Tree Fern Food, feeding

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Dave Brown
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Tree Fern Food, feeding

Post by Dave Brown »

I've had a search and although I'm sure we must have discussed this before, we do not have a topic.

I water several times a day but apart from a couple of chicken pellets in the crown, don't feed. What do others feed them with and how often. :?:
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Dave
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lucienc

Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by lucienc »

HSK Tree fern food (Akamba gave them away in the goodie bags last weekend). Been using it a few years, normally feed with it once a week during spring/summer, one watering can into the top of the fern. Seems to have done wonders, huge fronds. I've left one fern out front, never water it and never feed, it doesn't look half as good as the ones I do water and feed.
musa_monkey

Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by musa_monkey »

Dave, we have definately discussed this before? No matter times move on and its an interesting subject to revisit. I water once a day unless its been raining that is and favour liquid seaweed as a feed once a week from May onwards. I have occasionally used chicken poo pellets as well, usually if i forgot to add the seaweed to the water :oops:
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Adam D
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Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by Adam D »

Never normally fed my old ones.

However, this year I bought some of The Palm Centre's fern fertiliser and it will be interesting to see what results I obtain using it. I will also be using the fertiliser on my other ferns as I am sure that they could grow better if fed.
weve

Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by weve »

Been using HSK feed since last year and PC feed before then. Feed weekly from say middle of March to end of June and, after then, only occasionally (about once per month or so).

I'm always a little concerned about overfeeding (probably unnecessarily so) so only feed when the trunks are already wet and I dilute to half recommended strength. (i was advised years ago, that its better to feed twice as often with half strength than normally with full. Don't know if this true tho'. Comparing my Dicksonia antarctica with some of the Dicksonia antarctica pics i've seen here, mine are nothing special!)

Interested to learn how chicken poo pellets fed Dicksonia antarctica do. Lot easier (and cheaper) to do than making up specialist feeds! (i do tho' very lightly scatter a few poo pellets -or blood, fish & bone. depending on what I have, on the ground around the bases once in spring).
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Dave Brown
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Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by Dave Brown »

lucienc wrote:HSK Tree fern food (Akamba gave them away in the goodie bags last weekend).
That just makes missing Akamba worse :ahhh!: Never mind, in an effort to console myself for missing it I've bought 3 new Dicksonia antarctica today. :P :P

I should have searched the internet rather than the forum. When I put HSK Treefern Food into Google it comes up with this :lol: :lol: :lol: http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... &view=next
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Dale

Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by Dale »

Dave I assume you have a timed automated watering system rigged up to water the 5 times a day? :>beard<:
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Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by Dave Brown »

No Dale, I work at home so water first thing, coffee break, lunch break, Tea break and in the eveining :wink:
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Dale

Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by Dale »

I sometimes work from home and find myself being drawn to feeding and watering (certainly beats work!). Mind you at work also, except it's more watering then - down the pub ! drunken_smilie1

Seriously though I'm thinking of rigging up a permanent drip watering system to mine - my biggest problem is the squirrels though - can't keep the pesky things off! - they seem to delight in chewing off any new fronds emerging - my two Dicksonia antarctica are currently protected with chicken wire - both looking very unsightly

Just started feeding mine with seaweed, might try the chicken pellets also now you've mentioned them
daftbanana

Re: Tree Fern Feed, feeding

Post by daftbanana »

Will periodic watering with miracle-gro be ok? I'm quite excited as my new 5 footer and 3 footer are showing signs of life! I've been watering daily during this dry spell bur rain and cooler temps coming tomorrow.
Bob

Re: Tree Fern Food, feeding

Post by Bob »

I had a look around the net for planting and feeding tips last week, when my Dicksonia antarctica log turned up. One thing I did remember from one link ( I looked at dozens, so cant find it again) was not to feed at all in the first year after planting,also not to water directly into the crown to flood it, but around the top, keeping the trunk moist. Any thoughts?
Melissa

Re: Tree Fern Food, feeding

Post by Melissa »

We never feed ours, but water loads and loads, last year the fronds were huge, 7ft plus on the Dicksonia antarctica's.

Treeferns aren't fed in the wild and get enormous, so I'm not entirely convinced they need feeding and how much it helps. icon_scratch

Melissa
dino

Re: Tree Fern Food, feeding

Post by dino »

The HSK we got free at Akamba retails at about £5.95 which was fantastic but will be interesting to see what difference it makes. We need someone to experiment. What about Greg and Becky with your new similar sized monsters?
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DiCasS
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Re: Tree Fern Food, feeding

Post by DiCasS »

Funny you should mention that Bob as I never water directly into the crown either, just watering to the top of the tree and letting the water soak through to the bottom. The only water mine get in the crown is from rain. I do water lots, but have never fed them.

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dino

Re: Tree Fern Food, feeding

Post by dino »

Well I've been pouring loads of water into my crown so will be interesting to see what happens. Loads of conflicting advice on this so you have to go with your instincts I think.
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