goldie's shield fern

Goldie's Shield Fern (Dryopteris goldiana) requires minimal watering. Water the plant when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Aim to water the plant every 7-14 days, keeping the soil consistently damp, but not soggy. Where possible, use rainwater mixed with distilled water, and stand trays or pots with drainage holes beneath your plants to capture runoff. Avoid overwatering Goldie's Shield Fern, as damp soil and wet leaves can cause fungal diseases, such as root rot.

Goldie's shield fern requires bright but indirect sunlight for 6 to 8 hours per day. It will also tolerate a few hours of direct sunlight, but does best when it has some amount of protection from the sun's rays. During the spring and summer months, place the fern in an area that receives direct sun in the morning, with the sun gradually moving away from it as the day progresses. During the winter months, when the days are shorter, try to give the fern some form of supplemental lighting such as fluorescent or LED grow lights. Place the light source about 18 inches from the fern and leave it on for 8-12 hours per day.

Goldie's shield ferns should be pruned once per year, preferably in early spring. Pruning should be done selectively to remove any dead or diseased fronds, as well as to shape the fern and encourage new growth. This will help to ensure that Goldie's shield ferns look their best year-round. When pruning, it’s best to remove only a third of the fronds at a time but for more serious cases, it may be necessary to trim up to half of the fronds. Before pruning, make sure to properly disinfect the pruning shears with alcohol to prevent the spread of any possible disease.