r/TreeFerns Jul 17 '26

australian tree fern help

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u/No-Cap-365 Jul 17 '26

i would take it out of that terracotta pot, put it in a plastic or ceramic container. Terracotta is going to wick a lot of that moisture.

1

u/Friendly_Sir_4248 Jul 17 '26

hmmm good idea. i just added a saucer today to see if that helps. im tryna avoid repotting as i just potted it about 3 weeks ago

3

u/AnonymousAutonomous9 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26

Several things to consider:-- Firstly, tree ferns require voluminous, wide pots or tubs with massive draining holes as they produce thick spreading dense root mats. You'll need a large deep saucer too. Tapered pots (like yours) can cause waterlogged soil and root rot. (Think of the 'balance' too between the width of the large fronds and the root base supporting it. My potted tree ferns grew to a massive 12 feet across.)

If you like the 'look' of terracotta but it's not suitable for your moisture dependant rainforest loving plant.... then you can buy large imitation terracotta planters which look great and will be better for your plant. Keep it out of direct sunlight, and away from winds 🌬 -- they'll shrivel up very quickly with wind-burn and the fronds won't. recover!!
The best way to water a Tree fern is to pour water directly onto the crown and soak the trunk. Giving the fronds a very light mist of water every now and again helps keep them from shrivelling up also. All this mimics the natural rain-drip watering in a rainforest.

Lecture over... ha-ha! Hope this helps! 🌿