How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Nigel Fear

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by Nigel Fear »

D.a's are pretty tough, I'll try to get out there to get a couple of up to date shots tomorrow as comparison. sorry about the picture quality, but I didn't want to hang around outside at the time.
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Adrian

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by Adrian »

I dont know where mine came from Sean but yes no problem with snow, heres mine last april and I didnt have a single frond marked.
This years -9c has defoliated all three.
Frost into the new crozier knuckles is different game though, I'll not take a chance again and Id recommend everyone to leave a small fleece ball tucked into the top while frosts are possible, youre guarrenteed to prevent damage by doing so.
I bought my first Dicksonia antarctica in 2000 so Ive seen a few winters with them, Ive seen them totally unmarked and Ive seen them with frost damage, hence the fleece balls every year.
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redsquirrel
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Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by redsquirrel »

i looked into mine this morning and found a walnut growing in one.looks like i got a squirrel somewhere icon_rambo
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
Cathy

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by Cathy »

redsquirrel wrote:i looked into mine this morning and found a walnut growing in one.looks like i got a squirrel somewhere icon_rambo
We have 6 Dicksonia antarctica and had a lot of trouble with squirrels 'planting' peanuts with shells in the crowns, in the past.

This winter all of ours have well and truly fried.
We bought our first one (4ft or 5ft trunk) 2003. Our smallest was £10 at CTP. I have never done anything to cover any of them. This is the first winter they have lost their fronds, some actually snapped in the cold weather. I folded the dead fronds over the crowns as advised for a few weeks, but cut them off after I noticed little birdies eyeing them up as potential nesting sites. They seem to have croziers developing now, so hopefully all will be well.

We have a small D Squarossa which seems to have a crozier or two coming on, (yey!)not sure about C. Cooperii or C. Australis, too soon in a north facing spot to sell yet.

...Brainea Insignis is looking dead (no change there) in our utility room!
Cathy.
SteveP

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by SteveP »

All my Dicksonia antarctica's defoliated completely this year, surprising as I'm by no means 'rural'.

A couple of them seem OK with developing 'knuckles'. However the dormant croziers in a 3 footer planted last year had blackened and rotted :( . I carefully removed them and there do seem to be some solid croziers deep down in the well of the plant. I think it will flush but perhaps not so well this year. Was I right to remove the dead ones? I will continue with fleece balls as Adrian has suggested.

Steve
Libby

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by Libby »

My little one is worryingly soft and squishy in the crown :ahhh!: but the big one seems ok. we did get a -10 at one stage then my outdoor sensor conked out :roll:
collins99

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by collins99 »

I am a bit late but her are the pics of a couple of my Dicksonia antarctica ready to burst into life..
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simon
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Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by simon »

I can feel the knuckles on mine if I have a poke but they are by no means visible. I have noticed previously that they seem to emerge some what later than many others. Even those in more northerly climes. Yours are quite well advanced Mr. Collins. Still at least I don't need to worry about them being caught by late frosts.
collins99

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by collins99 »

[quote="simon"] Still at least I don't need to worry about them being caught by late frosts.

I am outside most nights checking my weather station to see if i am likely to get a frost at night , and up early in the morning taking the protection off again icon_thumbdown . but i have one Dicksonia antarctica that has actually started to put out new crozier's , to early i think but what can i do .....here's a pic
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Cathy

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by Cathy »

Nick that is amazingly early for new croziers to appear! Just shows how a micro climate can make all the difference. You must catch plenty of sun in your garden. Here, our Dicksonia antarctica knuckles are still way down in the trunks. There are croziers forming in the small Squarossa and also in the C. Cooperi and Australis. Hope that means they are alive and not just dormant/dead ones, they do SEEM to be ok...
C.
Frank
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Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by Frank »

Is that Dicksonia antarctica a new import? May also still be a bit mixed up in the seasons, most of mine settled down after a while sending out croziers at more suitable times. If you get another cold spell that frond is toast or you snap it trying to cover.
Are your crowns still protected since the knuckles are fairly exposed due to your sharp hair cut? I don't bother cutting off any dead fronds until the new ones appear, instead I just fold them into the crown for protection.
collins99

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by collins99 »

yes that Dicksonia antarctica with the frond showing is a new purchase i have had it about 4 weeks now , some of them are still not planted so if i do get a frost they get moved in to the shed out of the cold , the ones that are planted do get plenty of night time protection with some fleece balls and an bucket on top of them aswell , just in case..I took the fleece out if the crowns to give the some water and to get the pics ..

nick...
becky

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by becky »

my knuckles are not showing yet either simon so your not alone iv had a little feel and there in there but quite low down, i alse keep my old fronds on untill the frost has gone and new ones are pushing up, :D im really excited to see them all this year because iv had 9 new ones its going to be great, thats as long as they have all survived :(
Palmer

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by Palmer »

I have had my 3 Tasmanian Dicksonia antarctica for fifteen years I have never protected them, they will defoliate in cold winters but other than that I’ve never had any problems with them, I remember reading once that Tasmanian tree ferns are hardier then the New South Wales tree ferns I don’t know if that’s true though.
The knuckles are still tight and the foliage is looking good for this time of the year but my lowest temp was about –5 this winter.
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irish dave

Re: How's your knuckles? (Tree Ferns)

Post by irish dave »

Here's mine.It looks like something from Alien V Predator.
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