Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Tom2006
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Tom2006 »

Definitely get yourself to amulree they have some great stuff at the moment. Don't worry about roots just get the biggest and thickest trunk you can. I would recommend pots but mix up a rich free draining soil and try to plant 10-12" deep. If we have another cold one bring it into a cool shed/room and cover the crown with a cheap duvet if stupidly cold. Move it back out when it gets milder and keep moist soil during winter but not wet. In summer you can soak the things.
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Rachelpalm

Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Rachelpalm »

Hello
went to Amulree today and bought a tree fern and a purple Cordyline and a Trachycarpus fortunei. Tree fern was £25 and it is about 1 foot and 3 inches tall. The Cordyline was £7.30 and fortunei was £12.50. There were loads of lovely plants there and I could of bought loads more, buy hubby put the brakes on me, lol. So glad I went now.

Cheeers
Tom2006
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Tom2006 »

Nice buys! Definitely give them all serious protection if we get below -5c this winter
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Dave Brown
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Dave Brown »

Unfortunately, I'm still trying to get my garden planted with plants I already have, and repairing everything indoors that seems to be falling apart this year. :roll:

Would have loved to have got to Amulree.

If it is a one foota the duvet method of protection will work well once any fronds have hardened, even my 2 footers were flattened down, and cocooned by the heavy snow last Decmeber, surviving with fronds intact in -10C with no protection (other than the snow). When the snow eventually melted the fronds sprang back up, so don't worry about the weight of the duvet damaging the fronds (once they have hardened). :wink: I covered mine with the duvets on and off when severe weather was forecast, but it did not get that cold again...... better safe than sorry, so to speak :wink:
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sanatic1234

Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by sanatic1234 »

Dave Brown wrote:Unfortunately, I'm still trying to get my garden planted with plants I already have, and repairing everything indoors that seems to be falling apart this year. :roll:

Would have loved to have got to Amulree.

If it is a one foota the duvet method of protection will work well once any fronds have hardened, even my 2 footers were flattened down, and cocooned by the heavy snow last Decmeber, surviving with fronds intact in -10C with no protection (other than the snow). When the snow eventually melted the fronds sprang back up, so don't worry about the weight of the duvet damaging the fronds (once they have hardened). :wink: I covered mine with the duvets on and off when severe weather was forecast, but it did not get that cold again...... better safe than sorry, so to speak :wink:
If i was closer dave i would do it for you mate. whilst you cracked on with your other jobs. You could just point out where you wanted them planting and i would of done it. I suppose if you don't get them planted out then it will ake it easier when it comes to taking them under cover for the winter. :)
Rachelpalm

Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Rachelpalm »

Hello Dave
i do not have an old duvet but have bought a huge roll of garden fleece off Ebay. Also have loads of fleece bags . Hope fleece will be enough in cold weather. If I can keep the fern tree alive I may buy a couple more next year. My brother used to have 1 but it died last winter as he forgot to protect it. I have a diningroom that is never used so can drag a few plants in there too if the weather is really bad. Wish I had a bigger garden so I could have a small green house or Polytunnel like yours. Your polytunnel is amazing to say the least.
Cheers

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The Codfather
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by The Codfather »

I will be using straw with garden fleece, and a fleece bag, flollow by a bit of pollythene.....its what Mumfie did up here on and 1/2 a dozen Dicksonia antarctica's pluse Bananas, your palms etc....lows of minus 17c and het got the lot through.
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Tom2006
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Tom2006 »

IF we have another winter similar to the last you will need more than straw and fleece bags. You can get really thick duvets from tesco or similar very cheaply.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
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The Codfather
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by The Codfather »

That all mumfie used...(I visited hime when he was unpacking some)...and they breezed through.....infact he said they were to hot inside !. When Winter comes I will be either watching him wrap one up from the start or get him to pop over and show me on mine....... All being well he may do a thread on it with pic's.
AKA - Martin

Wish list - Big Palms or Dicksonia antarctica's but open to anything really.....Cash Waiting !
Tom2006
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Tom2006 »

Your risk mate but I would do a lot more. I guess Mumfie is in a microclimate
or didn't get the temps many of us did. I say this because mine and many others wrapped as well if not better and the ferns froze solid!! I'm in no way suggesting Mumfie didn't do a good job just trying to say there are likely to be other protecting factors especially if they were hot when Unwraped.
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The Codfather
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by The Codfather »

same facing garden and 4 mins away....!
AKA - Martin

Wish list - Big Palms or Dicksonia antarctica's but open to anything really.....Cash Waiting !
Tom2006
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Tom2006 »

Good stuff..hope yours are nice and hot after next winter as well icon_thumleft
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
sanatic1234

Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by sanatic1234 »

I will be bending down my fronds so they cover the trunk then i will be putting a couple of layers of fleece a round the trunk and fronds, then i shall get some old leafs and straw put this inside the crown and then put a BIG ball of fleece inside the crown and also wrap some fleece a round the top the crown, a good 3-4 layers to give that added protection. Hopefully this will be enough. :)
Tom2006
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Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by Tom2006 »

San mine got more than that and you know what happened.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
sanatic1234

Re: Too late to buy a Dicksonia antarctica and pot up?

Post by sanatic1234 »

Yeah i do :( well if they die they die, i shall not replace them i will buy some plastic ones instead.
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