Low humidity
Crispy tips on fern leaflets while the soil stays nicely moist is almost always a humidity complaint.
Diagnosis
Low humidity
What's happening
Boston ferns come from humid, shaded forests and woodlands where the air rarely dries out. Indoors, especially near a heating vent or in winter air, the thin leaflet margins lose water faster than the roots can replace it, so the delicate tips and edges of the fronds brown and turn brittle even though the roots have plenty of water to drink.
How to fix it
Raise the humidity around the plant: group it with other plants, set the pot on a tray of pebbles and water, or run a small humidifier nearby — a fern is happiest at 50% humidity or more. Move it away from heating vents, radiators, and drafts that dry the air out. A bright bathroom or kitchen is often the easiest home for one. Trim the worst of the crispy tips with clean scissors following the frond's natural shape, and new growth will come in soft and green.
What fixes it
- A small room humidifier — A small humidifier near the fern is the single most reliable fix for crispy tips, especially in dry winter air.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Boston Fern care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this