Hardy Tropicals UK

4 canes. Chicken wire cage. Stuff with straw. Add fleece bag over the top. Add bin bag with air holes over the top. Might take 20 mins to assemble but it can go all winter without worry or digging up. Tried and tested by many on here further north than myself too.

cordyman wrote:4 canes. Chicken wire cage. Stuff with straw. Add fleece bag over the top. Add bin bag with air holes over the top. Might take 20 mins to assemble but it can go all winter without worry or digging up. Tried and tested by many on here further north than myself too.

Not a guarantee though. I know people who lost all their tree ferns with the same sort of protection. I was one of them losing five 2010. I actually had better protect wrapping mine in multiple blankets but when they freeze through if you don't add a heat source as well they will die.

In 2010 I used 20 metres of horticultural fleece all around the Dicksonia antarctica trunk and 10 metres in its crown. I used four bamboo canes , covered them in fleece to keep them In place, and then through the worst of the winter I placed the old fronds over the fleece on the crown and placed a pot on top of the canes on the deep freeze days.

What were your lows Rob....and did you lose any?

About -18c, I only used the fleece on one Dicksonia antarctica and it survived with only a little damage, I used other winter protection methods on some other Dicksonia antarctica and lost a few. Every year since 2010 I have used fleece and plenty of it on the Dicksonia antarctica and lost non.

I'm investigating adding a tree fern to my garden, and checking out hardiness, but assume I will not run into the same problems that you are having in terms of the right and proper protection, as I am in Stratford east london, so although last winter felt really quite cold (especially indoors!) I have seen quite a large well establish tree fern looking quite healthy outdoors up the road
looks quite sheltered though.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/preview#! ... 13.1&fid=5

plus there are a few beautiful specimens in the gardens of residents near to Kew Gardens. Gives me hope!

Its always worth some protection in the crown, even down here. I stuff old fern fronds into the crown come december and let them hang down around the top of the trunk, sort of replicates what the wild plants look like, and I keep the dripper on as well so the trunk stays wet.

But they are fairly tough and normal winters are fine

No matter where you are if the temperature falls to -5c or below stuff loads of fleece in and around the crown of the fern. London will rarely if ever see dicksonia Antarctica killing temperatures so get the largest you can and enjoy for many years to come.

Cover at least the top 2ft of the Dicksonia antarctica trunk as well in loads of fleece.