Hardy Tropicals UK

I bought 4 tree ferns in the Autumn sales, the trunks are about a foot tall.
one of them was noticeably less "robust" during the winter - the fronds showed quite a bit of brown etc. and I've cut most of them off as they had become completely brown, This Spring its new leaves are really short, compared to the others (and compared to the fronds it had last year):
They have all been side-by-side and treated the same, potted up at the same time with the same mix (which includes some potting bark). The pot of the sickly one is heavier - so its potentially drinking less water - I've started just putting enough water in the crown that it doesn't run down into the pot in case that's getting water logged.

It looks a lot better than the one I bought in the autumn sales!

Here you go, this might make you feel better. That little one is about 50mm or less.

It is likely to be because of being pot bound. You need to get it into the ground or into a larger pot. Other reasons are it got too dry and or hit by the cold, but I would put money on it being pot bound.

Tom I could be wrong but I doubt either Kristens or mine are pot bound. It sounds like we're in the same boat, bought a cut price trunk in late autumn and then straight into a decent sized pot (7.5L in my case).

Personally speaking, I can't see my little stump rooting out that pot through the winter. I can't see any roots at the drainage holes and the trunk is not 100% stable. If I tried to lift it out I'm sure the compost would fall off. I expected to have to put it in a much bigger pot this year.

Mine has been outside for most of the winter so I was thinking that it was that coupled with the way it could potentially have been stored all season long prior to me purchasing it.

I think both have been kept too dry at some stage over the past year. They will recover but will take a few years.

This happened with my small one and it showed the same symptoms after being overwintered too dry in a conservatory. It has just another recovered around 5 years later.

5 years??

I bet I got mine from the same place as Kristen too!

It must be down to either too dry and or top cold then. Good luck with nursing them back, they should make it no problems.

Cheers Tom. I can't grumble too much since it was only £12 but I'd hoped it would look decent this year. Oh well, maybe it will have a flush of 2" fronds and look kind of 'cute'.

Sorry to nick your thread Kristen, but hopefully we got to the bottom of your problem too.

Vagetarian wrote:5 years??

I bet I got mine from the same place as Kristen too!

Yeah this is it today

Untitled by pdmann80, on Flickr

Yours should look ok next year, mine threw one small frond out right at the end of the season the year following it`s dry overwintering. You also have the benefit of finding this place quicker than I did!

Yes, mine was just a log (but had fronds), so I don't think it will have filled its pot yet.

I tied mine to a short bamboo to stop it rocking about [whilst it rooted].

All 4 been side-by-side, but I am newbie to this, and don't think I watered the crown adequately last Autumn, and maybe that one was a bit weak anyway ...

They have been side-by-side, so will have all got the same cold (and watering too, but when I'l slopping it about some may get more/less than others). Temperature only just hit 0C [and only on the one mega-cold February night] in conservatory last winter.

Worth keeping it indoors and planting the others out?

Should I move it to more shade in the conservatory - under table perhaps? Sun doesn't get on it until noon, which has probably been find so far this non-Spring! but its getting fairly hot, and very bright, in there now

Cheers pdid, yours is looking good now. Hopefully mine will pick up a little quicker since it's 3rd frond this spring is on it's way.

I'm putting it down to it being a dud/poorly stored by the nursery.

Vagetarian wrote:I'm putting it down to it being a dud/poorly stored by the nursery.

Kristen wrote: Worth keeping it indoors and planting the others out?

Should I move it to more shade in the conservatory - under table perhaps? Sun doesn't get on it until noon, which has probably been find so far this non-Spring! but its getting fairly hot, and very bright, in there now

Keep it outside in a pot and bring it inside in winter. Aspect doesn't matter too much as long as you keep it moist.

I bought a tree fern in B and Q today for £30, it's about 1 foot of trunk and the fronds are HUGE, they must be at least 3ft long. It's in a pot and looks like it has some roots, it's gonna go into the ground soon.

I think after a few years in the ground once they have regained their root system they start pumping out the real good fronds again. If yours have crappy fronds it's because either;

1. Not enough root establishment.
2. Not enough water
3. Crown has been permanently damaged by cold.

I also know that Tree ferns actually prefer full sun in this country providing they are given enough water to make up for the loss.

Personally I think you have both been lucky enough to find that very rare tree fern, variety shortfrondious Were can I get one obviously useful for people with small gardens.