The Thirsty Fern
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Kwame overwaters his new fern and learns the right way to care for it.
Kwame got a small fern for his room. He wanted to take good care of it. He watered it every single day.
He put it near the window. He talked to it every morning. He was proud of his new little plant.
After two weeks, the leaves turned brown. Kwame felt worried about his plant. He did not understand the problem.
He gave it even more water. The leaves only got worse. He decided to ask for help.
He asked the worker at the plant shop. He described the brown, dying leaves. "How often do you water it?" she asked.
"Every day," Kwame answered proudly. The worker shook her head and smiled. "That's too much water for a fern," she said.
She explained something simple to him. Ferns like less water than that. Once a week is usually enough.
Kwame felt a little silly about it. He thanked her and bought some new soil. He changed the soil in the pot.
He watered it only once a week. He checked the leaves every few days. New green leaves grew after a few weeks.
