Every spring, I used to buy new Boston ferns for the porch. Every winter, I’d wonder whether I could keep the ones I already had alive. After a few years of bringing them indoors, trimming them, and even dividing one fern into three, I finally found a routine that works for me.
If your porch ferns have grown huge over the summer, don’t wait for a frost to figure out where they’re going. Here’s how I get mine ready for winter, where I keep them, and how I care for them until spring. Texas weather still likes to keep me guessing, so I check the forecast instead of trusting the calendar.
Updated September 2026: I’ve added more details about how I prepare my Boston ferns for winter, including what I’ve learned from keeping them in my garage until spring.
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How To Keep Ferns Alive In Winter
My Boston ferns spend the warmer months on our porch, where they can grow surprisingly big. When fall arrives, I watch the forecast and move them before the first frost. Waiting until the last minute is a gamble I don’t care to take with ferns I’ve kept alive for years!
I’ve overwintered mine indoors and in a garage that stays above freezing. They need different care in those two spots, especially when it comes to light and water, so I’ll walk you through what I do in each one. First, let’s get those porch ferns ready to come inside.
Pruning Your Boston Fern Before Winter
By fall, my porch ferns can be big enough to need their own moving truck. Before bringing them into my garage to overwinter, I snip off brown or damaged fronds and trim any long fronds that make the plant difficult to move or fit in its winter spot.
I also check underneath the foliage and around the pot for pests, then rinse the fern outdoors and let it drain.
A tidy-up is enough for now. I save major dividing and repotting for spring, when the fern is ready to grow again.
When To Divide a Boston Fern
If your fern has filled its pot and roots are growing through the drainage holes, it may be time to divide it. I usually wait until spring, when new growth begins, rather than dividing it just before winter.
I’ve divided one large Boston fern into three plants and moved each piece into its own pot with fresh potting mix. Give each division room for its roots and use a pot with drainage holes. The new plants may look a little sparse at first, but mine have filled out as the growing season goes on.
That’s one of my favorite parts of keeping ferns from year to year: more ferns for the porch without buying more ferns!
Where To Keep Boston Ferns During Winter
Inside the house: Choose a spot with bright, indirect light, away from heating vents and chilly drafts. Your fern may lose a few fronds as it adjusts to the move, but keep an eye on its light and soil moisture through winter.
In the garage: I’ve also kept my ferns in a garage with a small window. The key is knowing that the garage stays above freezing, including during a hard freeze. My garage ferns grow very little over winter and don’t need the same watering routine as the ones inside the house. I check their soil periodically so the roots don’t dry out completely.
If you aren’t sure how cold your garage gets, use a thermometer before choosing it as your fern’s winter home. A porch or garage that freezes won’t give a Boston fern the protection it needs.
How To Water Boston Ferns in Winter
Boston ferns don’t all need water on the same schedule. A fern growing inside a heated house will usually dry out faster than one resting in a cool garage. I check the soil with my finger instead of watering by the calendar.
For a fern inside the house, water when the surface of the soil begins to feel dry. Water thoroughly, let the extra drain away, and don’t leave the pot sitting in water. Check it regularly so the soil doesn’t dry out completely.
I water my garage ferns less often because they grow very little there during winter. I still check the soil periodically and give them water when they need it. About once a month has worked for mine, but your garage and your fern may be different.
Heated indoor air can also be dry. If your fern’s fronds develop dry, brown edges, try a humidifier nearby or set the pot on a pebble tray with water below the top of the pebbles. The pot should sit on the pebbles, above the water.
Should You Fertilize Boston Ferns in Winter?
I don’t fertilize my Boston ferns while they’re growing slowly during winter. I wait until spring, when I see new growth, before starting to feed them again.
If your fern is growing steadily indoors, follow the fertilizer label and avoid overdoing it. More fertilizer won’t make up for too little light or the wrong watering routine.
How Much Light Do Boston Ferns Need in Winter?
If you’re keeping your Boston fern in the house, give it bright, indirect light. A spot near a window can work well, as long as harsh direct sun isn’t shining on the fronds. Keep the plant away from cold window glass, too.
My garage ferns get much less light from a small window. They grow very little there during winter and don’t look as full as my porch ferns do in summer. I check on them regularly and move them back outdoors gradually when the weather warms up and frost is no longer a concern.
If your fern is actively growing indoors but stretching toward the window or looking thin, try a brighter spot with indirect light.
Keep Indoor Ferns Away From Drafts and Heat
Once your fern is inside, keep it away from doors that let in cold air, drafty windows, and heating vents. Cold blasts and hot, dry air can both be hard on its fronds.
I check the spot when the heat is running and when an outside door opens. If I can feel a draft or warm air blowing directly on the plant, I move it somewhere more sheltered.
Keeping Boston ferns alive through winter has saved me from buying new porch ferns every spring. I trim them, move them before frost, and check their soil throughout the colder months. Some winters they look a little rough by the end, but seeing fresh growth in spring makes the effort worth it.
Have you overwintered a Boston fern in your house or garage? I’d love to hear what worked for you in the comments. And if you want to try saving yours this year, pin this post so you can find the steps when the first cold snap sneaks up on you.
Until the next project… xo, Do
More Fern Care Tips
Once your ferns are back on the porch, these posts can help you care for them through the warmer months:
- How To Water Ferns With Epsom Salt — the method I’ve used with my outdoor ferns during the growing season.
Very good article. I’m not real good with ferns and you provide some great pointers. Thanks. P.S. Are those empty beer bottles making up the fake tree
You’re welcome, Bev. 🙂 I love my bottle tree. I purchased the bottles from Amazon. I think they’re wine bottles.
Thank you! I bought 2 Boston ferns for my brother’s funeral in May. They did very well in a shade garden all summer. I brought them in (heavy!!) for winter to try to keep them going for sentimental reasons. Depending on these tips to get them through winter. 💗 I’m not a green thumb to begin with but with your advice I’m hopeful.
Hi Teri,
I’m so sorry about your loss. 🙁
I have several plants that I saved from my loved ones memorials. I hope you can save those beautiful ferns. It was worth the effort for me. Gave a good week and thanks for reading. 🙂
I’ve heard overwintering in basement is an option too….but wondering about the light aspect?! Would love your thoughts.
Hi Joy,
I do store mine in the garage with only a small window. Not much light. The ferns will go dormant in the winter. As longer as you don’t allow the roots to dry out, they should be fine. I water mine about once a month (don’t over water) depending on how cold it gets, but they will not survive a freeze. I hope this helps. 🙂 xo
I see in the one photo where you have it cut down to just the bare stems. Is this the way they should be cut back for winter? I tried keeping a fern in the house last year. But by spring it looks more like your bare ones.
Hi Linda,
Yes, I usually cut mine back 6-8 inches right before the first freeze. The fern will go dormant in a cool garage anyway, but if you’re planning to overwinter the fern inside your home, leaving it full is okay. You will have a large number of fronds falling all over, and it gets messy. This is why I like to overwinter them in the cold garage. The next Spring, you can separate the fern into several divisions and repot them in fresh potting soil. However, if you want a full-grown lush fern in the Spring, don’t expect it to look like the store-bought ones that have been in the greenhouse all winter. It’s usually mid-summer before mine look nice again. We have a long growing season, so this works well for me. I hope this helps. 🙂 Great question.