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The Fern Factory Store
FAQ

Staghorn FAQ

Q. I was told it was good to put banana peels on my staghorns is this true?
A. This won't harm your fern. There are some nutrients in banana peels but not much. We have found the pests that rotting banana peels bring are more harm than good. We suggest you use a liquid fertilizer such as 20-6-16 or a fertilizer high in nitrogen once every three months.
Q. I have a huge staghorn ball that was given to me by a family member. They’ve had it for over twenty years. How much is it worth?
A. Usually huge staghorn clumps are Platycerium bifurcatum which are the most common species. There is a very small market for this type of specimen. Reason being they are heavy and awkward to handle. Therefore they have more of a sentimental value than a retail value.
Q. How often should I water?
A. Your fern should be kept moist but not wet and never let it dry out completely. I found that once a week works for me but if it is windy or extra dry we water a little more often. The way the fern is mounted makes a big different too: Some small moss boards need to be watered 2 to 3 times a week. The smaller the fern is the more sensitive it is to over and under watering. Larger ferns do not to be watered as often because they are able to store larger amounts of water.
Q. Which side is up?
A. Platycerium bifurcatum and all of the Platycerium that push sterile fronds at a young age are easy to tell the top from the bottom; the bud is up but with P. grande P. superbum P. wandae P. holttumii are harder to tell the top from bottom we put a sticker on all the small Platycerium we sell.
Tree Fern FAQ

Q. Which side is up?
A. Platycerium bifurcatum and all of the Platycerium that push sterile fronds at a young age are easy to tell the top from the bottom; the bud is up but with P. grande P. superbum P. wandae P. holttumii are harder to tell the top from bottom we put a sticker on all the small Platycerium we sell.