NEWLY BOUGHT TREE FERN

Hello - I’m a new poster to this forum (after dropping in to read numerous threads from time to time), and by a quick search I found this thread, which is similar to my issue.

Hopefully adding a similar question to an existing topic is ok?

My problem is as follows:

My partner ordered a 4ft tree fern online as a birthday present for me in June. My birthday wasn’t until August but she knew that it wouldn’t be ideal getting a fern delivered late in the year so she ordered nice and early and was advised that delivery would be by the end of the month. Anyway, without going into loads of detail, this fern finally turned up on 2nd September. It looked great to be fair, turned out to be nearly 5ft tall, nice and thick with loads of fronds tightly packed in the crown.

The only problem was the timing, but I assumed that as long as I planted the tree and watered it a lot, it would stay dormant until next spring (I don’t know why I assumed that, but my smaller tree fern never puts out any fronds after late July).

That hasn’t happened and after returning from holiday on Sunday, I found that no less than 25 large fronds are bursting out of the crown! If this was even 1 month ago I’d be delighted but I can’t see how there will be enough warm days left for these fronds to unfurl and toughen up before they get ruined by bad/cold weather.

I have no idea what to do, or how to try and protect them over the winter without risking them getting squashed or seriously damaged.

Any advice would be very gratefully recurved.

thanks

 

Just to show what I mean, this is it on planting a couple of weeks ago

 

And this is it now.

 

I'm afraid I cant help you but I hope you dont mind me asking you a question. Where did that tree fern come from? I've always wanted one but have had no luck with online ordering anything. It looks so absolutely amazing. Deadly sin or not I think Im turning green with envy. Im sure somebody on here will be able to help you. Welcome to the forum and Im sure you will enjoy your stay.

 

Burncoose nursery are one of the better nurseries in the country for Dicksonia Antartica, here isca link to their care guide, with videos and links to further reading.

Dicksonia antartica - Care Guide - Burncoose Nurseries

 

It's fine. Carry on with the watering during warm and windy weather, but ease off as the temps start to drop. If your fronds become crispy, just bend them over to cover the crown. Keep an eye on the long range forecast for when to properly winterise it

 

Thanks for the response. My partner actually got the fern from Primrose online nursery. It was quite pricey at £185 though!!

I can’t speak for their normal service but through the covid period their feedback and customer service is seemingly absolutely woeful. Just check out the Facebook page!! I also got the impression they were taking way more orders than they could hope to deal with at the time.

To give them their dues after waiting ages, I eventually found a contact there via FB messenger who was very helpful and chased the order up with the nursery. They then delivered it - albeit 8 weeks late and leaving it stood on its head outside my front door!
I feared the worst really but I have to say I’m staggered at the number of healthy fronds and how big they are compared to my other Dicksonia, which has been in my garden for 2.5yrs now and only this year has really settled in.

I am indeed in Sheffield, and at about 800ft high as well, so it can get very cold at times, but the smaller DA survived the Beast from the East (with temps down to about -5C to -8C) even though my dog kept on pulling off any protection I wrapped around it.

Both the DA’s are planted on an embankment which is at the top of a 4ft high retaining wall along the north side of the house. It’s shady but gets some sun first thing and late afternoon. I think the sheltered spot keeps it slightly warmer than it otherwise might be (it’s only about 3m from the house and sheltered from the wind on 3 sides).

I will just keep up the daily soaking and weekly feed with tree fern solution, then hopefully the fronds will be hard enough to survive with an insulating wrap of some sort.

Your fern looks great Armandii- I think I need to grow some other plants around mine for a bit of extra warmth maybe.

 

Thanks for the advice Flounder! I will do as suggested.

I’m actually amazed how fast these fronds are unfolding! I would post another photo but for some reason it crashes Safari each time I try.

 

Unfortunately this is a unexpected side effect of CV-19, and lots of online nurseries where caught out, we sell a lot of summer bedding plugs and perennial 9cm liners online, previous years during peak, we would send out 250 to 300 packages a day, this year 500 -600, and no staff, as everyone seemed to panic buy, so we had to just stop selling online to catch up, this problem also occurred on the tv shopping channels, and (god knows why people buy from them) Thompson and Morgan, and their parent nursey Van muen also had to stop for a while. The effects are still being felt now, minimal staff and high demand for Autumn crops, means starting at 4am and finishing at about 8pm (on tea break), and supplies like compost deliveries and sunderies still with delays, maintainance like hedge cutting etc, I'd better stop there, or I'll be fancying a beer later

 

I’d forgotten about this post I did - but have been trying to look after my tree fern as best I can. I thought I’d post a recent photo to show what’s happened to it.

The fronds fully unfurled and are around 6ft long in total. I’ve put some straw in the crown and wrapped the “live” part of the trunk in fleece, and I still water it if we have a few dry days.

hopefully it’ll grow some decent fronds in 2021, as it looks ace at the moment but I’m aware these fronds were probably grown before it was exported from Aus. Hopefully the South Yorkshire climate won’t be too harsh for it!

 

@Hortus Stultus
That is amazing...I so so so so want one. Its beautiful, Im really envious.

 

Thanks very much - i was pleasantly surprised that the fronds grew so big, and grew right through til December!

I’ve been keeping an eye on the tree ferns, the little one is properly established now and seems to require virtually no attention other than watering. The new one is a bit more exposed but hopefully will be okay. I’ve got a few more plants between and around the tree ferns now too. Looking forward to spring and summer in the garden!