Growli

Overwintering guide

How to overwinter fortune's basket fern

Verdict
Bring indoors
When
Bring indoors when nights start dropping below about 10°C, ahead of the first frost.
Hardiness
Fortune's Basket Fern is hardy to roughly USDA zone 9 — winter lows around -7°C. That means it will not survive frost and needs to come inside.

Winter watering

Cut watering right back — fortune's basket fern uses far less while growth slows, and cold, wet compost is the usual cause of winter root rot. Stop feeding until spring.

The mistake that kills fortune's basket fern in winter

Watering on the same schedule as summer. In winter that keeps the roots sodden while the plant is barely drinking, and fortune's basket fern rots from the base.

More fortune's basket fern care

Overwintering fortune's basket fern — FAQ

Does fortune's basket fern need to come indoors for winter?

Fortune's Basket Fern is hardy to roughly USDA zone 9 — winter lows around -7°C. That means it will not survive frost and needs to come inside. Fortune's Basket Fern is frost-tender, so overwintering means bringing it inside and letting it rest rather than pushing it to grow. Move it indoors well before the first frost, give it the brightest spot you have (light levels indoors drop sharply in winter), and keep it away from both cold window glass and hot radiators — the swing between the two does more damage than the cold itself.

When should I move fortune's basket fern for winter?

Bring indoors when nights start dropping below about 10°C, ahead of the first frost.

How often should I water fortune's basket fern in winter?

Cut watering right back — fortune's basket fern uses far less while growth slows, and cold, wet compost is the usual cause of winter root rot. Stop feeding until spring.

What kills fortune's basket fern over winter?

Watering on the same schedule as summer. In winter that keeps the roots sodden while the plant is barely drinking, and fortune's basket fern rots from the base.