Dicksonia Antartica

sanatic1234

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by sanatic1234 »

Give it time Di. I reckon we will have a bit of a longer summer this year anyway as most plants are still behind by a good month or so. I noticed this yesterday. My Lilly bush is still flowering and this should of been finished last month and i haven't done anything to it only the same as last year, water and dead head. so just goes to show how we are dragging behind still.
Darlo Mark

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Darlo Mark »

obvioulsy you know your own plants and garden but i think things have just about caught up with the warmth and the recent rain. certainly it seems so around here.
leewatson1980

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by leewatson1980 »

How much are you guys watering your Dicksonia antarctica's, and what month do you start, I've got 3x 1fters and a 4fter and have been watering them with pond water about every other day, about a watering can on each. will this do? I dont feed them do you think i should?
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DiCasS
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by DiCasS »

Aah Lee, there was a discussion on here regarding feeding and watering Dicksonia antarctica's not so long ago, with differing views. I'll check in the 'search section' later on for you see if I can find it. I think the majority water in the crown on a daily basis, and feed on a regular basis.

Me, I don't water in the crown, I just water from the top with a hose letting the water run down the trunk. I've never fed and still get fronds 5 - 6 feet long generally. Mine are all planted out though and well established. I tend to start watering when growth resumes in Spring.

I'll find that thread if I can.

San, it had lots of knuckles in Spring that suddenly died off, I can remember getting a frost just after they started to move and gave my tree ferns a fleece protection, still rot though. These three new fronds are what I call the second flush of the season, normally about this time but with a lot less fronds generally.

Edit: Just found it, on this forum entitled 'Tree Fern Food, Feeding'.

Di
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sanatic1234

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by sanatic1234 »

I still think you will get a very good flush Di before the summer is well and truly over. I still think we will see temps doing very well come end of september and early october. I just have a feeling about this year? I think its going to be different. Back to the watering. I water mine everyday sometimes every 2 days when I forget. But my flush hasnt stopped going since I think end of march time? I cant remember to be honest but I do know it was early. I posted a pic on this forum it started off with 5 fronds at once I think and has just kept on going. :) and its only a baby without a trunk.
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DiCasS
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by DiCasS »

Well San, I'm just pleased that I got these three coming out, as I did have serious doubts with this tree fern. As I mentioned before, another one close by is doing nothing and the ginger 'fur' is starting to harden and just doesn't look right. I'll leave this one until next year now and if there's no new growth have already got plans to try to root a small Dicksonia antarctica on top of this one, giving me a height then of coming on for 5 ft. I've already got the small one for the top and that one is sending out three new crosiers, but will keep this one potted till next Spring and try it then. The new one is about 1 ft trunk but not very wide, so not sure how this will look :?

Because your Dicksonia antarctica is still a baby and has no trunk yet, I wonder if this is why it's sending out crosiers one after another. Perhaps when it's got a trunk and has settled down, it will get into a rhythum of sending out flushes instead of one at a time. Just a thought.

Di
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sanatic1234

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by sanatic1234 »

Hmmm? May be you are onto something there Di. I was thinking of repotting it today. But I am undecided to be honest. I will post a pic tomorrow and may be you could give me some advice. :) I love your idea of trying to get the youngster to root on top of your current Dicksonia antarctica. I think I heard this mentioned a few month ago on another topic about Dicksonia antarctica's?
themes

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by themes »

di, I have started with two small Dicksonia antarctica on the top. I have stapled them to the tree fern :lol: and then shrink wrapped them. Will do a progress thingy if they survive this winter
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DiCasS
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by DiCasS »

Ooh now I'm interested. What did you do then. How long ago did you do it? I presume the cling film is to keep the trunk moist. The only problem I can see with doing this, is you would always have to have the trunks moist as the roots from the top Dicksonia antarctica would dry out and you'd end up with a dead fern. And I'm thinking will the roots have to travel down the existing trunk to reach ground level so that it can suck up its own moisture and nutrients, or a better solution, would the roots just attach itself to the existing tree fern, resulting in the existing tree fern doing all the work.

The one that I'm trying has a smaller girth than my existing dead one and sits snuggly
between the old leaf bases (luckily I left about four inches/10cm on) so don't think I'll have to staple :lol:. Can't wait to see if yours works. I'm doing mine next Spring so can learn by your mistakes - hopefully you won't have any though :D

Di
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themes

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by themes »

I don't know the exact science about it but got nothing to lose. CGF were selling tree ferns for 5 quid they had three or four small ones in one pot so I grabbed a pot and split it by hands. I washed away as much soil as I could. If they die nothing lost and try again next year
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DiCasS
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by DiCasS »

:lol: Nothing scientific, but just my long winded way of wondering where the roots are gonna grow.

I never seen those when we went to CGF, but got mine from Vales round the corner, a small trunked one which cost me £8. I only got the one but wish I'd have got more now to go in my fern area :roll:

Di
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themes

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by themes »

they were very hard to spot, but below the tables not on top next to the aspidistras in the third greenhouse
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Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by Dave Brown »

An update on the two established Dicksonia antarctica here.

Delboy has a flush to start with in spring but then throws out fronds continuously all summer and autumn. It had 19 fronds in the flush and about 15 or so since. These later ones are getting larger.
2010-08-22 14-07-58. DA 01jpg.jpg
2010-08-22 14-08-20.DA02.jpg
Danny Dicksonia antarctica was bought as a log and has only ever grown an initial flush every year. There are 18 this year :wink:
2010-08-22 14-09-02 DA03.jpg
Best regards
Dave
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themes

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by themes »

you need a tall tree fern now Dave as you can't have a del boy without a rodney

Its right about heavy watering the recent rains have done wonders and the tree ferns have exploded
sanatic1234

Re: Dicksonia Antartica

Post by sanatic1234 »

I just had to post this pic of my knuckles in my Dicksonia antarctica that still seem to be growing! and are now well over the crown, i took off the protection to give both the crowns a water on my Dicksonia antarctica's and to soak up this gorgeous sunshine!!
It is lovely out there...
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DA still on the move.jpg
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