tree ferns

could you tell me how to look after my tree fern in winter it is in a pot in the garden thanks carolla.

 

How tall carolla ?

 

thanks banana man .tree firn is about3 ft tall it was new this year.it has 5 ferns on it.i wondered if i could put fleece on it and and leave it outside .carolla.

 

thanks banana man .tree firn is about3 ft tall it was new this year.it has 5 ferns on it.i wondered if i could put fleece on it and and leave it outside .carolla.

 

same here carolla, 3ft 5 fonds new this year, love some advice BM.. cheers

 

Well all depends really. I have 17 tree ferns now and they fall into three groups.

The first group, which is the one footers or under, are simply moved into the banana house.



Don't make the mistake of just keeping them frost free, they need regular watering too during the winter. I water about every 1-2 weeks in the morning with a good drowning and airing. Choose a day when it is warmer within this period. More tree ferns are lost to drought than rot ! About 10 years ago I killed a squarossa by wrapping it up nice and warm and didn't think to water it. Somewhat more experienced now I always tell people not to forget to water the crown during the winter.

Because they are in the banana house I leave the leaves on as they will not be damaged.

The second group are the whoppers ! over 6 feet and some approaching 8 feet, they feel the wind in their crowns. :eek: They are tall and exposed to the cold. For this group I cut off all the leaves :eek: which I keep hold of (all will be clear). I dare say some will think me a butcher but I don't care when thereâ��s �£100's worth of TF at risk. Over the neatly trimmed frond stumps goes a double folded bath towel, a large plastic pot and a black sack. Again regular watering is carried out. This method has been successful for three years and while it works I'm not going to change.

 

The Third group are the size you have the 2-6 foot range. I don't know where yours are planted but mine are all under trees and very well protected. I use the fronds removed from the whoppers to lay over the crowns keeping them well covered. Again regular watering is carried out. Some of these get very little protection although the crowns get quite clogged with leaves which is more natural protection when already pretty well protected.











Now I am sure others do nothing to their TF�s all winter and they come out fine. If you choose to do this I admire your spirit, but for me I prefer to be cautious in the knowledge that I�m not going to lose lots of moneys worth of plant, not to mention the 100 years it took to get that big in the first place. If I had your tree ferns and they were potted on a patio say, I would put them in a green house watered regularly. Or if they are planted or simply too heavy to move I would cover them in your chosen method, be it fleece, towel, bin liner etc just make sure you keep the crown wet and protected.

Hope this helps. I have found what works best for me, which might not suit others. Certainly not many people would choose to have a banana house. Great thing about gardening is trial and error, so get a broad opinion and do what feels right for you.

And don�t forget to pray to see more of these next year.




Stu.

 

Thanks for that BM. I've been watching this thread with interest having only switched to exotic plants 2 years ago (Boss lady calls them weird plants). One of the first was sarracenias then I grew some palms, cycads and really odd like puyas, from seed. Most of them I will never see come to anything, in fact when I go to that big jungle in the sky, I suspect my son and heir will have one hell of a bonfire, which the grandkids will enjoy.

Last year I bought 2 tree ferns (D. antarctica of course). The first one has no trunk yet (I now suspect I was ripped off and it's just a polystichum. (May I post a photo for your opinion?)

The second one is def. D. antarctica. 18 inch + trunk and five fronds last year. Over the winter I simply put some straw in the crown and threw some hessian over it. No probs. This year 9 fronds, healthy as a lop. (Just used hessian on the baby too, no crown of course}. I have put the baby in the garden after the winter but it just appears to be bushing out Didn't lose any fronds over winter. I know TFs are slow growing, but is this behaviour natural? My greenhouse goes up in spring by the way. Hope the proper TF survives another winter.

 

Defo, but if its bushing up probably is a poly or something other than a Dicky Ant. Get a picture up I have a fair few ferns to compare it too.

Your method of protection sounds right on the money. I use cut fronds because they are available and I find straw a bit yucky unless it stays dry like when I use it for bananas :rolleyes:

 

Thanks BM most appreciated, i didnt know to water it in winter and i wouldnt have so thanks again, the tree cost the hub �£25 but its not the money I HATE loosing plants especially through ignorance so Ta, and ill say it again your gardens Fab and im still jealous. DEE

 

BM what min temp do you aim for for the Dicky Ants in the banana house?
I have 20 DA's at work delivered last feb in 7cm pots for me to grow on (I'll be gone before they get a trunk) with three or four fronds up to 10cms long. They are now in 3lt pots and have fronds 30/40cms long and about 10cms across the crown. Should I keep them in a cold polytunnel or in the glasshouse heated to 10c in winter. I haven't grown them before so I need your advice.

 

I think its 20-25 years to the first foot of trunk. Maybe you can visit on day release from the home. :D

To be honest strongy mate I haven't grown them that small before so I would assume they are much less tollerant of cold than mine. Apart from one of mine which was over hacked by importers, mine rely on a crown of previous fronds creating a nice warm well for the active part of the fern. Obviously yours won't have this yet.

If you have space and a mind to keep them moist I would keep them heated. Not just for cold protection but getting a head start for new fronds in 2008. This year even my most robust TFs were really late to produce fronds. Would also be worth experimenting with a couple in the poly just to see for future years.

I have found with my baby squarrys they do fine outdoors and they are really small but they are layered with lots of old fronds and very protected.

The banana house does hit freezing for short periods but stays frost free.

Bit of a rubbish answer but I've only 'known what I have grown' so its a 'what I would do' rather than 'what I have done' answer

 

I grew one from spores once and got about 8ins of trunk before I planted it out and the frost killed it.
Think it was about ten years old, definitly not more.

 

I am not surprised Pete. There are much better ferns to use at this sort of size which are far hardier. You really are a patient grower of seeds mate ! The picture of your greenhouse with those massive cacti is still one of my favourites.

 

Thanks BM. Here we go. Bit difficult to get photos because there is a rampant buddleja behind it that I can't get rid of. but any ideas would be appreciated.