Can I drop Chicken Pellets into my D.A. Crowns?

[GoggleboxUK]

Wanting to give my Dicksonia antarctica some foliar feed but, as they currently have no roots, I was wondering if I could put a handful of chicken pellets inside the crowns?

I have, in the past, killed off some very small flower seedlings by putting pellets in a terracotta pot so thought I'd ask before I wreck the emerging fronds.

Alternatively, would I be better making a dilute solution from the pellets and watering that into the crowns?

Cheers for any help

[kata]

Might burn G,

Use a liquid watered down feed. I was wondering when we did feed them?

ROOOOOOOOOOOb....

[Yorkshire Kris]

If you apply the normal rules for cuttings,(which your Dicksonia antarctica technically are ) then you shouldn't feed them until they have rooted . They will be fine this year with no feeding.

[GoggleboxUK]

Cheers Kris, next year it is then.

[Tom2006]

They take very little nutrients via the crown. I definitely wouldn't use any pellets other than maybe a few around the base. I would feed with a seaweed extract at half strength once or twice a month and this can be added to the crown altough after a few minutes I water again.

[kata]

Thanks Kris,

Mine is but a babe so also next year for me.

Where do we buy seaweed Tom, thanks!

[GaryW]

You can, but I wouldn't recommend it !! Seriously, as mentioned a weak seaweed product, like Maxicrop, Vitax or my favourite : Empathy all purpose (by the Rootgrow people in collaboration with the RHS) watered in the crown and trunk will give it a boost. The new croziers will absorb the nutrients directly, they work great as a foliar feed

[GoggleboxUK]

Thanks Tom and Gary, much appreciated.

[Tom2006]

Kata, you can get it from most large garden centres and is a dark rich brown liquid. you can use it on your other plants as well and it lasts ages.

[GaryW]

Kata, you can get it from most large garden centres and is a dark rich brown liquid. you can use it on your other plants as well and it lasts ages.

True of Maxicrop and Vitax, but the Empathy one is a clear pale green, a bit like seaweed juice !! Smells nothing like the other two either but works great and lasts even longer !

[Tom2006]

I've not heard of that Gary, I will try to get some.

[GaryW]

http://rootgrow.co.uk/seaweed-products.html

[dino]

I always do what Akamba recommended and shove a bit of banana skin in about twice a year. It just rots down and feeds.

[cordyman]

I always do what Akamba recommended and shove a bit of banana skin in about twice a year. It just rots down and feeds.

I'll try that. How much skin?

[Andy P]

I put chicken pellets into the crown all the time and i`ve never had a problem. In fact i put pellets into the crowns of the two Dicksonia antarctica`s i bought from seagraves last year ( a 5 footer and a 6 footer) as soon as i planted them and within about 2 weeks they looked like this.............