Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
It won't work. Spend your cash on a new one.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
I have seen it work with young Dicksonia antarctica in old Dicksonia antarctica trunks.Tom2006 wrote:It won't work. Spend your cash on a new one.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
Where Rob? Ive seen it tried but never seen anyone post long term success.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
A friend as done it to one lost about ten years ago, I will see if I can get a pic.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
I don't see how it can ve done. The tops of my dead trunks are impenetrable to anything no way I could graft another to it and get long term growth. But would certainly like to hear/see how your friend has done it.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
I will try and get a picture in the next week or so. Tools where required to make the planting hole but once it was big enough to get the root ball in them it rooted in to the fibres of the old trunk.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
I have a 1' dead trunk here that the mother in law managed to kill so I saved it from going to the tip.
I have hollowed it out about 6" with a knife and tbh it was pretty easy going as it had rotted. I will do the rest next year then pop a small 3" trunked Dicksonia antarctica into it that Ive had from a teeny plug. Im confident a small plant inside a not overly big trunk will be fine as long as its hollowed out completely.
I have hollowed it out about 6" with a knife and tbh it was pretty easy going as it had rotted. I will do the rest next year then pop a small 3" trunked Dicksonia antarctica into it that Ive had from a teeny plug. Im confident a small plant inside a not overly big trunk will be fine as long as its hollowed out completely.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
Well the old trunk becomes the growing medium until the plant gets its roots down to the floor.Delboy wrote:I have a 1' dead trunk here that the mother in law managed to kill so I saved it from going to the tip.
I have hollowed it out about 6" with a knife and tbh it was pretty easy going as it had rotted. I will do the rest next year then pop a small 3" trunked Dicksonia antarctica into it that Ive had from a teeny plug. Im confident a small plant inside a not overly big trunk will be fine as long as its hollowed out completely.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
Pretty sure I've seen a post here that someone did (with success). Can't remember who though ... perhaps someone else will remember?Tom2006 wrote:Where Rob? Ive seen it tried but never seen anyone post long term success.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
Any luck with the picture?fern Rob wrote:I will try and get a picture in the next week or so. Tools where required to make the planting hole but once it was big enough to get the root ball in them it rooted in to the fibres of the old trunk.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
I'm away at the moment.
Last edited by fern Rob on Sun Dec 01, 2013 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
A Dicksonia antarctica has a rhizome growing up the centre of the trunk so the original fern has roots from the base directly into the ground, then has roots growing down the outside from the crown as it grow up. However it is still in contact with the ground.
A new fern has to grow roots down to ground level before it gets a full range of nutrients, so there may be a limit on how tall a trunk it can work with.
A new fern has to grow roots down to ground level before it gets a full range of nutrients, so there may be a limit on how tall a trunk it can work with.
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Dave
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Dave
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Roll on summer.....
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Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
They can grow very long roots though.Dave Brown wrote:A Dicksonia antarctica has a rhizome growing up the centre of the trunk so the original fern has roots from the base directly into the ground, then has roots growing down the outside from the crown as it grow up. However it is still in contact with the ground.
A new fern has to grow roots down to ground level before it gets a full range of nutrients, so there may be a limit on how tall a trunk it can work with.
- Dave Brown
- Site Admin
- Posts: 19742
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
- Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
- Contact:
Re: Dead Tree ferns....dig out and plant new?
Yes, but a young fern roots into the ground first, then grows aerial roots later while the ground roots are giving it nutrients. When a small fern is grafted into a tall fern trunk it is all aerial roots until they grow the length of the trunk, so you'd almost need hydroponics nutrients.fern Rob wrote:They can grow very long roots though.Dave Brown wrote:A Dicksonia antarctica has a rhizome growing up the centre of the trunk so the original fern has roots from the base directly into the ground, then has roots growing down the outside from the crown as it grow up. However it is still in contact with the ground.
A new fern has to grow roots down to ground level before it gets a full range of nutrients, so there may be a limit on how tall a trunk it can work with.
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk