Dicksonian Tree Fern

[KevB]

Hi All
I bought this tree fern last summer and it is quite stunning with its haiy trunk and serratted fronds, unfortuantly i placed it in a shed / summer house with some windows over winter to shield it from frost, but it still lost all its leaves! Now this year i have an unheated greenhouse, can anyone tell me if that will be sufficient protection as the added sunlight should help, but will the cold be harsher due to glass roof and so more damaging?? do i need to gather the fronds together and wrap them in fleece?? Thanks Kev

[KevB]

[jennym]

It rarely get below -5 degrees here. Mine is outside all year round. Its leaves go brown when it's really cold, say January, and all I do is fold them over the crown of the tree. But mine is also in a pot, and stands about 4 ft high. I make sure that the crown of the fern doesn't get waterlogged by moving it closer to the fence. I don't think it likes being frozen solid or very wet and cold.
The new leaves start to reappear around May.

[Roy Bham UK]

We really need to know what "Dicksonia" you have? as there are several and some very much more tender than others, there's the fibrosa,squarosa and antarctica for starters.

The squarosa will die around minus 4°C the antarctica around minus 9°C, not sure about the fibrosa but I do know it is tender, it's quite normal for the fronds to die back as they are deciduous, I have managed to keep the old fronds on my D/A until the end of June, they should not be cut off until the sap in the stems are dry, that's generally when the frond leaflets frizzle up.

Like Jenny, I would not keep it (antarctica) in a shed unless you are going to regularly water it as it could dry up an die (it must have water) although not get soaked. ::) ;D

If I hear of a frost anywhere near those mentioned above, I whip the tender ones indoors and the hardy antarctica's have their crowns stuffed with straw a medium upturned plant pot on the top and the fronds tied up over the lot, if it's -9°C or worse I wrap fleece around the trunk, if it rains heavy into the crown and freezes hard the crown will die and so will the tree. ::)

Hope this helps. ;D

[KevB]

We really need to know what "Dicksonia" you have? as there are several and some very much more tender than others, there's the fibrosa,squarosa and antarctica for starters.

The squarosa will die around minus 4°C the antarctica around minus 9°C, not sure about the fibrosa but I do know it is tender, it's quite normal for the fronds to die back as they are deciduous, I have managed to keep the old fronds on my D/A until the end of June, they should not be cut off until the sap in the stems are dry, that's generally when the frond leaflets frizzle up.

Like Jenny, I would not keep it (antarctica) in a shed unless you are going to regularly water it as it could dry up an die (it must have water) although not get soaked. ::) ;D

If I hear of a frost anywhere near those mentioned above, I whip the tender ones indoors and the hardy antarctica's have their crowns stuffed with straw a medium upturned plant pot on the top and the fronds tied up over the lot, if it's -9°C or worse I wrap fleece around the trunk, if it rains heavy into the crown and freezes hard the crown will die and so will the tree. ::)

Hope this helps. ;D

it is antartica, sorry i should have stated that!! DOH!!!!

[adam04]

so roy, the fronds are the insulation, is it worth filling the top with straw, then placing say a iece of polythene over the top to prevent water getting into the main trunk.  it would still get watered on the rest of the trunk.

[Roy Bham UK]

I hate polythene for insulation, it sweats encourages mildew and mould, that's why I use straw with a pot as it allows it to breath and dry out quickly when the rain stops, the tied up fronds may help a little with insulation but I do it to deflect snow and rain, as snow in the crown  will at some stage melt and if a freeze follows then the tree is dead. :(

Sorry couldn't resist the smiley lol (or was it the saddy?)

[KevB]

I hate polythene for insulation, it sweats encourages mildew and mould, that's why I use straw with a pot as it allows it to breath and dry out quickly when the rain stops, the tied up fronds may help a little with insulation but I do it to deflect snow and rain, as snow in the crown  will at some stage melt and if a freeze follows then the tree is dead. :(

Sorry couldn't resist the smiley lol (or was it the saddy?)

So a synopsis would mean that overall it doesn't matter where they're kept over winter just so long as they aren't allowed to freeze as they will lose their fronds anyway!!
Thanks all who took the time to respond
Kev

[Roy Bham UK]

So a synopsis would mean that overall it doesn't matter where they're kept over winter just so long as they aren't allowed to freeze as they will lose their fronds anyway!!
Thanks all who took the time to respond
Kev

Yes and must not be allowed to dry out if kept indoors. :)

[boonyed]

I bought one last summer and left it out all winter. I wrapped fleece araound the trunk (left the leaves protruding) and put a rolled up piece in the hole where the leaves shoot from. The leaves died and i cut them off when the new leaves started to unfirl. It has been marvelous this summer. I live in the Midlands.

[dibberxxx]

thanks for all the info Roy as this is my first year to over winter my tree fern fingers crossed i feel quite confident now thanks  :) :)
PS does it make any difference mine is planted in the ground and not a pot

[Roy Bham UK]

It is more likely to survive better in the ground as nature intended, these tree ferns need moisture so you will be a slave to one in a pot, not so much in the ground but protection still applies. :( ;D

[Doris_Pinks]

I want one!  :'(  :'(

[Roy Bham UK]

Doris B&Q were selling them all off at half price a couple of weeks ago :o dunno if they still are ??? ;D some big beauties too! 8)

[Icyberjunkie]

Still some big pennies too though!!   I've been to cowardly to spend the money in case I inadvertently kill it......

[Roy Bham UK]

:o Twenty Five Quid for a fifty year old tree that size? I've spent a tenner on a bunch of flowers that's destined for the compost bin in under 2 weeks. ::)

That Tree Fern in my avatar has been with us for nearly 5 years, now that's what I call money well spent. :D ;D

[Mrs Ava]

I had one.
Number one son picked the soft growing point out.
He told me if felt nice.
The fern never recovered.
Son now doesn't play with mummy's plants!

[Doris_Pinks]

Roy I feel a trip to B&Q in me waters! ;D 
EJ   ;D  But poor you, I would have been furious!
Icy, know what you mean, thats why I have never invested in one!

[dibberxxx]

thats where i bought mine in BQ paid £25 for mine and has been lovely, been really pleased with it this summer ,and is quite big to , i think it was well worth the money , even tempted to buy another one next year or 2 :D :D :D

[Amnesia]

We really need to know what "Dicksonia" you have? as there are several and some very much more tender than others, there's the fibrosa,squarosa and antarctica for starters.

The squarosa will die around minus 4°C the antarctica around minus 9°C, not sure about the fibrosa but I do know it is tender, it's quite normal for the fronds to die back as they are deciduous, I have managed to keep the old fronds on my D/A until the end of June, they should not be cut off until the sap in the stems are dry, that's generally when the frond leaflets frizzle up.

Like Jenny, I would not keep it (antarctica) in a shed unless you are going to regularly water it as it could dry up an die (it must have water) although not get soaked. ::) ;D

If I hear of a frost anywhere near those mentioned above, I whip the tender ones indoors and the hardy antarctica's have their crowns stuffed with straw a medium upturned plant pot on the top and the fronds tied up over the lot, if it's -9°C or worse I wrap fleece around the trunk, if it rains heavy into the crown and freezes hard the crown will die and so will the tree. ::)

Hope this helps. ;D

Do you wrap your tree fern up all winter, or just when it's frosty?  Does it need to be un-wrapped in milder weather?
Thanks

[jennym]

Since I learned how too use the camera, thought I'd post a pic of how it looks now - think that I'll wrap mine a bit more than usual when the leaves die back, though, since the forecast is for a hard winter.