06 May 2013

new ferns and a spider plant urn

I went to the local farmer's market yesterday, for some fresh produce (spinach, amazing strawberries, a head of lettuce, apples and greenhouse tomatoes!) but instead of getting a jar of local honey, I bought a pair of ferns instead.
I really wanted a pretty japanese painted fern, but the man said these Autumn Ferns are more hardy, plus they don't die back in the winter so it will be something green and pretty on my balcony all season. First thing I did on getting home was to repot them into larger containers
and set on my little outdoor table.
I haven't had much luck with ferns lately, so I am hoping these do better for me. I asked the grower about the state of my Boston Fern and he suggested cutting it back hard, to let it regenerate with new fiddleheads. I've done this with all the small pots (seen here still scraggly),
but left the biggest one alone until I see how the others respond!
It's sitting inside a large plastic urn-shaped planter. I brought a pair of them home from the old property. My intent is to eventually have one in each shady corner of the balcony, with a big fern in them. I can just picture it! But for now the ferns don't fill it out, and I've put the Spider Plants in the other one.
All three, nestled together. I need to lift them higher as the sun is coming in too strong under the blinds. It looks a bit silly up on that cupboard but still attractive, to some degree I think.

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