Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern (Davallia solida)— schedule & NPK
Also called Rabbit's Foot Fern, Squirrel's Foot Fern, Woolly Bear Fern.
More about blue rabbit's foot fern
About Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern
Davallia solida · also called Rabbit's Foot Fern, Squirrel's Foot Fern · tropical
Davallia solida is a striking epiphytic fern from tropical Australasia and the Pacific, famous for its creeping, furry rhizomes that clamber over the edges of baskets and pots. The finely divided, triangular fronds add delicate texture to any display. Best grown in hanging baskets with high humidity. Considered pet-safe as a true fern.
Growth habit: Epiphytic fern with creeping, densely scaled rhizomes and arching, finely divided fronds
What fertiliser blue rabbit's foot fern actually wants — and why
Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for blue rabbit's foot fern: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed blue rabbit's foot fern, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For blue rabbit's foot fern:
Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser at quarter strength once a month during spring and summer. Davallia species are light feeders — excess nutrients cause overly lush growth and salt damage to rhizomes. Withhold feeding in autumn and winter. Treat that as once a month between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when blue rabbit's foot fern is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for blue rabbit's foot fern
Half strength is the safe default for blue rabbit's foot fern — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water blue rabbit's foot fern first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the blue rabbit's foot fern watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding blue rabbit's foot fern
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for blue rabbit's foot fern:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding blue rabbit's foot fern
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full blue rabbit's foot fern care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of blue rabbit's foot fern with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for blue rabbit's foot fern
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising blue rabbit's foot fern — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does blue rabbit's foot fern need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed blue rabbit's foot fern?
Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser at quarter strength once a month during spring and summer. Davallia species are light feeders — excess nutrients cause overly lush growth and salt damage to rhizomes. Withhold feeding in autumn and winter. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser at quarter strength once a month during spring and summer. Davallia species are light feeders — excess nutrients cause overly lush growth and salt damage to rhizomes. Withhold feeding in autumn and winter. Treat that as once a month between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for blue rabbit's foot fern?
Half strength is the safe default for blue rabbit's foot fern — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding blue rabbit's foot fern look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding blue rabbit's foot fern year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of blue rabbit's foot fern?
Flush the pot of blue rabbit's foot fern with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water blue rabbit's foot fern — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise goeppertia white fusion
- How to fertilise goeppertia flamestar
- How to fertilise goeppertia beauty star
- All 11687 fertilising guides in the Growli library