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Post by jean on Mar 26, 2007 20:51:33 GMT
The tree ferns at Trebah (near Falmouth) are in a sheltered valley, so are most at Heligan. Makes me wonder if they cut a lot of the old growth off as they don't seem to have much colour variation. When I next visit I will be cheeky and find out  |
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Post by jean on Mar 28, 2007 20:23:28 GMT
My large fern has sprung into life and has 3 long fronds unfurling - just in time for another cold snap  When I bought it it was only a baby and has grown lots of top foliage. It has sets of fronds coming out from the sides too - is this normal? I know the trunk only grows at something like a couple of cm a year but does anyone know if I am supposed to prune it to encourage just the top growth? |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 29, 2007 8:13:02 GMT
Blimey, that's precocious JL, frondlets here are still snugged down in the crown, tightly curled... and have never seen 'side fronds' but there may be several species - perhaps it's a rare 'un!!
I've only had mine 4 or 5 years, and while growth has been un-noticeable, it has put out more fronds each year - 20 last year in two spurts - and previously they have all been dead in the spring and cut off.
This year, having got it through the winter with some still green, I'll only remove the damaged ones, and see what the count is later in the year. My guess is that, like most plants, it wants to strike a balance between 'root and shoot' - so as it gets better established (moved from half barrel to open ground this time last year) it will put out an optimum number of fronds, and then grow. At least, I hope so.
OM.
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Post by jean on Mar 29, 2007 18:33:37 GMT
This is a pic from the top today OM, unfortunately you can't see the side frondlets from this angle and its too flipping cold to go outside now.  Quite a few of the fronds will need cutting back as soon as it warms up a bit more and the chance of any more cold weather recede. |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 29, 2007 18:53:09 GMT
Fantastic JL...Mine's still in the GH cowering. It's only a small one (about 18-24" tall) and I had to remove most of the fronds to get it into the GH...it's in a 20" pot because I daren't plant it in the ground.....bought another weeny one from Tescos for £9.99...that's only about 6" tall but has 4 fronds....I've not heard of them growing out of the side either! you'll have to show us the pics
Mind you...I think that you are living in the best place in the UK for tree ferns. ;D
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Post by jean on Mar 29, 2007 19:05:12 GMT
Its hard to believe it cost less than a fiver 5 years ago. I have to admit I only bought it as a trial, as Tree ferns were so expensive a few years back, not expecting it to survive. Its in a raised bed - not ideal I know but I don't have enough room anywhere else in the garden to move it to, so it will have to stay put for now. I will have to dig out some early photo's (pre digital which may well take a long time). It gets a huge dose of manure each year and OH usually remembers to water it  Definitely a good Tree Fern growing area CPB |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 30, 2007 16:19:26 GMT
Well, this is as good as it's ever going to get: Just over half the fronds are unscathed, the others will probably end up being cut back - not that a trim seems to hurt it - can't help revisiting the original question: "Has anyone had better success? Is there, in fact, any point in trying?"  I suppose the point is in beating the winter and getting it through... and of course, it will look better, earlier. OM |
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Mar 30, 2007 17:28:44 GMT
I'm desperate to have one of these but am really worried that it won't survive a NE coastal winter  |
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Post by jean on Mar 30, 2007 17:29:12 GMT
Well, this is as good as it's ever going to get: I suppose the point is in beating the winter and getting it through... and of course, it will look better, earlier. OM In complete agreement OM and your fern is a magnificent specimen |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 30, 2007 17:36:22 GMT
I'm desperate to have one of these but am really worried that it won't survive a NE coastal winter I reckon that provided you insulated it to stop the core getting frozen (a bit like gunnera) and waterproofed to stop it getting sodden you'd be ok Susie - having said that, sweetleaf took a pic of one in Birmingham just with matting round the stem. It seems to be a matter of finding the right materials to do it easily so it's done well, and I think part of that is some 'natural fibre' insulation - maybe hessian - next to the plant with waterproofing over. OM. and ps, thank you JL... |
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Mar 30, 2007 17:38:30 GMT
Thanks OM, do you think they do better in a pot or in the ground?
S x
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Post by jean on Mar 30, 2007 21:13:35 GMT
Did you see GW tonight OM? the tree fern they uncovered was completely brown and dried up. Think they might need a few tips Susie have a go, the price of them has come down over the last few years. I think wind burn is a problem as much as frost, as long as you can protect it from the worst of the weather I think you will have a good chance of keeping one BTW mine are in the ground. |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Mar 31, 2007 7:28:21 GMT
No, JL didn't see the GW 'unveiling' - a bit ironic because I remember the prog when they were preparing plants for winter - and they didn't show what to do with tree ferns!
And Susy, mine did better than ever last year in the ground after 3 or 4 years in a tub - so I'd be inclined to say planted out is better, but I was impressed with the amount of root it had put on in the tub (in my ignorance, I thought they didn't put much root out) so from a rather sad bare trunk start, it might have just been about to 'lift off' anyway had it stayed in the tub. For most of the year I water it almost daily with rainwater into the crown. This can be debated elsewhere, but re water, I was told ages ago that if you stand tapwater out for long enough, it loses all chlorine, fluoride etc and becomes much better for plants.
OM
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Post by jean on May 6, 2007 20:20:51 GMT
I have today, cut off all the old fronds on my largest tree fern, it looks a bit bare but the new fronds are now coming thick and fast. I haven't had to cover it for protection, so fingers crossed.  Whilst I was cutting I took this pic to explain what I meant about side growth. The main trunk is now about 18" high and the top growth is just what I would expect but the three babies growing out of the sides look a bit odd.  Any ideas ? The pic is a bit bright as the flash went off |
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Post by JennyWrenn on May 7, 2007 6:47:20 GMT
I had given to me last year quite a large tree fern; didnt know had to protect from frost so this year it looked very brown and dead and thought I would dig it up - but then it started to throw up green shoots and is looking right now very healthy and happy It is in the ground, sheltered under a Witch Hazel, sort of, and in clay soil |
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Post by oldmoleskins on May 7, 2007 11:44:06 GMT
That's a very busy treefern JL... blimey it's got a lot going on, and I see what you mean about sideshoots... what a lovely plant! Mine is very restrained by comparison - but an encouraging nest of new fronds just starting to make an appearance to augment the ones I managed to get through the winter:  And Jenny, welcome to the angst-ridden world of treefern care... OM. |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jun 14, 2007 17:15:04 GMT
Well, here it is, just about mid-year:  and looking its most peculiar yet... not quite sure what's going to happen next, it's never gone all "shuttlecocky" on me before, but I suppose in time the new fronds will droop over to make the more conventional shape... OM. |
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Post by andy on Jun 14, 2007 17:23:48 GMT
I think the secret with tree ferns is to keep the trunks wet as much as possible. They're tropical rainforest plants really so give the trunks a good soaking whenever you can.
The other thing is feeding. Give them a good liquid feed every week and you will be rewarded with a much better set of fronds the following year. But when you liquid feed, dribble it into the centre where the fronds emerge. It may take 10 or 15 minutes to dribble 2 gallons of water in there but it will be well worth it.
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jun 14, 2007 19:54:02 GMT
Any suggestions as to best liquid feed, Andy?
OM.
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Post by jean on Jun 14, 2007 20:09:38 GMT
Looking good OM ;D RHS advice on feeding www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0305/treeferns.aspMine just gets a load of manure in the autumn and general fertiliser around the base in spring and a water when I remember - but I usually just do my own thing anyway BTW I have 2 shuttlecocks too ;D |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jun 14, 2007 20:43:32 GMT
Cheers for that JL, and for the link - just one thing, just what does William Denne do with the fronds when he makes those 'nests' at the top?
OM.
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Post by jean on Jun 15, 2007 7:29:31 GMT
Looks like they have been chopped off . I like the idea of straw nests though but wonder how they would stand up to high winds ....... |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jun 15, 2007 8:02:30 GMT
Looks like they have been chopped off . I like the idea of straw nests though but wonder how they would stand up to high winds ....... I guess the waterproofing would secure them, but as for the fronds, though it looks like they're chopped off he says so not only are they there, somewhere, but they can't just be bundled up as protective packing or they wouldn't be in a fit state to remove as new fronds are produced. See, Monty Don and now the RHS - they all fudge the issue, and the quest remains to get through the winter with a full(ish) complement of undamaged fronds... OM. |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Aug 26, 2007 14:32:51 GMT
Just seen fleece jackets for treeferns - or anything else you want to protect but get some air and light to over winter - in 4P's recommended "Suffolk Herbs" catalogue, page 64... two large drawstring fleece bags 180cms x 120cms for a reasonable £6.99 www.suffolkherbs.comGood herb seeds too... ie, huge selection, reasonable prices. OM. |
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Post by jean on Aug 26, 2007 19:44:32 GMT
Got me a huge roll of fleece and a son whose a wiz on the sewing machine OM - perhaps he might take orders |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Aug 26, 2007 19:55:39 GMT
How long does it take for the trunk to appear mine seems to be low lying in the soil - I have seen the fleece in the garden centre and last year did notice some gardens had placed it around their plants but it looked rather silly I thought - why do they make it in WHITE - what is wrong with dark green
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Post by jean on Aug 26, 2007 19:58:04 GMT
The trunk is very slow growing Jenny an inch or two a year. Fleece is white to let the light in, I presume.
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Post by JennyWrenn on Aug 26, 2007 20:23:34 GMT
Thanks Lottie I knew there had to be a reason. A very large house nearby had their whole back garden covered in the white fleeces - it looked such a sight - they have a lot of plants and some are sub-tropical so I expect they want to save them
Some of them border their swimming pool ;D
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Post by oldmoleskins on Sept 3, 2007 8:16:44 GMT
At the risk of this becoming a Suffolk Herbs love-in, I've just spotted green fleece on page 62 "NEW green fleece"... a bit more expensive but it says it will keep plants warmer. I guess that's logical, being darker it won't reflect light as much. As JW says, it'll look better too.
OM.
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Oct 11, 2007 19:27:50 GMT
OM...it's getting to that time of year again. I just can't drag poor Bruce (pet tree fern) back into the GH again because he's just too big now....I have some fleece 'pillow case' thingies from a GC...would you recommend using straw as well for insulation?
Bruce is in a massive pot and in a sheltered position...so I'm hoping I can leave him there....wadya think?
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When I bought it it was only a baby and has grown lots of top foliage. It has sets of fronds coming out from the sides too - is this normal? I know the trunk only grows at something like a couple of cm a year but does anyone know if I am supposed to prune it to encourage just the top growth?
