Making a Whole Fernery in a Single Pot 
Photographed by S. LEONARD BASTIN 
After the side plants have been firmly set in place, the 
top is finished off by planting a fairly iarge sized plant of a 
strong growing kind 
AS THE accompany- 
/\ ing pictures will prove, 
/ it is quite practicable 
to use a good sized 
flower pot for the accommoda- 
tion of a small collection of 
Ferns. The pot fernery is a 
welcome addition to the win- 
dow garden and a variant 
among indoor garden ideas. 
In the first place it will be 
necessary to secure a large pot. 
For the best effect this should 
not be less than about fifteen 
inches across the top. It is 
now needful to make a number 
of holes all around the pot; 
these should be about a couple 
of inches in diameter, and 
separated from each other by 
the same distance. In the 
pot shown herewith the holes 
were worked out by using an 
old augur bit. The job is one 
which any handy man could 
carry out. 
Secure a quantity of small 
size Ferns and one or two 
larger ones for planting at the 
top of the pot. The soil used 
should be a mixture of leaf 
mould and loam with a little 
peat, if it can be secured. It 
is also well to add a small 
amount of sand to the com- 
post. Now get a number of 
pieces of broken pot, and ar- 
range these over the bottom of 
the large pot so that a good 
drainage will be secured. Next 
fill in with the soil up to the 
level of the first row of holes, 
and press down well so as to 
avoid the formation of any 
air holes which are so harmful 
to the roots. Take the small 
ferns, which should be of 
various kinds offered by the 
dealers for fern dishes, and 
place one in each of the holes, 
the roots of course being in- 
The finished pot fernery is a wel- 
come addition to the indoor garden 
and if kept well watered and lighted 
will flourish 
Holes are bored into the side of the pot through which various ferns in small sizes are inserted tier 
by tier 
ward and the foliage on the 
outside of the pot. When the 
row of holes is planted all 
round the pot pour in soil, 
pressing well down until the 
new series of openings is 
reached. The operation of 
planting small ferns is then 
repeated, and so on until the 
last round of holes is reached. 
As a finish one or two large 
ferns are planted at the top 
in the regular way. These 
should preferably be of some 
rather tall growing kind. For 
instance the strong, growing 
Ribbon Ferns (Pteris) answer 
the purpose very well. 
A position in front of a light 
window is desirable, and it is 
a good plan to turn the pot 
round daily so that all sides 
may be equally illuminated. 
Of course, as the ferns grow a 
liberal amount of water should 
be allowed and the plants will 
at all times much appreciate 
a good overhead sprinkling. 
A few native American spe- 
cies will break the natural order 
ofthingsand may be keptgrow- 
ing indoors with fairly good re- 
sults. The cheerful little Poly- 
pody is always pleasant to look 
upon and it is astonishing how 
this rock-clinging species holds 
its own in any situation. The 
Spleenwort (Asplenium platy- 
neuron) as an all-round fern 
takes prominent rank. 
The secret of success in the 
cultivation of both is the sim- 
ulation of natural environ- 
ment of the root growth. 
Thin bits of limestone or other 
rock must be placed against 
the fern roots, and moss and 
earth enough added to hold 
them in place. This is the one 
imperative demand of the 
Ebony Spleenwort. 
This shows the method of filling in 
the soil as each tier of holes is planted. 
Be sure to make each layer firm and 
avoid air space 
