water, so I gave it a little, even though the soil wasn't dry. That seemed to help at first, but the curling kept coming back. Then the leaves started turning white about 1 month after planting. Just white splotches that get bigger, then start becoming brown and crispy. The plant has never been yellow or soft, but the air and soil have never been dry, so I'm very confused.
Build: I have false bottom/LECA layer, separated by mesh from the terrarium mix substrate. I collected moss from outside and added that about 2 weeks after planting the fern. I put in a fittonia cutting at the same time as the moss, just to throw it in there. The substrate is evenly moist, not wet and not dry. I know the moss looks crispy, but I think that's from my sister spraying it with hard tap water.
I'm pretty confident that this plant is a lost cause, but I want to figure out how to prevent this from happening to whatever I plant next. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!
by Purple-Stations
1 Comment
It could be, that the substrate is compacted and suffocating the roots. If you try to dig a little, is it hard or airy?
Try to dry the substrate out a little, most plants like it a little more dry since the humidity is so high.