Hi all
I have a fairly large tree fern (not sure what sort, it was there when I
bought the house) growing in the ground, which has outgrown its position
(it's overhanging/blocking a path etc).

Can these plants be moved fairly easily? And how should it be done? Have had
a couple of well-meaning neighbours say that I can either dig the whole
thing out, or I can cut the trunk near ground level and replant it
elsewhere. As it's such a nice healthy plant, I don't want to do anything
before I get some informed advice.
Thanks
MG

You can lop it off only if its the Dicksonia species. These generally have all the small 'rootlet' running up and down the entire trunk. If it is the Cyathea species you will have to dig the entire thing out and they don't regrow from top cuttings. The Cyathea is recognised from all the frond markings all the way up and down the trunk.
It can be hard if you don't have the 2 species to compare, so check out these species on google so you know what you are looking for.
Cheers, Wallaby

"Dragon" wrote in message ...
Hi all
I have a fairly large tree fern (not sure what sort, it was there when I
bought the house) growing in the ground, which has outgrown its position
(it's overhanging/blocking a path etc).

Can these plants be moved fairly easily? And how should it be done? Have had
a couple of well-meaning neighbours say that I can either dig the whole
thing out, or I can cut the trunk near ground level and replant it
elsewhere. As it's such a nice healthy plant, I don't want to do anything
before I get some informed advice.
Thanks
MG

"Dragon" wrote in message
...
Hi all
I have a fairly large tree fern (not sure what sort, it was there when I
bought the house) growing in the ground, which has outgrown its position
(it's overhanging/blocking a path etc).

Can these plants be moved fairly easily? And how should it be done? Have
had
a couple of well-meaning neighbours say that I can either dig the whole
thing out, or I can cut the trunk near ground level and replant it
elsewhere. As it's such a nice healthy plant, I don't want to do anything
before I get some informed advice.
Thanks
MG


I've relocated a tree fern by cutting the trunk near the base and putting
it in the ground. Worked fine, just keep it moist for a while.

barb

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 04:12:20 GMT, "Dragon" wrote:

Hi all
I have a fairly large tree fern (not sure what sort, it was there when I
bought the house) growing in the ground, which has outgrown its position
(it's overhanging/blocking a path etc).

Can these plants be moved fairly easily? And how should it be done? Have had
a couple of well-meaning neighbours say that I can either dig the whole
thing out, or I can cut the trunk near ground level and replant it
elsewhere. As it's such a nice healthy plant, I don't want to do anything
before I get some informed advice.

If it is Dicksonia Antarctica, it can be sawn off and the top bi replanted.

Other types don't move that well when big.

g'day dragon,

might be better to id the fern first so yo know what you are dealing
with. you don't say where you are from this may indicate what type of
tree fern could be in your garden.

if it is a dicksonia it will generally grow all its new fronds at the
one time, and they generally have thicker trunk with a softer
appearance.

a cooperii grows its fronds one at a time in an ever ascending order,
like a spiral and they generally have a thinner trunk and a rougher
appearance.

dicksonia are fairly easy to transplant (they are the tree fern logs
you can see for sale in nurseries or wherever), just cut it off at
ground level transplant to a new spot planting the new bottom about 8
or so "s into the ground, cut off all mature and maturing fronds just
leave the fiddle heads and the crown alone, wrap the trunk in foam
rubber or hessian potatoe sacks give this all a good soaking and set a
hose in the crown to drip, wet the trunk a couple of times a day until
the fern shows signs of life,

a cooperii generally you cut the top off if it is a plant with a trunk
taller than say around a meter, cut the top off about 12 to18"s below
the bottom of the crown, again remove all fronds mature or developing
only leave those that are still tucked into the crown, plant it in the
new spot soak the runk wrap with hessian set up a dripper and again
keep the trunk well watered while the plant develops. the remains of
the old trunk can be used to grow broms, orchids or elk's etc.,. on,
so could possibly stay put as part of you garden display.

i have transplanted cooperii's with trunks about a meter or less by
digging the plant out with a good amount of root ball but they still
need the same treatment as above to settle in, the one you have sounds
much taller than that and if you did try to transplant with a root
ball you would have to stake it and tie it to hold it, just it may not
take and you could lose it.

hope this helps a bit

len

snipped
--
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://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

yep it sounds like a dicksonia, and they only really grow from the top of
the fern, so just keep it watered and it will be fine...just keep it in the
shade. we have them at work and they aren't even planted it the ground they
just sit on the ground

"Dragon" wrote in message
...
Hi all
I have a fairly large tree fern (not sure what sort, it was there when I
bought the house) growing in the ground, which has outgrown its position
(it's overhanging/blocking a path etc).

Can these plants be moved fairly easily? And how should it be done? Have
had
a couple of well-meaning neighbours say that I can either dig the whole
thing out, or I can cut the trunk near ground level and replant it
elsewhere. As it's such a nice healthy plant, I don't want to do anything
before I get some informed advice.
Thanks
MG

Hi all
thanks very much for the great advice...from the descriptions given (and
pictures etc on the net) I believe it's a soft tree fern

Will let you know what happens...with luck this beautiful specimen will
survive
Thanks again

"Mogsy" wrote in message
...
yep it sounds like a dicksonia, and they only really grow from the top of
the fern, so just keep it watered and it will be fine...just keep it in
the
shade. we have them at work and they aren't even planted it the ground
they
just sit on the ground

"Dragon" wrote in message
...
Hi all
I have a fairly large tree fern (not sure what sort, it was there when I
bought the house) growing in the ground, which has outgrown its position
(it's overhanging/blocking a path etc).

Can these plants be moved fairly easily? And how should it be done? Have
had
a couple of well-meaning neighbours say that I can either dig the whole
thing out, or I can cut the trunk near ground level and replant it
elsewhere. As it's such a nice healthy plant, I don't want to do anything
before I get some informed advice.
Thanks
MG