Overwintering Dicksonia Antarctica

ger vallely · 20-10-2021 7:01pm #1

Hi gardeners. I have a beautiful fern which is doing so well. I read that to wrap it in fleece is the proper winter protection. I am curious though. Is it just the brown stem I wrap or the fronds too? Will it be ok in its pot, wrapped in an area of the garden that is not exposed. It's a city garden in Galway if that makes any difference. Or should I take it in for winter, although it's not small and the house isn't huge!

I've checked on line but would appreciate some actual experience please. Thanks.

secman · 20-10-2021 7:40pm

We have one that survived the really bad winter of 2011 ( i think) temps dropped to -12 for about a week that year. Weather wad bad from about 26th Nov to 26th Dec. Thought we lost it, but it came back stronger. We tend to tie the fonds up and stuff all around the crown with straw. One or 2 winters we wrapped the torso of it in garden fleece. But only when the weather gets very 🥶 for a prolonged period. They are hardier than people think. Ours now has a trunk of about 4 foot tall now. We also have a 2 foot and a one foot one. Cost of them is crazy now, saw 2 foot tall ones recently in a garden centre €359 a pop 😀

No need to protect fonds as they die off and are cut to form the next bit of trunk in the spring

Reckless Abandonment · 20-10-2021 8:45pm

I've got one thats never been protected other than been in a sheltered area of the garden all year. As said they are hardy plants. 2018 it was buried under a snow drift for a week and was non the worse after

Jim_Hodge · 20-10-2021 9:22pm

It's probably the hardiest of the tree ferns but if you're in a cold or exposed spot you can wrap the top 60cm in fleece.

ger vallely · 22-10-2021 2:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118049831#Comment_118049831

Really appreciate your advice. I just love the fern and hope to keep her alive for years to come. Seems harsh cutting off the fronds,all of them? Every bit of green? I was happily surprised at the price of mine. It was €60 for a very decent size, it has easily doubled that since I got it in March.

secman · 22-10-2021 4:26pm

The old fonds will turn brown and at that stage you can feel the knuckles of new fonds forming in the crown, we find that when we cut the old ones off it puts all the energy into the new ones which unravel and grow at a fierce rate.

SlitDrip · 26-10-2021 9:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118058188#Comment_118058188

They only grow a few CM Per year.

I usually put mine in the greenhouse but leaving them out this year with fleece.

bored_newbie · 01-11-2021 10:32am

Speaking of overwintering, I have some young Japanese maples in pots. A few of them have lost all of their leaves, the wind at the weekend didn't help.

I read online that they can lose all of their leaves, has anyone any experience of them in pots and will they be okay? I was thinking of moving them into the polytunnel for the winter, along with some fuschias and a hydrangea. It's my first year having anything in pots really, any advice if the polytunnel would be the right idea?

Reckless Abandonment · 01-11-2021 3:09pm

Young maples bringing them in is no harm. I have loads that never come in. Personally I like to keep them out to toughened them up a bit. I do tend to move any in pots to a sheltered area mind you.

27-11-2021 8:14am

I stuff the crown with fleece and straw and then wrap the top of the trunk (root) in fleece like a scarf giving extra protection. Some people tie up the fronds in an elaborate bun and cover but seeing as you are on the west coast this seems unnecessary. They are Ok down to about -7 so unless very cold weather is forecast I think you should be fine.

ger vallely · 30-11-2021 11:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118230817#Comment_118230817

Hi Dancinpants, thanks for the advice. Do you take out the fleece and straw to water the plant every so often or just let whatever rain drip though the fleece?

standardg60 · 30-11-2021 11:29pm

It's not necessary to water them over the winter as they are dormant. Roots are more susceptible to frost damage when wet so are best kept dry over the winter. This also applies to maples as asked above too.

ger vallely · 30-11-2021 11:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118248462#Comment_118248462

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your comment. My fern has grown so much since it was first gifted to me in March and I have become very attached to it! Really hoping to right by it.

ECO_Mental · 03-12-2021 12:19am

I had two big enough ones for a good few years in my old house...really sad to leave them behind 😥. But anyway I never did any protection to them over winter. What I did do was leave the old ferns on them over the winter and only cut out the old branches when the new ones sprouted. They took some heavy enough frosts and a good bit of snow as well over that time and it never bothered them. Based in Cork City so I might not have got as really cold as the midlands or up north. But I wouldn't worry too much

03-12-2021 7:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118248399#Comment_118248399

I don't bother watering beyond October. There should be enough rain to do the job for you, even if it has been dry this year.

freddyuk · 25-12-2021 1:19pm

I have 2 which have got ivy embedded in the trunks. This is very hard to remove as the roots go into the the fiberous trunk. Any clues how to remedy this problem?

Overwintering Dicksonia Antarctica

Comments