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SarahG
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 12:54 pm Posts: 5 Location: Leeds, Yorkshire UK
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A few questions about tree ferns
Hello, I've finally decided to sign up and would like to ask you a few questions about tree ferns I couldn't find answers for, since I'm sure any of you are way more knowledgeable than me on this matter I only had ferns and various flowers so far, so am not new to gardening and sowing but quite new to tree ferns, which I am eventually considering to buy in spring. Is sowing spores a good method, even if it takes long? I only have experience with Asplenium and Osmunda about this. How long do spores keep their viability? Can they be sown on acidic peat, like the one used to grow carnivorous plants? When watering tree ferns, should one use water with low total dissolved salts/ppm or it doesn't matter? If it matters, how many ppm would be too much? Do they have to be kept completely dry and/or shaded during cold season (like some cacti) or do they need some water? Do they prefer acidic or neutral soil, as long as it is free draining? How fast could I expect the fastest species to grow in zone 9b? How deep are their roots compared to frond size/trunk height? Which size can I expect one to get in a 20 L container? Thank you Sarah
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Sun Jan 08, 2017 12:03 pm |
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AlexW
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:39 pm Posts: 95 Location: Reading UK
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
Hello (and welcome!)
There are indeed several very knowledgable and dedicated tree fern lovers here such as Eduard who will no doubt give some great advice on growing and propagation. I would say though that unless you are wanting to grow specific rare species, that raising from spore is interesting rather than practical. Some of the faster growing Cyathea types can reach a fairly imposing size within a few years though (my only experience being C. brownii which I raised to approx a 20 cm diameter plant in about 8 months from spore, before doing it in).
Not sure what the relevance of a "9b" climate is - that could be the west coast of Ireland with mild, wet summers or southern Italy with scorching, dry summers. In Leeds the only realistic outdoor prospect is Dicksonia antarctica and possibly D. fibrosa - both would need protection in extreme winters. Both are slow growing (perhaps 5-10 cm a year, once trunked). Both are usually bought as trunks from forest clearance down under, but plants grown from spore in Europe are available too which removes the ethical issues and saves you around 5 years of growing your own from spore.
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Sun Jan 08, 2017 8:47 pm |
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SarahG
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 12:54 pm Posts: 5 Location: Leeds, Yorkshire UK
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
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Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:18 pm |
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benbaron
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:34 am Posts: 102 Location: Lancashire UK
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
Welcome Sarah,
The problem with spore for the common TF ie Dicksonia is that it takes an age to get to any size whatsoever, so your only chance of having a decent sized specimen plant is to purchase an imported one. The logging issue is one we also found disturbing and as such made us think twice about importing logs ourselves, but as it happens we have a found a supplier in Aus that has a sustainable harvest program (and has done for many years) which is allowing us to import the majority of our container of nursery grown logs. Obviously the larger specimens arnt nursery grown but this is impossible at the minute with the timescales we are talking about. The main thing for us it that they are replacing these logged specimens with sustained re plantations elsewhere that isnt marked as clearance. It makes us one of the only importers in the country to have this harvest policy from our suppliers. Take a look on here for a few images and a bit more info
You arnt too far from us if you fancied a visit when our new container arrives at the beginning of March. Thanks Ben
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Mon Jan 09, 2017 9:30 am |
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AlexW
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:39 pm Posts: 95 Location: Reading UK
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
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Mon Jan 09, 2017 10:33 am |
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Eduard O
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:46 pm Posts: 1196 Location: Maastricht Netherlands
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
_________________ 2021 min. -09.1ºC --- max. 33.2ºC 2022 min. -09.0ºC --- max. 39.7ºC
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Mon Jan 09, 2017 11:22 am |
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benbaron
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:34 am Posts: 102 Location: Lancashire UK
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
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Mon Jan 09, 2017 12:17 pm |
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Eduard O
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:46 pm Posts: 1196 Location: Maastricht Netherlands
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
If they all thought this way we had a better world Eduard.
_________________ 2021 min. -09.1ºC --- max. 33.2ºC 2022 min. -09.0ºC --- max. 39.7ºC
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Mon Jan 09, 2017 2:31 pm |
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Tom Velardi
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:20 pm Posts: 4337 Location: Kyushu, Southern Japan (33.607N latitude)
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
Check out Mark Longley's site, it has all you need to get started growing them from spore. It takes time and diligence. http://www.thefernhouse.moonfruit.com/# ... 4532466939Some folks argue that tree ferns are really slow, but I suppose it depends on what you are looking for. If you want instant results, then yes, it takes a long time. If you are really interested in growing tree ferns in and of themselves it is time well spent. BTW, the faster growing types (Sphaeropteris section of Cyathea in particular) can become full blown, mature plants in just a handful of years if grown well. Good luck!
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Mon Jan 09, 2017 9:28 pm |
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SarahG
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 12:54 pm Posts: 5 Location: Leeds, Yorkshire UK
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
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Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:18 am |
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Eduard O
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:46 pm Posts: 1196 Location: Maastricht Netherlands
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
_________________ 2021 min. -09.1ºC --- max. 33.2ºC 2022 min. -09.0ºC --- max. 39.7ºC
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Wed Jan 11, 2017 3:46 pm |
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Jimhardy
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
Growing from spores is really a unique and fun process but takes some patience and attention esp while they are starting to grow....and this is probably the only way to get some varieties...the hardest part for me was hardening them off to the outside because it takes a lot of attention but once you get through this point,its pretty smooth sailing as long as the watering is consistent.
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Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:46 pm |
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garytheflounder
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:32 pm Posts: 241 Location: Brighton Sussex uk
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
The salt content I have no idea, are you talking about the build up of salts in potted specimens? If so, repotting and refreshing compost every other year should eliminate that problem. Keeping MOST tree ferns dry over winter will be the death of them. Soil needs to be dampish. Personally, speed of growth varies drastically with the care you give them. Cyathea cooperii can be too big to house after five years from spore. Kept warm and moist, they bolt away. If they're kept cooler then they'll stay more manageable for longer. As Jim said, it is fun to grow from spores......and worrying when potting them on!
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Sat Jan 14, 2017 7:22 pm |
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jeremy1908
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2016 10:49 am Posts: 15 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Re: A few questions about tree ferns
Hi Sarah,
tree ferns are too fabulous not to be grown despite the obstacles.
I recommend -
- for grown on cyatheas and dicksonias, 4 levingtons bark based ericaceous compost to 1 lime free sand (other ericaceous composts have too much fertilizer and may damage roots and retard growth for some time) - this tip came from the late Steve Pope and is borne out by my experience
- Dicksonia squarrosa is fast to trunk and grow and will thrive in a 20l pot with fronds to about 1m and a thin trunk, not the dimensions of a wild one but very good looking. Keep frost free and water trunk hard all year - most are lost in the dry cold of an indoor winter. It also produces offsets which are easily detached and grown on.
- the small ruffled version of Cyathea cooperi, until recently described as tomentosissima, is small enough to reach its potential in a really big pot (eg half dustbin size), also quite cold and dry resistant. In fact its the best available cyathea to grow as a specimen in the conservatory or even in a room with a great deal of watering and spraying.
All the best,
Jeremy
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Wed Jan 18, 2017 8:16 am |
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