Planting out Dicksonia.

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karl66
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Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by karl66 »

I know its not the ideal time of year but there are lots of not very nice creatures coming out of the 5ft trunk of our antartica. We have put stone in the pot but they must be living in the trunk!!. Never had much problem with other palms apart from a few compo flies. I realise it wont grow this time of year outside, but would it be ok in these current mild temps to plant & if weather turns fleece the crown, the other option is to take outside & wrap the pot? karl.
pdid

Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by pdid »

It will be fine. Leave it up against a house wall, if the weather turns nasty be. prepared to bring back inside
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karl66
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by karl66 »

pdid wrote:It will be fine. Leave it up against a house wall, if the weather turns nasty be. prepared to bring back inside
Ok, i've only got tiny ferns apart from this so dont have much experience with them. If i plant it will a couple of fleece bags & a light wrapping of the trunk with hessian be enough in a normal winter?. karl.
pdid

Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by pdid »

Honestly, I don't know!

Mine have been in pots for the last 5 years. They were planted into the ground around May this year and currently they are not protected. If slight frost or low temps are forecast I've shoved a ball of fleece in the crown. Heavier frosts I have some large fleece bags and will place a bit more fleece around the growth point. Mine should have some root growth and a mulch has been applied around the base.

I don't see any point in planting out now. You will be risking the plant. I'd do as I said in the first post. Leave in the pot outside for light frosts either wrap with fleece or use straw. Prolonged cold periods bring inside.
Tom2006
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by Tom2006 »

Sound advice from pdid, keep potted but outside is best unless sub -5C is forecast. Anything above that just pack the crown with fleece and wrap around the top foot with fleece as well. Make sure it doesn't dry out.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
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karl66
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by karl66 »

Ok, like i said earlier i'm a begginer with ferns apart from a couple of small ones which are planted out but i just stick a barrell over them when its frosty. This one i bought more recent but we've had a few crawlys & slug's appearing out of the trunk and because its kept in a kitchen diner, the wifes not to impressed. All the other palms i overwinter are fine with grit on top, then you just get the odd compo fly :lol: . My thinking is when its planted out it will be immpossible to keep digging up & bringing in so if the thing is wrapped in fleece & hessian sack it may not hurt to dump in ground and allow to settle. I'll await more replys and have a think about it over the next wk or so, i suppose ultimatly its a bit of trial and error. karl.
Tom2006
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by Tom2006 »

I have kept Dicksonia antarctica for years and only ever planted large ones in the ground but last winter I lost five despite extensive efforts to protect. As such all my Dicksonia antarctica are in 75litre tubs which I wrap in bamboo during the growing season but can pull them onto our relatively sheltered deck in winter.

The average UK winter will see Dicksonia antarctica sail through with just straw/fleece in the crown. Personally I would move yours out but don't plant until the last frosts pass. May 2010 I had -6C in May and it killed all the new fronds despite fleece protection. Had they been in pots I could have moved them to shelter.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
pdid

Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by pdid »

Like wise I`ve had mine for years too.

I agree with Tom.

If your looking for someone to come along and say it will be ok to plant out now and offer minimal protection following the past few Winters then I think you`ll be waiting a long time.

Stick it in the garage or shed if the Mrs doesn`t want it in the kitchen.
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karl66
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by karl66 »

pdid wrote:Like wise I`ve had mine for years too.

I agree with Tom.

If your looking for someone to come along and say it will be ok to plant out now and offer minimal protection following the past few Winters then I think you`ll be waiting a long time.

Stick it in the garage or shed if the Mrs doesn`t want it in the kitchen.
Thanks for your input. I dont remember saying i wanted to offer it minimal protection :ahhh!: . I'm prepared to wrap it as much as possible its just the best of the to outside options i was looking for :) . I'm all for bringing small pots of palms etc indoors but a 5ft fern trunk plus crown in a heavy 45 litre pot is not viable. If the weather continues mild i'm going to bury iy boxing day & have a roll of heavy gauge fleece ready. Thanks again karl.
Tom2006
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by Tom2006 »

No you didn't :lol: ...I was just saying that these things are pretty tough in our "normal" winters. Sadly the last 3 have been particularly harsh in most areas of the UK so even well wrapped in winters like the last two they would be on dodgy territory. I had mine in fleece/towels/blankets straw and they just froze solid, hence the potted option this time round. icon_thumleft I have said I will drag all four of mine into my living room IF things take a turn for the worse, in reality I'm not sure my wife would be that happy, but hey ho, once they are in, she wont be able to move them :lol:
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
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karl66
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by karl66 »

Ok m8, some people mention wrapping trunk & putting fleece in the crown but leaving the fronds to the elements as they will grow back?, is this something you do or do you tie them up or down around the trunk as extra protection. karl.
Tom2006
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by Tom2006 »

I leave them on unless the frosts kill them. IF that happens though your talking -5C or lower and I'd advise wrapping the trunk and crown very well if its this cold. The fronds won't add much more protection by folding. Your better off leaving them as they are and they will keep photosynthesis going for as long as possible.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Kristen

Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by Kristen »

karl66 wrote:I'm all for bringing small pots of palms etc indoors but a 5ft fern trunk plus crown in a heavy 45 litre pot is not viable
Dunno what they cost, but the bloke that delivered my Yews in massive containers had a "large pot plant mover" (a trolley rather like a sack barrow) that has claws that grab the pot under the lip/rim and Bob's-your-Uncle :)

http://www.fresh-group.com/large-heavy- ... allery.php
pdid

Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by pdid »

You can bear hug Dicksonia antarctica`s, just leave em close to where you want to take them in their pot.

As far as the minimal protection goes, take it out of the statment and it still rings true.
pdid wrote:Like wise I`ve had mine for years too.

I agree with Tom.

If your looking for someone to come along and say it will be ok to plant out now following the past few Winters then I think you`ll be waiting a long time.

Stick it in the garage or shed if the Mrs doesn`t want it in the kitchen.


There are loads of threads on overwintering Dicksonia antarctica`s, the search function is your friend. icon_thumleft
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karl66
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Re: Planting out Dicksonia.

Post by karl66 »

Up and at it early today despite a sore head, fern now planted out. Hope now for continued mild weather, if it does change protection is at hand. I think when they get this thick & tall it does them no justice stuck in pots, but there again try telling that to people who have lost them. Hopefully the last 2 winters were freaky. They do take a bit of stabilising in the ground though & i've put a few wood supports around it till it takes hold. The one dissapointing thing was i lost a lot of the compact soil around the pot when it was removed despite being ultra carefull and cutting the pot to loosen, i've buried about 8 inches of the trunk. karl.
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