Why BMI Is a Crock, in Pictures. So, the Guess The Rotund's Height and Weight game gave me an idea. (Oh, and hey, if you want to see a scatter graph of the results, there's one here now.) I talk a lot about how BMI is bullshit, but we all know talk is cheap.
As suggested in the above links (Thanks! ShellaB, for posting those links -- The first one was especially useful.), you can use monofilament plastic fish line to tie the fern to the basket, if needed. I stuffed my staghorn's basket with a combination of leaf litter, spaghnum, and Spanish Moss.
Staghorn ferns get their moisture and nutrients from the air because their roots do not grow in soil like other plants. Instead, staghorn ferns have small root structures which are shielded by specialized fronds, called basal or shield fronds. These basal fronds look like flat leaves and cover the root ball.