Feeding a Dicksonia Antartica

Andy Shore

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Aug 30, 2001, 2:09:14 PM8/30/01

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Hi
We have one of the above (Australian Tree Fern) and wre wondering what
to feed it with. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.
Also two of the fronds have developed a reddish-brown colour whilst
the remainder appear totally healthy. Is this caused by too much
sun/wind by any chance?

Thanks for any help...

Andy Shore
Durham, UK
A *very* amateur gardener!
Please remove "Nospamplease" to reply by email.

Bill Blades

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Aug 30, 2001, 2:43:12 PM8/30/01

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Try mulching with lots of leaf mold, give it a drink once or twce a month of
a gallon of water with a tablespoon of Epsom salts(magnesium sulphate)
dissolved in it,it w'ont do it any harm and may help to keep it green.
Suspect wind is the guilty party in the fronds turning brown,unless they are
lower older fronds naturally dying.
"Andy Shore" <An...@the-shores.Nospamplease.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3b8e8094...@news.demon.co.uk...

Cadz7

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Aug 30, 2001, 4:13:10 PM8/30/01

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I grow a small one in a clay pot and feed it with some seaweed fertilser.I also
keep it well watered ,watering down the trunk,and think this keeps it green.
have to bring it into a cold conservatory in the winter ,though...roy

Michael Berridge

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Aug 30, 2001, 4:38:37 PM8/30/01

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Bill Blades wrote in message <9mm1ej$nqj$1...@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>...

>Try mulching with lots of leaf mold, give it a drink once or twce a
month of
>a gallon of water with a tablespoon of Epsom salts(magnesium sulphate)
>dissolved in it,it w'ont do it any harm and may help to keep it green.
>Suspect wind is the guilty party in the fronds turning brown,unless
they are
>

I doubt that that will do much for the plant. AFAIK Dicksonias are
unusual in that they have no roots, and get all their water etc through
the trunk and crown. Mulching it will keep weeds down, but you should
spray the whole tree regularly in dry spells.

Mike

Natalie

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Aug 31, 2001, 3:46:45 AM8/31/01

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Its not true that Tree Ferns do not have roots. Mine have rooted.

I have had conflicting advice on whether you should only water the trunk or
water the crown as well. I tend to water both...but more the trunk. I do
not intentionally mulch the crown but do leave any leaves that fall into
them. They have proved to be hardy in my North London garden.

Natalie

len brauer

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Aug 31, 2001, 2:16:50 PM8/31/01

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use one of the marine type liquid fertilisers mixed at about 25% the
recommended rate, i've never fed mine and they have all thrived.

the best way to water is flood the crown and let the water soak down
the trunk, then wet the fronds, they do have roots as far as i know
the upright trunk is basically roots.

mulching around the base maybe of no use, my knowledge of tree ferns
is that they grow a network of roots at soil level so that the can
harness any moisture, so covering these could slow growth maybe.

len

On Thu, 30 Aug 2001 18:09:14 GMT,
An...@the-shores.Nospamplease.demon.co.uk (Andy Shore) wrote:

>Hi
>We have one of the above (Australian Tree Fern) and wre wondering what

>snipped

>
>Thanks for any help...
>
>Andy Shore
>Durham, UK
>A *very* amateur gardener!
>Please remove "Nospamplease" to reply by email.

- -
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://hub.dataline.net.au/~gardnlen/

Sue & Bob Hobden

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Aug 31, 2001, 6:07:45 PM8/31/01

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"Andy Shore" wrote in message

> We have one of the above (Australian Tree Fern) and wre wondering what
> to feed it with. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.
> Also two of the fronds have developed a reddish-brown colour whilst
> the remainder appear totally healthy. Is this caused by too much
> sun/wind by any chance?
>

Just place some chicken manure pellets on the top of the trunk and they will
get watered in when you water, which I'm sure you do, from the top so the
trunk remains damp.
Some fronds going brown is usually due to too much sun/heat and too little
humidity, too little water will cause them all to wither and go brown. Were
those two fronds more exposed to sun than others?

Bob
http://www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/
about an allotment site or a fight for democracy?

Dave Poole

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Aug 31, 2001, 8:18:55 PM8/31/01

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The reddish brown colouration is typical of insufficient moisture
whilst exposed to very bright light. All tree ferns require very
moist conditions during the growing season and the 'trunk' should be
soaked daily during hot weather. They produce an extensive root system
when established, forming very large pads of roots around the base of
the 'trunk'. This will also need watering well to keep it
sufficiently moist. It is nigh-on impossible to overwater a healthy
Dicksonia antarctica in summer.

Contrary to popular belief, the so-called trunk is not dead and
consists of a sizeable central, rather woody core of sap conducting
tissues, plus leaf bases and a thick mass of live, fibrous roots. The
root system in the ground is every bit as important and the plant will
not grow to its optimum until a sizable pad has formed just below the
soil surface.

As to feeding, Dicksonia antarctica responds extremely well to liberal
amounts of feed and a couple of gallons of normal strength liquid
fertiliser (preferably balanced or seaweed-based) applied every week
whilst in active growth, will result in plenty of large, healthy
fronds. A good mulch of very well rotted manure or garden compost
should be given in early spring plus a couple of handfuls of pelleted
poultry manure for good measure.

HTH

David Poole

TORQUAY UK
(Kick the moggie before replying)

Natalie

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Sep 1, 2001, 4:25:34 AM9/1/01

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Dave Poole wrote:
"A good mulch of very well rotted manure or garden compost should be given
in early spring plus a couple of handfuls of pelleted poultry manure for
good measure."

Dave...is this mulch placed in the crown of the fern or around the base?

Natalie