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Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:41 pm
by countrylover
I would like to make my fern a bit lighter than it is now. I know air layering will not work (or will it?) So I decided to make the rootball 25% smaller. Can this treatment kill the plant?

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:21 pm
by Arlon Tishmarsh
Marcin, I did it last year on my two larger cooperi and it had no ill effect on them. In fact, they put out the largest fronds since i've had it.

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:29 pm
by countrylover
Oh, at last some good news icon_cheers icon_cheers Thanks Mark icon_thumleft icon_thumleft It saves me a lot of money, trouble and my back.

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:40 pm
by Tom2006
On another forum there is a guy who does this every few years for his potted tree ferns and reports very good growth.

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:05 pm
by Arlon Tishmarsh
countrylover wrote:Oh, at last some good news icon_cheers icon_cheers Thanks Mark icon_thumleft icon_thumleft It saves me a lot of money, trouble and my back.
Have a look at this Marcin.................http://www.growingontheedge.net/viewtop ... f=2&t=7266. He regularly trims his roots , great topic too and what a fern / tree fern enthusiast this guy is , i think its the one Toms refering to as well.

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:09 pm
by Tom2006
That's the one. Thanks for digging it up. It's a great read.

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:09 pm
by countrylover
Super :mrgreen: I will search the net when I have a spare moment.
I also read that C. medullaris likes to be potbound. And since mine has it's fronds shortened pruning the roots will be balanced already

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:57 pm
by countrylover
Done. No wonder it was so heavy. Apart from roots the pot was full of heavy gravel

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:11 pm
by Tom2006
countrylover wrote:Done. No wonder it was so heavy. Apart from roots the pot was full of heavy gravel
Good job you potted on, sounds like a poor effort with whoever potted it before you.

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:35 pm
by countrylover
Why poor? It was made so the potting mix had excellent drainage and to make plant stable. I used very light mix of compost, expanded clay aggregate and styrofoam. Anyway, now it weighs maybe 15 kilos less icon_blackeye

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:50 pm
by Arlon Tishmarsh
countrylover wrote:.........now it weighs maybe 15 kilos less icon_blackeye
about the same weight loss as your wallet after you paid for it..... :lol:

Will have to trim my two cyathea soon, the roots are over the top of the pots now. They're certainly vigorous.

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:11 pm
by countrylover
about the same weight loss as your wallet after you paid for it.....
Nein!! I paid by bank transfer :lol: :lol:

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:30 pm
by Tom2006
countrylover wrote:Why poor? It was made so the potting mix had excellent drainage and to make plant stable. I used very light mix of compost, expanded clay aggregate and styrofoam. Anyway, now it weighs maybe 15 kilos less icon_blackeye
Its just lazy to use lots of heavy gravel. Must better to use a good fine bark along with something like perlite. icon_thumleft

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:47 pm
by countrylover
You're right but when you have a "tree fern farm" it is difficult. Iagine you have dozens of big tree ferns with lightweight pots and in windy weather you have to walk around and put up all the fallen ones. I also found a piece of screw in the pot, seems like the pot was screwed into the floor to keep the plant upright.
But seems like the plant did not mind all this gravel. The roots broke 2 plastic pots and plant is healthy, the second leaf is unfurling :D
If Spring arrives this year I can give little soirees under my tree fern :mrgreen:

Re: Cyathea root pruning...

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:51 pm
by Tom2006
countrylover wrote:You're right but when you have a "tree fern farm" it is difficult. Iagine you have dozens of big tree ferns with lightweight pots and in windy weather you have to walk around and put up all the fallen ones. I also found a piece of screw in the pot, seems like the pot was screwed into the floor to keep the plant upright.
But seems like the plant did not mind all this gravel. The roots broke 2 plastic pots and plant is healthy, the second leaf is unfurling :D
If Spring arrives this year I can give little soirees under my tree fern :mrgreen:
The main thing is they are at a good home now. Make sure you get some pictures up soon please icon_thumleft