Papua Nest Fern
Colombo to Honolulu. Your fern’s natural habitat is the bits of land between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Talk about island hopping! But it happens to the best of us. A yellow leaf here and saggy stem there. We’ve got you. 
A shady spot
The Papua Nest Fern does best in a shady place in a room with a lot of natural sunlight. It doesn’t like direct sunlight which scorches its elegant leaves. It's great at a height or on the ground.
It doesn’t like too much water.
It likes its soil moist but never soggy. Remember not to water the centre of the plant but the soil around the root ball..
The best way to water it is to give it a generous watering until water runs out of the drainage hole of the pot. Discard any drained water because the plant doesn't like wet feet, and this can cause root rot. Allow the top layer of the soil to dry out between waterings to make sure it does not get overwatered.
Poke your finger into the soil to test its moisture level. If the top few inches of the soil are dry to the touch, then it is safe to proceed with watering, but if you can feel moisture, then you should wait before watering the plant again. The aim is to keep the lower level of soil moist but not soggy.It’s a bit of experimenting to get to the right balance but don’t worry, you’ll get it after a bit of trial and error.
Start with roughly 3 times a week. More in the hot, summer months, less in the monsoon and cooler seasons. Water less if its leaves start to yellow.
Spa day, once a month.
1. Trim off brown leaves snipping closely to the central stem. Pull out old stumps from the base to make space for new leaves.
2. Scrape off any white mould on top of the soil. It’s just harmless fungi that lives in the soil. Lightly dust the soil with ground cinnamon.
3. Poke holes in the soil with a chopstick to aerate it and and give your plant a bit of extra breathing room. Sprinkle a tablespoon of vitamins in the soil and massage in.
4. Shine its leaves with a damp cloth, gently removing any dust. Front and back. This not only makes your plant look nicer but also helps it to soak in light more easily.
5. Spin it around to make sure its leaves are sunned evenly as it tends to grow towards sunlight.
6. Clean your cork mat with soap and water or white vinegar.
Mist its leaves
Only when you feel they’re dusty.
Common questions
Why are my Papua Nest Fern's leaves turning yellow and drooping?
Over-watering, most likely. Try to avoid watering on a schedule and poke your finger into the soil to see if your plant is thirsty instead! If its condition doesn't improve in a couple of weeks, there is a possibility of root rot. Root rot occurs with too much watering. Check that your pot is draining properly and your soil isn’t getting waterlogged.
Why is my Papua Nest Fern getting holes in it?
Usually very hardy plants but there is a chance that they get pests like Aphids or Scale Insects. In this case, give your plant a good spritz of organic pesticide or Neem oil diluted in water once a week for a couple of months till the pests go away.
Why is my Papua Nest Fern browning?
It is sensitive to direct sunlight so it may be a case of a change in position to a cooler, shadier spot. If you're sure it's not a sunlight issue, it may be asking for a little more water. Increase your watering frequency.
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