I’m so excited to share with you my latest DIY project! Aftering seeing a staghorn fern in my favorite local greenhouse - I just had to make one!

Let’s get started!

Supplies you will need ::

Potted staghorn fern(s)
Sheet moss
Floral wire or fishing line + scissors
Board or sturdy piece you want to use
Wall hanging supplies

Staghorn ferns are epiphytes, which means they are air plants & they don’t need soil to survive. Cue the fun trend of mounting + hanging them in all sorts of ways!

I found this basket in the spring section at Michaels & sprayed painted it. The greatest part is the spray paint only took ten minutes to dry! This can be a fast + easy DIY for sure!

Wet your sheet moss

Lay it down and add just a bit of soil to the center

Take your fern out of the nursery pot and gently loosen the roots & old potting medium

Place him right in the middle of the bed

Before we begin wrapping - let’s get our floral wire / fishing line ready

Cut about 2-3 feet or more and set aside

We are now going to bring the sheet moss up and around the root ball of your fern

One corner or side at a time & gather them together at the base of the fern

This might be a bit difficult with only two hands - if anyone is around grab them for this part

You want the moss ball to feel snug & to look like this

Time to attach your fern to its base

If you need to add hanging hardware - do so now. For mine all I needed to do was make sure there was a hole for a nail at the top of my basket

Next - place your fern in the middle & attach it with what you used before

floral wire or fishing line

I used a piece to go around the top + bottom part of of the moss ball

I then tightened the wire as I held it vertically

Now is the time to reposition if you find the fern leaning or not centered

Go ahead and knot or wrap the wire up on the backside

Eventually the fern itself with attach to your board / basket and you will be able to remove these later

Congratulations! You have yourself a fun living art piece for your wall!

Staghorn Fern care

They need bright light but not direct

They attach themselves to trees in the wild - so mimicking that type of light will create the best indoor environment for optimal growth

I placed mine where it will get east + south sun & about 8-10 feet away from both windows

These guys need a good soaking once a week during warmer months & once every few weeks during cooler months

I plan to take the whole piece down and water in the shower, wait for it to dry & hang it back up

They absorb water through their fronds as well as their roots - make sure to water the whole plant

Fertilize them once a month

The fuzz that you see on the leaves is not a bug infestation or dust, it’s actually hair projecting from the leaf surface. This coating protects the plant from getting sunburn + is important for gathering moisture

Extra fern info

Naturally these ferns attach to and gain nutrients from other plants. In the wild you will see them growing on trees. They do not cause harm to the trees but instead live in harmony with its host.

They have two sets of fronds. Basal - which grows out to look like shields. The basal fronds cover & protect the roots + helps the fern attach to its host. If you see a “dead leaf” - resist the urge to pull it off. These basal fronds naturally turn brown. Fertile leaves grow from the center and form the staghorn antlers.