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is this a fern?

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  • 05-07-2020 12:56pm
    #1
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    Is this plant a fern?
    It is way more delicate than ferns and has yellow colour instead, but the leaves shape resembles a bit.

    It is also gradually losing the leaves bit by bit (the small parts that make that beautiful leave)

    any insight would be really appreciated!


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    #2
    lottpaul
    Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭lottpaul


    Sadly I think it was a fern. It seems to be dead - those leaves should be a dark green colour. Are there any green shoots at all in it? If not I'm afraid it's gone. It may have been in a bright and hot place which it would hate. Common name is asparagus fern if you want to replace it.


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    #3
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    lottpaul wrote: »
    Sadly I think it was a fern. It seems to be dead - those leaves should be a dark green colour. Are there any green shoots at all in it? If not I'm afraid it's gone. It may have been in a bright and hot place which it would hate. Common name is asparagus fern if you want to replace it.

    Thanks for your reply!

    No, no green shoots I am afraid... I actually thought the yellow colour was a feature... I clearly got everything wrong there...

    It is nice to learn...I will get another one, as it is a really beautiful plant

    Thanks again!


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    #4
    wildwillow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭wildwillow


    Try to figure out why it died - too wet, too dry? Look to see if something was eating the roots. It is a fairly robust plant so must have had poor conditions or serious neglect.


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    #5
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    wildwillow wrote: »
    Try to figure out why it died - too wet, too dry? Look to see if something was eating the roots. It is a fairly robust plant so must have had poor conditions or serious neglect.


    honestly, I am not too sure why it died. This plant was in my office, which also died... so I took the plant home. I d also want to find out what happened and learn from this

    Water: it was watered weekly

    Lights/temperature: in the office the plant was indoors with indirect light and was not close to any heat source. At home, it is definitely not in a good location as it is placed outdoors in a south facing bright and hot place which, as I learned today, is not good at all.

    Colour: I found a picture of the plant 2 months ago in the office, before it was moved from there (see attached pic)/ It did not have a dark green colour either. So, it must have been suffering already. This might be my strange memory, but i remember that plant colour being always on the pale side (but that might be me...)

    Roots: i will check!

    Thanks


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    #6
    wildwillow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭wildwillow


    It's been dead for awhile. If you get a new one water it when it has almost dried out. Try to put it in some light. It will need a dilute liquid feed ocassionally unless there is slow release fertilizer in the compost.
    Buy in a garden centre and ask lots of questions so you can keep it healthy.
    Enjoy growing


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    #7
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    wildwillow wrote: »
    It's been dead for awhile. If you get a new one water it when it has almost dried out. Try to put it in some light. It will need a dilute liquid feed ocassionally unless there is slow release fertilizer in the compost.
    Buy in a garden centre and ask lots of questions so you can keep it healthy.
    Enjoy growing

    Thanks, great advice. You don't just buy a decorative plant, you buy the life of that plant. Lesson learned!

    cheers


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    #8
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,163 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Any chance it was sitting directly under a/c or something?


    The other plant in the background doesnt look great either, (*look* a bit droopy to me, but I cant tell what it is so maybe its fine)


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    #9
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    GreeBo wrote: »
    Any chance it was sitting directly under a/c or something?


    The other plant in the background doesn't look great either, (*look* a bit droopy to me, but I cant tell what it is so maybe its fine)


    yes, they were actually close to the A/C, and the truth is that the office windows were rarely opened... so the air circulation was pretty poor for plants when i think about it


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    #10
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,429 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    It isn't, strictly a fern, it is in fact a relative of asparagus and is called Asparagus setaceus. You could mist the fronds to give it the atmosphere it likes, or stand it in a pebble tray with water. I have struggled to keep them alive and have more or less given up on them!


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    #11
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    looksee wrote: »
    It isn't, strictly a fern, it is in fact a relative of asparagus and is called Asparagus setaceus. You could mist the fronds to give it the atmosphere it likes, or stand it in a pebble tray with water. I have struggled to keep them alive and have more or less given up on them!


    Yes, that is exactly the one!

    according to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufuKQFAdAeg, we probably overwatered it in the office...and it probably did not get enough light in the office either, which explains the yellow colour


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    #12
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    The yellow colour is because its dead :D

    But yeah over watering is probably the cause. I've just looked after one for someone who has been in America for the last 7 months. All I did was call in at their house every 3-4 weeks and water the plants. The Asparagus fern is fine as are their geraniums and pelargoniums. There was no heat in the house and the plants were well over potted (in pots that were to big) which is why I didn't water very often in the correct size pots in the unheated house I'd have watered about every 2 weeks.


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    #13
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    looksee wrote: »
    It isn't, strictly a fern, it is in fact a relative of asparagus and is called Asparagus setaceus. You could mist the fronds to give it the atmosphere it likes, or stand it in a pebble tray with water. I have struggled to keep them alive and have more or less given up on them!
    lottpaul wrote: »
    Sadly I think it was a fern. It seems to be dead - those leaves should be a dark green colour. Are there any green shoots at all in it? If not I'm afraid it's gone. It may have been in a bright and hot place which it would hate. Common name is asparagus fern if you want to replace it.

    I checked another time today and there are a few green shoots... is that hope or me not accepting? :-)


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    #14
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,429 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Looks like life! Carefully snip off all the dead stuff and see what happens.


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    #15
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,825 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    It's alive, it's alive!! :)


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    #16
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    wildwillow wrote: »
    Try to figure out why it died - too wet, too dry? Look to see if something was eating the roots. It is a fairly robust plant so must have had poor conditions or serious neglect.

    I checked the roots today, and i have noticed that the roots never "took over" the soil after transplanting the plant from the small pot that came with the plant to a bigger one...


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    #17
    wildwillow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,158 ✭✭✭wildwillow


    Well done..
    Cut off all the old dead growth.
    Tease out the roots and spread over the surface of an almost full pot of compost.
    Try to add grit to the compost for drainage. just means adding a little sand or perlite if the compost is peat based.
    You could add a teaspoon of slow release fertilizer pellets but don't worry about that for the moment.

    You can trim the roots if necessary. Cover with compost, give a very good watering by plunging into a bucket of water for a about 30 mins. allow the excess to drain and leave till almost dry again before you water. Do this because it is very hard to completely wet compost which has dried by just watering.
    Keep where it has an even temperature and out of direct sunlight.

    You now are infected by an incurable disease called being a plantsperson or gardener.


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    #18
    mikelata
    Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭mikelata


    wildwillow wrote: »
    Well done..
    Cut off all the old dead growth.
    Tease out the roots and spread over the surface of an almost full pot of compost.
    Try to add grit to the compost for drainage. just means adding a little sand or perlite if the compost is peat based.
    You could add a teaspoon of slow release fertilizer pellets but don't worry about that for the moment.

    You can trim the roots if necessary. Cover with compost, give a very good watering by plunging into a bucket of water for a about 30 mins. allow the excess to drain and leave till almost dry again before you water. Do this because it is very hard to completely wet compost which has dried by just watering.
    Keep where it has an even temperature and out of direct sunlight.

    You now are infected by an incurable disease called being a plantsperson or gardener.

    Thanks a lot for the detailed guidelines. Looking forward to rescue and take care of the plant!

    wildwillow wrote: »
    You now are infected by an incurable disease called being a plantsperson or gardener.


    It seems that way! :-)


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