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.

Regards

John

Basically, wait. If it is growing, it will grow. D antarctica do a lot better if well watered, including keeping the trunk moist. This site is has probably the best advice on hardy tree-fern cultivation.
The Fern House

In article ,
says...

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.

Regards

John




--
Treefern

You don't normally expect to see new fronds before mid May and its normal
for Tree ferns to lose all their fronds in winter unless you are in a
mild area or its in a favourable micro climate like a city.

Make sure you give the whole trunk a good soaking and it will soon be
back to normal
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Many thanks for this, Sacha, I'll be patient!

I live in Cardiff and the fern is in a large pot in dappled shade.

"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

g'day john,

tree ferns need watering over the crown more than they need in the
soil around them, when smaller soil watering suffices but once well
estebalished trunk then over the top over the crown.

if the hairy stuff at the top feels soft and pliable and looks healthy
then the plant may very well still be alive.

whe we had tree ferns thet was our method of watering and then after
giving crown a good drink we wet the fronds, this replicates their
conditions in the forest.

if you feel teh plant(s) have missed out you might need to set up
dripping hose into crwon for a day or so??

give that a try and see what happens it may take a week or so of this
to see results (inspections into the fur like top looking for fiddle
heads is ok) but perservere.

keep us informed hey?

On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:53:49 -0400, Treefern
wrote:

snipped
--

len

With peace and brightest of blessings,

"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

"Treefern" wrote in message
...

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?

Just keep watering it with rainwater, pouring it into the middle of the
plant, as well as around the soil line. And a bit of fertiliser in the form
of e.g. comfrey tea won't go amiss.

someone