Check out all our blog posts on Outdoor gardening.
Both plants have glossy leaves that fan out like an open hand, so they get mixed up all the time at garden centers. The fastest way to tell them apart is the trunk and the leaflet count. A money tree (Pachira aquatica) usually has a braided, smooth trunk with 5 to 7 leaflets per leaf, … Read more >>
Ferns grow well outside in pots when you give them three things: a container with open drainage holes, a light, moisture-holding potting mix, and a spot with filtered shade and shelter from wind. To grow ferns outside in pots, pick a fern suited to your USDA zone, plant it in a pot only an inch … Read more >>
Most of the time, money tree leaves curl because the plant is losing water faster than its roots can replace it. Curling is most often caused by dry soil, dry indoor air, or too much heat and direct sun, so check the soil 2 inches down first, then look at humidity and light. Soggy soil, … Read more >>
To prune a money tree for a fuller shape, cut leggy stems back to just above a healthy leaf node in spring or early summer, and remove no more than about a third of the plant at once. New shoots form right below each cut, so every snip you make in the right spot can … Read more >>
If your fern looks a little pale or slow, the best homemade fertilizer for ferns is finished compost or worm castings, used as a thin top-dressing in spring and summer, because both feed gently and are unlikely to burn shallow fern roots. A weak compost tea or a heavily diluted fish emulsion also works when … Read more >>
Most brown leaves on a money tree come from a care problem you can fix. Money tree leaves usually turn brown because the plant is too dry (in the soil or the air), sitting in soggy soil, getting harsh direct sun, or reacting to salt buildup from fertilizer or tap water. Cold drafts, pests, and … Read more >>
![Best Fertilizers for Ferns [Top Choices]](https://gardeningelsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Best-Fertilizers-for-Ferns.jpg "Best Fertilizers for Ferns")
The best fertilizer for ferns, in my opinion, is a balanced water-soluble liquid (something like 10-10-10 or 20-20-20) mixed at half strength or weaker and given about once a month in spring and summer. It suits nearly every home gardener with potted ferns, because you control the dose and can stop the moment a frond … Read more >>
A money tree gives you a few solid, everyday perks and a lot of cultural meaning. The real money tree benefits are that it’s easy to keep alive, safe around cats and dogs, and good-looking in a room; the luck and wealth part is a tradition you can enjoy without expecting a payday. Claims about … Read more >>
Most of the time, a money tree drops leaves because something in its routine changed. The most common causes of a money tree losing leaves are a recent move or light change, soggy soil from overwatering, cold drafts, and long dry spells between waterings. One old yellow leaf now and then is normal. A steady … Read more >>
A money tree needs water when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry. In most American homes, that works out to about once every 1 to 2 weeks, with longer gaps in fall and winter. Water your money tree deeply whenever the top 2 inches of soil are dry, which is usually every 1 … Read more >>