How to Repot a Bird’s Nest Fern (Essential Tips)

Bird’s nest ferns are among the most popular houseplants for a reason. These lovely, tropical ferns — formally known as Asplenium nidus — get their name from the nest-shaped rosette of fronds that unfurl from its center. The fronds themselves delight the eye with their apple-green hue, glossy shine, and crinkled margins. Bird’s nest ferns are easy to grow if you provide them with their basic needs, including repotting. Here’s what to know about how and when to repot a bird’s nest fern.

Repotting Bird’s Nest Ferns – The Essentials

Bird’s nest ferns grow slowly and only need repotting every two to three years. Choose a new pot with a 2-inch larger diameter. Repot in the fern’s growth season, spring or summer. Ensure the new pot provides proper drainage and keep the plant’s crown at the same level it was in the old container.

Why Repotting Bird’s Nest Ferns Might be Necessary

Allow for Growth

Bird’s nest ferns grow slowly, and they tend to prefer a smaller pot instead of a larger pot. But, like all plants, A. nidus can eventually outgrow a container regardless of your pruning efforts.

If a bird’s nest fern grows too large for its pot, roots may fill the existing pot and become visible at the soil’s surface. If roots are left to grow tightly for too long, plants may become rootbound or pot bound. In such cases, roots fill a container and start to seek out room to expand. They may emerge from the top of the soil, pop through drainage holes, form a dense mat, or circle around the pot’s circumference.

Roots that are too tightly enmeshed can’t take up the water, oxygen, and nutrients. And when roots can’t grow, the stem and foliage of the plant can’t grow, either. Repotting gives a bird’s nest fern new space for roots to expand.

Replenish Your Plant’s Nutrient Source

Repotting also provides your plant with fresh soil and replenishes nutrients. Over time, potted plants will use up nutrients in the potting soil mix. Repotting into fresh soil mix benefits plant health. Soil structure can also degrade over time, leading to compacted spots or too-loose areas. Repotting into new soil offers a solution.

If a plant gets a disease or a pest infestation, repotting often helps solve the problem. For instance, rootbound plants often show signs of stress, such as necrotizing leaf tips, yellowing foliage, wilting, or desiccation. Repotting allows you to loosen or cut tightly bound roots.

Issues such as root rot, fungus gnats, and mold may also be exacerbated by soil. Removing plants from their containers and repotting into fresh, clean soil can help clear up pest and disease issues without potentially harmful fungicides or pesticides.

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How Often Do Bird’s Nest Ferns Need Repotting?

Bird’s nest ferns grow slowly. They usually need to be repotted about every two or three years as a general rule. Younger plants and recently propagated bird’s nest ferns may need more frequent repotting.

Of course, a plant’s growth rate differs depending on environmental conditions. For instance, plants that live in low-light conditions may grow more slowly.

Take cues from your plant as to when to repot. If you see signs that a plant is becoming root bound, it’s likely time to move up to a large container. Signs your bird’s nest fern may need repotting include:

• Roots protruding from drainage holes.
• Roots emerging from the top of the soil.
• When lifting the plant, roots are tightly enmeshed or form a dense mat.
• Slowed growth not due to environmental reasons.
• Fern appears desiccated, despite regular watering.
• Fronds with browning, necrotic tips.
• Wilting or yellowing.

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Best Times of Year to Consider Repotting

Repotting stresses plants, so it’s best only to do it when necessary. Try to only repot bird’s nest ferns during times of growth, when plants have plenty of energy to put toward recovery. The growing season is in spring and summer for a bird’s nest fern.

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The Best Soil Mix When Repotting Bird’s Nest Ferns

In their natural habitat, bird’s nest ferns grow in the understory and on tree trunks in tropical rainforests. That means they prefer soil that’s moist, well-draining, and never wet. Adding amendments such as perlite or vermiculite can help improve both drainage and moisture retention.

Bird’s nest ferns thrive in soil that’s acidic. A pH level of 5.0 to 5.5 is ideal. Adding pine bark to your soil mix can help maintain the proper pH.

If you’re making your own soil mix, consider two parts peat, one part pine bark, and one part perlite. If you’re purchasing potting soil, a mix designed for orchids may be a good choice.

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What Tools Will I Need When Repotting Bird’s Nest Ferns

The repotting process for a bird’s nest fern doesn’t require many tools. However, gathering the following items will make repotting easier:

• New container
• New potting soil
• Gloves
• Sheets of newspaper or tarp to protect surfaces from soil
• Plant snips in case you need to loosen pot-bound roots

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Size & Types of Potting Vessel Considerations

When choosing a new container for your bird’s nest fern, choose a potting vessel that’s no more than 2 inches larger in diameter than the current container and no more than a few inches deeper.

Many people choose much larger containers hoping that plants will grow much larger. But indoor plants aren’t like goldfish; they don’t grow to the size of their containers. In fact, a vessel that’s too big may cause problems. Roots can’t reach all the soil, so they may stay wet, leading to fungal growth or root rot.

As for the type of container, the most important consideration isn’t what the pot is made of. Plastic, ceramic, or terra cotta are all excellent choices. The most crucial factor is that the pot provides adequate drainage.

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How to Repot Your Bird’s Nest Fern

Here’s how to repot your bird’s nest fern:

1. Ensure your plant is healthy and that it’s the growing season (spring or summer)
2. Gather supplies — new pot, new soil, newspaper or tarp, gloves, and snips (optional)
3. Spread newspaper or tarp over your work space
4. Grasp your fern around the rosette at the soil line and slide it out of its container
5. Gently shake to remove excess soil; if your plant has any diseases or pests, rinse roots with clean water
6. If roots are pot-bound, use snips to loosen
7. Place a few inches of potting soil in the new container
8. Set your bird’s nest fern on top, ensuring the rosette is at the height you want
9. Fill with soil until the plant meets the soil at the same level it did in the original container
10. Tamp soil lightly to stabilize
11. Water sparingly

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Post Repotting Care

Repotting stresses and shocks plants, so help your bird’s nest fern time to heal and recover. Put it back in the same place it was in before the repotting to minimize environmental changes.

Keep to your regular watering schedule, only adding water when soil feels dry to about an inch down. Avoid fertilizing your bird’s nest fern for a few weeks after repotting.

If you notice signs of stress, such as wilting or yellowing leaves, give the plant time to recover before making any more changes.

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Repotting Bird’s Nest Ferns FAQs:

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Wrapping Up

Bird’s nest ferns are slow growers that, in most cases, only need repotting every two to three years. When it’s time to repot, choose a container that’s about 2 inches larger in diameter than the original and has adequate drainage holes. Repot only in spring or summer, and use a well-draining, acidic soil mix for the best results.

For more, see our in-depth guide to the meaning and symbolism of ferns.

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