"Sacha" wrote
Treefern said:


Good morning, I am new to this forum and I wonder if there is anyone out
there that may give some advice about care for Treeferns?

We have had a Treefern (Dicksonia Antarctica) since 2005.

Unfortunately the plant suffered greatly during the harsh winter and I
was unable to save most of the fronds from dying.

Now that spring is here the plant is now mainly a stump (the tree part)
and a couple of small fronds with a small amount of green showing.

I think I can detect some frond forming activity in the stump, but
nothing has appeared as yet.

I know that in garden centres you can actually buy treeferns in this
state (stump only no fronds), but I was wondering if there is anything I
can do to bring it back to life?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


It's doing what comes naturally. You don't say where you live but in all
but the very mildest climates, they usually die off in winter and it's a
good idea to cover the crown with the dead or dying cut off fronds. This
gives some winter protection. Ours are only just forming their new
'fiddles' now and we're in the balmy south west. OTOH, they didn't go
brown until we had some really frosty weather. If you have yours in a
pot, you might like to consider planting it in the ground where it will do
better.
When the weather is dry, water it making sure the top and whole trunk get
wet, too.

Ours still has green fronds from last year although they look like they are
beginning to brown, haven't looked but expect new fronds to be starting in
the top of the trunk. I leave the old brown fronds in place and use them as
winter protection for the plant wrapping them around and over the top of the
trunk.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK