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Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:05 pm
by Tom2006
wintomato wrote:Dicksonia antarctica's need loads of water (although not in winter) and protection from -5C and below in winter. Don't add anything to the crown and they don't need lots of fertiliser, less is more when it comes to ferts with tree ferns.

Thanks. Yes, could be the beginning of an addiction. What you are saying in this last part is just in reference to winter feeding for dicksonias?
Mine is rooted in a pot. 3 foot trunk, and lovely lush leaves/spines. Got a nice sheltered corner round the side of the house, gets 1 hour of sun a day. No wind. Was surprised how dry the soil and trunk were when I bought it but worked better for getting it in the car!
They come from low nutrient areas and therefore don't need much in the way of nutrients through the growing season and nothing at all during autumn and winter. Water loads (I do mine virtually daily) during spring to autumn but during winter you are more than likely to have plenty of rain anyway and with possible severe cold you don't want to be watering much if at all. I only water mine in winter if they look very dry and temperatures rise into double figures and even then just the odd cup full in the crown and around the base.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:26 pm
by fern Rob
You have got to remember that Dicksonia antarctica are copped off above the ground. They are living off there reserved nutrients in the central core. Dicksonia antarctica need feed to replace the stored nutrients they are using, especially when they have no roots.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:32 pm
by fern Rob
wintomato wrote:Dicksonia antarctica's need loads of water (although not in winter) and protection from -5C and below in winter. Don't add anything to the crown and they don't need lots of fertiliser, less is more when it comes to ferts with tree ferns.

Thanks. Yes, could be the beginning of an addiction. What you are saying in this last part is just in reference to winter feeding for dicksonias?
Mine is rooted in a pot. 3 foot trunk, and lovely lush leaves/spines. Got a nice sheltered corner round the side of the house, gets 1 hour of sun a day. No wind. Was surprised how dry the soil and trunk were when I bought it but worked better for getting it in the car!
I would place fleece in the crown and protect a Dicksonia antarctica well befor the tempratures drop to -5C as that is risking killing the plant in long cold spells.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:12 am
by Tom2006
fern Rob wrote:You have got to remember that Dicksonia antarctica are copped off above the ground. They are living off there reserved nutrients in the central core. Dicksonia antarctica need feed to replace the stored nutrients they are using, especially when they have no roots.
I have never found this to be the case. They root very quickly just plant in good soil/compost mix and water loads and they will romp away.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:16 am
by fern Rob
I have to disagree feeding plays a important part in improving Dicksonia antarctica growth, not all Dicksonia antarctica root easy.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:22 am
by Tom2006
Ive done a little experiment with my two four footers this year admittedly rooted but I haven't fed one. There is no difference between either.

Its also worth considering new roots can be damaged by too much fertilisation and if you plant in good soil that will let the plant take the nutrition needed at its own rate. icon_thumleft

Tree ferns just dont need much in the way of feeding they just need loads of water and dont allow them to become pot bound.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:31 am
by fern Rob
There is no point in having good soil if there is no root system to start of with. All my rooted ones need only a feed once a month, but it helps them a lot when they have no roots at all. In the intrest of science I'm going to order 5, 1ft Dicksonia antarctica and try different feeds and techniques and see what works best.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 10:11 am
by fern Rob
Any ideas on what feeds and techniques to try on the 5 Dicksonia antarctica I'm ordering?

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 7:29 pm
by Dim
fern Rob wrote:Any ideas on what feeds and techniques to try on the 5 Dicksonia antarctica I'm ordering?
I've never planted one yet but plan to do so soon ....

here's what I plan on doing:

plant in a well prepared hole with bat mix special compost:
http://www.camgrow.co.uk/bat-mix-special-50-litre-bag/

water the crown/leaves (foliar feed) with a mixture of biobizz fishmix and biobizz alg-a-mic on a weekly basis (use half the recomended dosages ... i.e. use 2ml of fishmix and 2ml of alg-a-mic per litre of water

http://www.camgrow.co.uk/biobizz-fish-m ... trient-1l/
http://www.camgrow.co.uk/biobizz-alg-a- ... oster-1-l/

topdress the base with a handful of worm castings every 3 weeks (plagron worm castings):

http://www.1-hydroponics.co.uk/grow-med ... tings.html

this works wonders on all plants including ferns etc however, I would only use this during the growing season (warmer months)

it may be best to hold back with your order of the tree ferns until spring next year?

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:49 pm
by fern Rob
I will buy them now and overwinter them in the heat and see what happens.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 12:21 am
by Tom2006
fern Rob wrote:There is no point in having good soil if there is no root system to start of with. All my rooted ones need only a feed once a month, but it helps them a lot when they have no roots at all. In the intrest of science I'm going to order 5, 1ft Dicksonia antarctica and try different feeds and techniques and see what works best.
Of course you need good soil as the trunk is effectively one big root waiting to push out. Lets us know about your results, out of interest are you getting a good price? I see that Vale exotics has a third off at the moment but sadly only have huge ones left.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:08 am
by fern Rob
Yes they are a good price, they are potted as well.

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:18 pm
by Tom2006
fern Rob wrote:Yes they are a good price, they are potted as well.
Any going spare? ..any larger. Spill the spores Rob. ...please icon_thumright

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:37 pm
by fern Rob
The supplyer name?

Re: Tree fern feed.

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 9:07 pm
by Tom2006
fern Rob wrote:The supplyer name?
Yes please. icon_thumleft