Abide by the fertiliser manufacturer’s instructions and better results will be a little larger, and procure a properly balanced potting compost. It is seldom, if ever, that one sees good-quality plants growing in what is often referred to as garden dirt. Composts should contain peat, sand, fertiliser and all sorts of other ingredients if potted plants are to do well.

There are many varieties of adiantum to choose from, all of them delicately beautiful, reasonably easy to care for and supremely adaptable. Plant them in dish or bowl gardens, as individuals to stand on top of a pedestal, Or in hanging baskets. To see them at their best the latter method cannot be bettered.

Like fertilisers, all insecticides should be used as instructed, as that seemingly harmless little extra may well cause leaf scorch and other damage. Pests should be treated as soon as they are seen, as any delay will make their control just that much more difficult.