I live in the Midlands (Rugby) and have owned a "Dixie" for 4 years now. It stands in a large pot 30" dia. x 36" high and has produced 10-12 beautiful even fronds each year, except this year they have all grown out of a very tight area in the centre of the trunk and so the central core is very narrow. Indeed it all seems tightly packed and the fronds have not unfurled as much as previous years. I didn't do anything differently over the last winter. Apart from the first winter when I cut the old fronds off before wrapping the trunk in an insulating jacket and stuffing straw down the core, the last 2 winters I left the old fronds and cut them off in the spring. So my concern is that the new growth seems to be shooting from a narrowing space. Am I right to be concerned and if so what should I do about it. ? Any advice appreciated

robb2401 wrote:
I live in the Midlands (Rugby) and have owned a "Dixie" for 4 years now.
It stands in a large pot 30" dia. x 36" high and has produced 10-12
beautiful even fronds each year, except this year they have all grown
out of a very tight area in the centre of the trunk and so the central
core is very narrow. Indeed it all seems tightly packed and the fronds
have not unfurled as much as previous years. I didn't do anything
differently over the last winter. Apart from the first winter when I
cut the old fronds off before wrapping the trunk in an insulating
jacket and stuffing straw down the core, the last 2 winters I left the
old fronds and cut them off in the spring. So my concern is that the
new growth seems to be shooting from a narrowing space. Am I right to
be concerned and if so what should I do about it. ? Any advice
appreciated

This happens mine sometimes. I THINK it is caused by parts of the
crown dying
through frost or drought damage. All new growth comes from the top of
the "trunk"
and if it dries out ever, it will suffer. I have had mine dry out in
dry spring weather.
If that happens really badly, I think it will kill the plant. I have
been lucky in that mine have recovered but just as you described i.e.
you get a small circle of tiny fronds. This happend me last year to
some and to one this year. The ones that were hit last year have
recovered a bit but the fronds are still smaller than before the
damage. When it happened last year, it was during a long dry spell
that lasted about 2 months (in Dublin; bit unusual) accompanied by
fairly cold bright days. I think they simply dried out.
This spring has also been very dry but I watered them regularly and
only 1 was hit (I have 7 in total from spores about 8 years ago). I
got completely tired repotting them every year so this year, I planted
5 of them in a bed. That MIGHT make them more drought tolerant (might
not as the top of the trunk is where they need watering).

Des




--
robb2401

wrote:
robb2401 wrote:
I live in the Midlands (Rugby) and have owned a "Dixie" for 4 years now.
It stands in a large pot 30" dia. x 36" high and has produced 10-12
beautiful even fronds each year, except this year they have all grown
out of a very tight area in the centre of the trunk and so the central
core is very narrow. Indeed it all seems tightly packed and the fronds
have not unfurled as much as previous years. I didn't do anything
differently over the last winter. Apart from the first winter when I
cut the old fronds off before wrapping the trunk in an insulating
jacket and stuffing straw down the core, the last 2 winters I left the
old fronds and cut them off in the spring. So my concern is that the
new growth seems to be shooting from a narrowing space. Am I right to
be concerned and if so what should I do about it. ? Any advice
appreciated

This happens mine sometimes. I THINK it is caused by parts of the
crown dying
through frost or drought damage. All new growth comes from the top of
the "trunk"
and if it dries out ever, it will suffer. I have had mine dry out in
dry spring weather.
If that happens really badly, I think it will kill the plant. I have
been lucky in that mine have recovered but just as you described i.e.
you get a small circle of tiny fronds. This happend me last year to
some and to one this year. The ones that were hit last year have
recovered a bit but the fronds are still smaller than before the
damage. When it happened last year, it was during a long dry spell
that lasted about 2 months (in Dublin; bit unusual) accompanied by
fairly cold bright days. I think they simply dried out.
This spring has also been very dry but I watered them regularly and
only 1 was hit (I have 7 in total from spores about 8 years ago). I
got completely tired repotting them every year so this year, I planted
5 of them in a bed. That MIGHT make them more drought tolerant (might
not as the top of the trunk is where they need watering).

Des




--
robb2401

My Dicksonia Antarctica is only a littl'n but has produced fronds
normally except for this year there are small fronds growing from the
base at ground level instead from the centre.

I only wrapped it in Fleece , could the cental stem have been damaged
by the frosts and thus be growing

Gardening_Convert wrote:
wrote:
robb2401 wrote:
I live in the Midlands (Rugby) and have owned a "Dixie" for 4 years now.
It stands in a large pot 30" dia. x 36" high and has produced 10-12
beautiful even fronds each year, except this year they have all grown
out of a very tight area in the centre of the trunk and so the central
core is very narrow. Indeed it all seems tightly packed and the fronds
have not unfurled as much as previous years. I didn't do anything
differently over the last winter. Apart from the first winter when I
cut the old fronds off before wrapping the trunk in an insulating
jacket and stuffing straw down the core, the last 2 winters I left the
old fronds and cut them off in the spring. So my concern is that the
new growth seems to be shooting from a narrowing space. Am I right to
be concerned and if so what should I do about it. ? Any advice
appreciated

This happens mine sometimes. I THINK it is caused by parts of the
crown dying
through frost or drought damage. All new growth comes from the top of
the "trunk"
and if it dries out ever, it will suffer. I have had mine dry out in
dry spring weather.
If that happens really badly, I think it will kill the plant. I have
been lucky in that mine have recovered but just as you described i.e.
you get a small circle of tiny fronds. This happend me last year to
some and to one this year. The ones that were hit last year have
recovered a bit but the fronds are still smaller than before the
damage. When it happened last year, it was during a long dry spell
that lasted about 2 months (in Dublin; bit unusual) accompanied by
fairly cold bright days. I think they simply dried out.
This spring has also been very dry but I watered them regularly and
only 1 was hit (I have 7 in total from spores about 8 years ago). I
got completely tired repotting them every year so this year, I planted
5 of them in a bed. That MIGHT make them more drought tolerant (might
not as the top of the trunk is where they need watering).

Des




--
robb2401

My Dicksonia Antarctica is only a littl'n but has produced fronds
normally except for this year there are small fronds growing from the
base at ground level instead from the centre.

I only wrapped it in Fleece , could the cental stem have been damaged
by the frosts and thus be growing

As I said above, I don't know. It might be lack of water more than
cold but I simply do not know. I have one that resprouted from ths
side with very small fronds.

DavePoole Torquay wrote:
Hmmm. Another lengthy explanation on the way. It's a subject
surrounded in myth, propagated by media buffoons resulting in the
innocent buyer forking out big investments that fritter away.

The growth of Dicksonias and most of the cool tolerant tree ferns is
largely dependent upon the growing conditions of the previous year. If
they have been good with ample moisture and sufficient nutrients, the
numbers of fronds produced during the following spring will increase as
will the size of those fronds to a degree. Once Dicksonia antarctica
has grown large enough to form a trunk, the normal frond length is 2 -
2.5m with an annual increase in the numbers of fronds during the first
'flush'. If after a couple of years' establishment, a trunked specimen
produces fronds that are much shorter than this and the numbers
produced remain static or decrease, you can assume that growing
conditions are less than satisfactory for the plant. A well
established fern should be producing around 20 or more fronds in its
first flush, followed by more appearing sporadically throughout the
summer.

SNIP
This is so useful I am bookmarking it.
That is the best advice I have seen on tree ferns; this explains a few
things for me.
Thanks Dave!!!!!!