Trying To Keep An Asparagus Fern Alive: a house log

We are trying a new house plant on for size here at Casa Petersik, which might sound about as newsworthy as “John got a haircut,” but it is in fact quite a big deal for us. See, we typically stick with what we know in the plant department (read all about the plants that we know and enjoy right here). So who is the new guy in town?

Why this fantastic feathery asparagus fern that we fell in love with at Home Depot (in an already-owned planter that was gifted by a friend a while back). While swooning over our new housemate, we were sure to ask the garden people if it was straightforward to kill and two separate experts vehemently denied it – and in fact referred to it as quite a hardy little thing. It simply looks so light and vulnerable. I guess time will tell…

So far we have been enjoying his company for two weeks in the bathroom and he’s been looking as glad as a clam in there.

Ferns enjoy moisture so a steamy bathroom fits the bill. And believe it or not we in fact have not watered it once in the last two weeks (even though the tag says “high moisture plant”) since the steam from the shower seems to be keeping him glad. We have learned our lesson when it comes to overwatering things, so we wait for plants to look limp or for the soil to feel dry before adding water (and so far this guy has dodged that bullet).

We will keep you posted on our new house plant’s status as time goes by (cross your fingers that it does not cross over from “alive ” to “not alive”). And while we are on the subject, what kind of house plants are tried and true at your house? Do you have any that you find impossible to kill? Or others that you simply cannot keep alive? Let us talk about greenery that is especially straightforward and fresh looking… and anything that you think we should avoid for fear of killing it in record time.

Psst- Wanna know about all the other plants that live it up in Casa Petersik? Look no further.