Hardy Tropicals UK

Cool, lots of people use rain water, is it better for the fern?

infernored wrote:Cool, lots of people use rain water, is it better for the fern?

My mains is "hard water", which is somewhat alkaline, and I think that Tree Ferns prefer a slightly Acid soil etc., hence I am using rain water whenever possible.

Yes, if you can rain/softer water is best.

If you live in a hard water area, use an ericaceous fertilizer for all your acid lovers. I use Miracle Gro or Phostrogen ericaceous on most of my ferns, but beware, some, like Asplenium prefer alkaline conditions.

On the soil or in the crown of the fern?

Tree ferns don't need much feeding at all. I wouldn't use miracle grow or anything similar. Best to use an organic seaweed fertiliser at half strength once a month during the growing season. Mulch around the base of the trunk in early spring and I always add a good spread of chicken pellets around the base of the trunk in late spring as well.

Thanks tom2006, sounds like a plan re the feeding ...just need to move away from the hard water...do you add the chicken pellets to the crown as well...or do u just use the seaweed?

infernored wrote:Thanks tom2006, sounds like a plan re the feeding ...just need to move away from the hard water...do you add the chicken pellets to the crown as well...or do u just use the seaweed?

No I never add anything solid to the crown. I just water loads in the crown (although not had to do as much this "summer") and once a month use half the recommended strength of organic seaweed fertitliser to the crown.