I have 2 Boston Ferns (Called Jester's Crowns) that look like they've gone through a war. Half of the leaves looked dead, and it seems kind of crunchy. I trimmed off as much of the dead stuff as I could, so they look better, but they're pretty sparse now. My guess is that they got too dry, so I changed out the soil and I'm trying to keep them moist.

Any suggestions?

I think you have already done what's necessary, Victoria. I think your "diagnosis" is right-on as well. These ferns do best when kept constantly moist and they become root-bound very quickly, worsening the ability of the potting soil to maintain moisture.

They were initially in hanging baskets... I changed them to deeper sitting pots. The soil seems a lot looser and it doesn't dry out as fast. I used a 10-10-10 fertilizer on them as well. I put them by a west-facing window - do they need sun or shade?

Victoria, I warn all my customers about a west exposure. Between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM, the sun is very intense during the spring and summer months, and I suggest you have shading so as not to expose these ferns to the sun during those hours. Early morning or very late afternoon sun is fine.

My problem here is that the ONLY windows face Northwest.

That is often the situation and thus the problem. At least in the spring and summer months, the sun is at a bit better angle, so you do get more light from the NW quadrant. However, during the fall and winter months, that angle worsens and you are left with more of a northern sun exposure.
Supplemental lighting will help then.

Will they be okay if I just move them away from the window a few feet? I can't do much about giving them grow lights... Unless I move them to the grow lights and away from natural light. Our grow lights are mounted in the ceiling.. Only 2 of them

OK, here's the deal. I can only truly relate to a western exposure. When we start talking about a SE, a NE, a NW.........well, you see. Everything gets kind of muddled. What may be too intense, too hot in a pure western exposure, may be tolerable in a NW exposure. You might want to just put a thermometer inside that window, positioned a foot from the glass, and see how hot it really gets. I have a temperature monitor outside my front door, against the brick facing, and the door faces true-west. When the outside temperature at 5:00 PM is 90F, the temperature on the brick at my front door registers 120F. There's the problem. Only checking the temperature will tell you. Plant damage comes from those infra-red rays, and a thermometer gives an indication of that.

Oh yikes that's crazy. I'll see what I can do. If I'm supposed to keep these plants in a good, sellable condition... I better find out, hm?

I bet y'all sell thermometers. Just hang or place one of those, still packaged, near a window that gets full sun. You will get different measurements as you back away from the window, do check again 2' and then 4' away.

Good luck, Victoria.

Yes, we do. I'll try that. Thank you for all of your help; I really do appreciate it!

I did that, and forgot to look at it before I left work it was 70 degrees around 2pm though.

I don't think 70F would be any problem at all. 4:00 PM might be higher though. It is here inside my west facing windows. 4:00-5:30 PM is the hottest.

I'll check it on Monday, unless I end up there around 4 tomorrow.. I'm planning on redoing a fairy garden tomorrow since I don't have to work

Could you bear to divide/saw one of those ferns into four pieces (maybe two)? It sounds like they were crowded in the baskets. Now they are possibly going dormant. You'd give them room to grow and be able to keep them watered and fertilized sufficiently to bounce back in spring. I don't think western exposure in Nebraska is as brutal as it would be in the southern states.

I can't really do that, as I would have to reprice everything and the stress might kill them... They're not mine, so I don't have liberty to do that.

I was going to suggest the same, Sandi, but then remembered that these plants are only being cared for by Victoria, rather than owned by her. You are absolutely correct, the further north you go the less intense is that western sun.