Fern tree trunks

rockdrummer

Hi,

I saw a fern tree trunk for sale in Atlantic Homecare for €69 - it think it was either a Dicksonia antarctica or Cyathea type. Has anybody bought plants / trees online. Is this a done thing? Or is it too risky by post?

Anybody know of any good websites? Just thinking may get it cheaper online.

Thanks.

hobie

Home Base had smaller ones last year for 35.00 yo yo's ...... they have the larger ones at present ...... also noticed big ones in B&Q last week ....

I've always been worried about loosing them due to frost ..... they need a good deal of protection if left outside ...... :rolleyes:

secman

We planted a Tree Fern- Dixonia Antatrica about 3 years ago, its in a sheltered area at the end of the garden and its thriving. We're getting on average a dozen new fonds every year, new bunch just un- ravelling as we speak. These are, as the name would suggest, are slightly hardy, ive seen photos of them in new Zealand covered in snow !

Terrific looking plant, we've used it with a rather large Yellow Bamboo , Mahonia and ferns, Ornate Urn with onamental grass growing out of it. Also used par 38 lights for back lighting., looks great at night time.

hobie

secman wrote:

We planted a Tree Fern- Dixonia Antatrica about 3 years ago, its in a sheltered area at the end of the garden and its thriving. We're getting on average a dozen new fonds every year, new bunch just un- ravelling as we speak. These are, as the name would suggest, are slightly hardy, ive seen photos of them in new Zealand covered in snow !

Terrific looking plant, we've used it with a rather large Yellow Bamboo , Mahonia and ferns, Ornate Urn with onamental grass growing out of it. Also used par 38 lights for back lighting., looks great at night time.

That's good enough for me ..... I'm definetely going to get one now .....

garyh3

Have a Dixonia Antatrica for 2 years now about 3ft tall now. Just need to protect the crown in winter. straw is usually used didnt loose any leaves this winter. Water the crown in summer every 2 days and you should have no probs use a mulch to keep the soil moist (oh keep in the shade and sheltered)

garyh3

magicbastarder

www.dicksonia.ie

rockdrummer

Yep definitely going to pick one up.

Can ya plant these in a pot - a big pot, say about 2 foot deep and 1 foot wide?

garyh3

yep thats what mines in a big pot

Garyh3

hobie

Had a look in B&Q today ..... 70.00 and 130.00 yo yo's

Homebase ..... 150.00 yo yo's

garyh3

if you want a really big one

Ashbourne nurseries have a 10ft + for 400 yo yo's

magicbastarder

is that the place a couple of miles past ashbourne on the N2?

rockdrummer

Got myself a foot one with one frond growing on it - expenive enough at €69 !! Hopefully grow well now. What sort of soil do these like? At the moment I have it in a pot off peat moss, well watered, will that do?

garyh3

Hi magicbastarder

yep thats the place on the N2 Navan side.... has a pet store now and sell furniture as well. Last time I was there a couple of weeks ago they still had the big fern in the corner

regards
Garyh3

hobie

rockdrummer wrote:

Got myself a foot one with one frond growing on it - expenive enough at €69 !! Hopefully grow well now. What sort of soil do these like? At the moment I have it in a pot off peat moss, well watered, will that do?

have a look through some of the links on this Google .....

http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=tree+ferns&meta=

rockdrummer

The fern is going great - has five fonds now. Just wondering how to protect it for the winter ! Could i wrap the trunk with the weed fabric stuff, have some lying at home? Also do you have to protect the leaves.

I dont think their is much fear of frost because it is in a well sheltered place, but I suppose better safe than sorry !!

garyh3

hi rockdrummer

You may loose the leaves depending on how cold or wind chill. I lost all my leaves in 2004 but they grew back in the spring. Dont worry if the leaves go brown just cut them off about an inch from the crown.

To protect the fern you just need to put in a sheltered place outside and protect the crown ie the top of the fern. You can use felt, webbing, straw anything that will protect the crown from freezing just push it down onto the top of the crown.

Also you still need to water not often maybe once every 2 weeks.

regards

garyh3

secman

As stated in my previous post, we actually planted the Tree fern and we get on average a dozen new fonds every year. I Only recently cut back last years fonds as they were dying off, this years will be left as is over the winter. They are hardy enough once planted in a sheltered spot. My brother got some around the same time, left them in pots and they have not thrived like ours, which was planted.

yours
Secman

rockdrummer

Thanks Garyh3 - will stuff some of the weed fabric into the crown.

Secman - they obviously do better when planted in ground. Does anybody know how to propagate these? They develop spores under the fronds, I suppose you can just pick these off and plant in a little pot !!

beolight

just bought a 2 foot one in woodies tonight for 45 euros with 20% off

when i got it out of car the trunk just toppled out of the pot no roots nothing

hopefully repotting it will encourage the roots to establish or should i just plant it out?

bmaxi

beolight wrote: »

just bought a 2 foot one in woodies tonight for 45 euros with 20% off

when i got it out of car the trunk just toppled out of the pot no roots nothing

hopefully repotting it will encourage the roots to establish or should i just plant it out?

Not unusual to buy tree ferns like this as they are actually offcuts of the plant growing in the ground. Don't feed it for the first 12-18 months to encourage it to put down anchor roots. The feeding roots are actually in the trunk.