Pest battle with Bird's Nest Fern — and how I won

I had a serious problem with frond browning and crisp tips in dry air on my Bird's Nest Fern earlier this year. Caught it late and had to work hard to bring the plant back. The experience was frustrating but educational.

Now that it's healthy again I can fully appreciate dramatic unfurling fiddle-head growth in spring, which is remarkable. I've repositioned it in a shaded north-facing border under trees and improved my attention to positioning in shade or dappled light away from direct sun. early emergence from the soil before most other plants in spring was the proof that the plant had fully recovered — genuinely beautiful. Moral of the story: inspect regularly and catch problems early.