Dicksonia Antartica

Libby

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Libby »

I will :lol:
Tessa

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Tessa »

Libby I'm still waiting for croziers on two of my Dicksonia antarctica's. A double headed 4 footer that has put out at least a dozen fronds on each head for the last 4 years And a 10 footer that puts out a healthy 20 fronds each year. The 8 footer two feet from the double headed Dicksonia antarctica and 3 feet from the 10 footer has between a dozen and 20 extended croziers now. A 1 footer 5 feet away, on the other side of the pond, has 6 or so part-extended or fully extended fronds. A few tiny Dicksonia antarctica's with trunks just inches tall in the fernery with all the other ground ferns all have croziers unfurling just fine, right on time. In other parts of the garden my Dicksonia antarctica's are doing well. A 8 foot Dicksonia antarctica I put in full sun as an experiment has more than a dozen extending croziers and a pair or 4+ft Dicksonia antarctica's in the front garden, a garden in full shade 22 hours a day, both has croziers. One has 15 croziers and the other has TWO. Just two. icon_scratch I don't know why. I'm waiting for movement like you are. I'd be sad if my tallest Dicksonia antarctica were to have died but doubly sad if my double-headed pair dies as they are so rare. It was a brutal winter. Early on in our tropical gardening we did pack the heads of our Dicksonia antarctica's with dry straw but stopped after year 2. We then had two years with no protection. I just gotta hope that these plants are strong. I think they are. I hope they are. Let us know when you see some movement in yours. I'll do the same. Good luck hun.

~ Tessa icon_sunny
Libby

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Libby »

I always pack my Dicksonia antarctica's with fleece and this year for the first year I didn't wrap my nanas, mind you I think even if I had the sustained cold would have got them anyway. But the Dicksonia antarctica's are on the sheltered side so not exposed to the SW's we get. Crossed fingers her too :)
Stuart Bebb

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Stuart Bebb »

Hi Libby and All'
Funny year with D.a's I have one metre tall one which has gone ballistic with fronds this year about 15 all not fully open but about 4-5ft so far and yet others close by the fronds look much smaller and one nothing at all showing yet but I'm sure its OK just waiting for a trigger . My Cyathea australis are a big worry , only one of my D. fibrosa is showing fronds some are still green from last year and not showing much damage , two of my dealbata's one is still green from last year the other got its fronds fried but has produced some nice fronds this year the one thats still green nothing at all funny old year.
Libby

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Libby »

I have had a poke round in my small Dicksonia antarctica
DSCF1991.JPG
dug out all of this which was squishy but not smelly
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and found this. No sign of anything green but as you can see there is abit of white which I think is hopeful so I have now stuffed it with fleece again.
The big one has some green showing
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I am reluctant to dig around in this one incase I damage something so will leave it a bit longer.
What are people feeding them at the mo or is it too early to start?
greg101

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by greg101 »

Libby i am feeding mine with chicken pellets weekly and i have lots of fronds on all mine i give them a good watering every other day and they seem to love it. I will post some photos up although nothing from the cooperi yet fingers crossed
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simon
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by simon »

Libby, I wouldn't feed them with anything at the moment, especially chicken pellets. If there is any life in them, it will make its self known in good time. They are slow to metabolise anyway, I doubt they would metabolise anything at all with no transpiration or photosynthesis taking place. Save your feed for plants that you know are alive.
musa_monkey

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by musa_monkey »

Now i see the pictures i definately wouldnt give up hope on them.
If it were me I would be inclined to feed with a weak seaweed solution - but thats just me icon_scratch
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DiCasS
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by DiCasS »

Like others, I'm still waiting for fronds on one of my Dicksonia antarctica's and Fibrosa. I don't think they are dead (hope not anyway), but still just asleep. But I have big problems with another Dicksonia antarctica, I think that one is dead. The 'fur' has gone a dark brown, almost black, and when I scraped the top layers off I found tiny worms (sorry that's the only way I can describe them) inside. The 'fur' was very wet, almost slimey - so don't hold much hope with that one.

Now the nice weather is with us I hope that mine, and everyone elses, all start to make a move.


Di
I'm at an age where my back goes out more than I do.
Supporter of the N.A.S.
Libby

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Libby »

DiCasS wrote: The 'fur' has gone a dark brown, almost black, and when I scraped the top layers off I found tiny worms (sorry that's the only way I can describe them) inside. The 'fur' was very wet, almost slimey - so don't hold much hope with that one.
That was like what my little one was like, I didn't water it for awhile and let it dry out a bit, then I dug it out yesterday so we shall see.
Brian

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Brian »

Well what happened did all the tree ferns survive or did some of you lose any of them :?:
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DiCasS
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by DiCasS »

Brian, I lost my two Dicksonia antarctica's and a Fibrosa. One Dicksonia antarctica was mushy inside and on checking the Fibrosa, found this to be dead also. The other Dicksonia antarctica which has been in the ground for about six year never threw any fronds out at all, but looks healthier, so have given it one last chance and have protected this one for the Winter. If I have no fronds by next Spring, I'm going to have to dig it out and replace it :(

Di
I'm at an age where my back goes out more than I do.
Supporter of the N.A.S.
daftbanana

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by daftbanana »

I have bit of a query for any Dicksonia antarctica experts out there! I recently bought a 5ft and a 3ft Dicksonia antarctica from a well know supplier (at considerable cost!), I had them delivered, but when I visited there premises in the past, they all seem to be stored unprotected outdoors. Given the winter were having do you think they are likely to be alright come spring? Since I planted them in the garden (about 3 weeks ago) I have covered the crowns with straw filled plant pots but they may have already been exposed to the worst of the Dec/Jan weather.
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Mick C
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Mick C »

I'm sure they'll be fine db, Dicksonia antarctica's are tough plants and they freeze them for several weeks during transportation; I'd take a bet that yours weren't thawed out too long before you got them. They don't do anything in winter in out climate, except survive through it.

I got a 6fter from Seagrave last year, it sprouted fronds which are now all dead but that is no surprise given the winter we've had so far, and I'm not concerned. It's planted out but I don't think it has rooted much as yet.

A 3fter I've had for a few years spends the winter looking progressively more manky, and throws out lovely new crosiers each Spring.

Give it plenty of water daily in the Spring, especially the crown and trunk.

I hasten to add that I am a Dicksonia antarctica dabbler, not a Dicksonia antarctica expert!
daftbanana

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by daftbanana »

Thanks for the reassurance Mick, mine were from Seagrave too. Am I right in thinking then that the crowns don't necessarily need frost protection through the winter?
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