Santa Rosa Tropicals Fern Growing Notes


'Bear's Paw Fern' Polypodium aureum 'Mandianum'
This fern makes a very big basket! The new growth is dark green and the fronds can grow up to three feet long when the plant is fully mature. It is well worth growing if you have the room because there is nothing else that resembles 'Mandianum'. It is easy to grow and can be sold in 6" and 8" pots before it is bumped up into a basket.
Culture for best commercial production: Light: 1200 fc to 2000+ fc. Temperature: 60º to 85º F. Water: keep lightly moist. Not happy if allowed to totally dry out or if kept too wet. Feed: 100 to 150 ppm on constant feed (15-5-15) with available Ca, Mg & pH around 6.0. Pest Control: Talstar(r) + Orthene(r) works well as a preventative program for aphids or scale during the warm months, although 'Mandianum' is remarkably pest free. Container: usually grown as a large table fern or hanging basket. Schedule: (starting with a Santa Rosa Tropicals plug) 4" starter pot - 10 to 12 weeks 6" pot - 12 to 16 weeks from a 4" pot 8" pot - 18 to 24 weeks from a 4" pot 10" basket - 18 to 24 weeks from a 6" pot Pot all year on a regular rotation for year round sales.