Hi William. I've was never been able to save boston ferns through the winter...even when I lived in zone 7. I had even tried keeping them in a garage (with sun) during the winter and they still got brown and leaves fell. I think it was a combination of cold weather and being root bound by the end of the season. I had even quartered them and repotted but they never looked as nice as you have in your photo. Maybe I just wasn't paitent enough to wait for them to come back in the spring. They sure look nice and full at the end of the summer...Have you had birds nest in them? I always thought that was so neat!

Pam

Your fern is beautiful! Mine never looked that full. I tried one winter to plant my fern and mulch it and it still died. I tried keeping them in the house during the winter, but I keep the temeprature to hot, so they lost their leaves and died. My aunt has had one for a long time, she brings her's in her sunroom and keeps it moist. I hope you have better luck than me.

I have not tried to winter house ferns outside over winter, but I have had the same Boston fern since the late 70s. This plant is kept over the winter in a bright bedroom where the heat duct is closed. We normally keep the temperature at 67 degrees in the house. Yes, the leaves do turn brown, but the plant recovers in the spring when it goes outdoors,is fertilized and sometimes divided. cleaning up after a fern that drops its leaves is not something I like to do, but I never can let something die. I usually water once a week in winter.

Admittedly the fern has a different appearance from that in your picture, but I find it acceptable.
GBB

Boston ferns probably won't make it outdoors in z6, even mulched heavily. I keep mine on an enclosed porch, heated to low to mid 40's. Last year I cut half of the fronds off when I brought it in. This year I may cut all of them off as I saw a snake skin in the pot when I watered a while back and I want to make sure the thing isn't still in there. Besides the new fronds that come back are lovely by spring, taking most of the winter at those low temps to fully elongate.