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Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Painted Fern 'Burgundy Lace' (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Burgundy Lace')— schedule & NPK

Also called Burgundy Lace painted fern.

More about painted fern 'burgundy lace'

About Painted Fern 'Burgundy Lace'

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Burgundy Lace' · also called Burgundy Lace painted fern · houseplant

'Burgundy Lace' is a striking Japanese painted fern with deep wine-red and purple infusing its silvery, finely cut fronds, the colour strongest on new growth and along the stems. A hardy deciduous woodland fern, it prefers cool part-shade and moist, humus-rich soil. Indoors it wants bright shade, even moisture and a cool dormant winter.

Growth habit: A clump-forming deciduous fern with arching, finely divided fronds in silvered grey-green strongly overlaid with burgundy and purple, most vivid on fresh fronds and stems. It spreads slowly from the crown and dies back each autumn, reshooting in spring.

What fertiliser painted fern 'burgundy lace' actually wants — and why

Painted Fern 'Burgundy Lace' 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace': 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace', 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace':

Light feeding suits it. Outdoors, mulch annually in spring with leaf mould or compost. In pots, feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength, then stop once the fronds die back into winter dormancy. Treat that as monthly 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace' 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace'

Half strength is the safe default for painted fern 'burgundy lace' — 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the painted fern 'burgundy lace' watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding painted fern 'burgundy lace'

Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for painted fern 'burgundy lace':

Signs you are under-feeding painted fern 'burgundy lace'

If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full painted fern 'burgundy lace' care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.

Flushing and leaching the salts

Flush the pot of painted fern 'burgundy lace' 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace'

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 painted fern 'burgundy lace' — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does painted fern 'burgundy lace' 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. Painted Fern 'Burgundy Lace' 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace'?

Light feeding suits it. Outdoors, mulch annually in spring with leaf mould or compost. In pots, feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength, then stop once the fronds die back into winter dormancy. Light feeding suits it. Outdoors, mulch annually in spring with leaf mould or compost. In pots, feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength, then stop once the fronds die back into winter dormancy. Treat that as monthly 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace'?

Half strength is the safe default for painted fern 'burgundy lace' — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.

What does over-feeding painted fern 'burgundy lace' 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace' 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 painted fern 'burgundy lace'?

Flush the pot of painted fern 'burgundy lace' 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.

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