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SilverShaded
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 7:37 pm Posts: 60 Location: Cheshire UK
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Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
I have three or four small tree ferns, cyathea cooperi, dicksonia antartica and squarrosa, and cyathea australis. Most of this summer i had them in our conservatory and on squarrosa in the greenhouse. The squarrosas in particular did really badly, which im totally surprised about as the greenhouse is a fern paradise most of the time, its warm and humid, all kinds of ferns, uk and tropical self sowung in there.
So recently i put all of them outside and theyre generally doing much better, especially the squarrosa, even the cyatheas look stronger and healthier. Could be the conservatory was too hot? Although the greenhouse was not so hot down at the end were the squarrosa was.
Im just curious if squarrosas need cool nights to do well or there is some other explanation, have guts noticed anything similar?
The only tree ferns i have which seem to really like the conservatory are the blechnums (gibbum and brasiliense).
_________________ Mark
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Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:27 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: Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
Hi Mark, It will be the difference between humidity between day and night and temperature difference, D. Squarrosa is really an outside plant with the exception of cold winters with us naturally. Blechnum Brasilians also grew better outside, B. gibbum, can be seen all year long inside or outside when you have the good conditions [ out of the sun and moist place]
Eduard.
_________________ 2021 min. -09.1ºC --- max. 33.2ºC 2022 min. -09.0ºC --- max. 39.7ºC
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Sun Aug 06, 2017 1:33 pm |
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SilverShaded
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 7:37 pm Posts: 60 Location: Cheshire UK
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Re: Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
Thanks Eduard,
I thought they would do better with the higher humidity in the greenhouse, but maybe the colder nights are more important?
Im not sure i agree about brasiliense though, i have self-sown sporelings all over the greenhouse coming up (and also in a hot terrarium) and when i tried the big plant outside it nearly died.
_________________ Mark
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Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:39 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: Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
Colder nights give higher humidity, and I give all my tree ferns water in the evening. There must be a difference in humidity, during the day you have a lower humidity [besides rainy weather]
Young B. Brazilians grow better in the conservatory, I also have my own breeding, I have the big plants from April standing outside they are now 4 years old and grow very good the leaf is + - 1m long
Eduard.
_________________ 2021 min. -09.1ºC --- max. 33.2ºC 2022 min. -09.0ºC --- max. 39.7ºC
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Sun Aug 06, 2017 7:42 pm |
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Jimhardy
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Re: Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
I was thinking lower humidity during the day could be a factor also.... one other possibility is that the roots should be kept cool and damp so warm/hot temps may take its toll on the root system(with potted plants)....my C.Dealbata totally defoliated when temps hit the 90s to 102F here,it is still solid but is not putting out any croziers-weather is cooler now so I hope it comes back- not looking to likely though.
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Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:19 pm |
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SilverShaded
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 7:37 pm Posts: 60 Location: Cheshire UK
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Re: Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
Ok, food for thought there guys, maybe ill try the brasiliense outside again, a bit shadier this time, i have two big ones so not too much of a risk. My D. antarctica didn't seem to mind the conservatory too much but the squarrosa really didn't do well at all when it was hot. Anyway ill be bringing them all back inside in the next few months, they're too small to risk a winter outside yet.
_________________ Mark
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Tue Aug 08, 2017 8:18 am |
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hilts
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:30 pm Posts: 2269 Location: Devon, South Coast UK
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Re: Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
I would definitely grow them all outside for sure except the Blechnum, much too hot during the day for tree ferns without a doubt even if high humidity. Tree ferns like cool shady damp positions with plenty of fresh air movement and lashings of cool rain. Definitely not a humid, stuffy conservatory. The only species I would consider growing in a conservatory (with all of the windows open during the day) are Cibotium and Blechnum gibbum and brasilliense.
Grow the others perminately outside and if you have hard frosts (below -5c) protect in winter. The Dicksonia antartica and squarrosa in to be planted in ground somewhere shady and watered (drowned) everyday in summer.
Chris
_________________ If he paid me what it's costing him to stop me robbing him, I'd stop robbing him
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Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:10 pm |
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SilverShaded
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 7:37 pm Posts: 60 Location: Cheshire UK
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Re: Surprising result growing tree ferns in conservatory
I may still brung them inside over winter, the cyathea especially carried on growing all through last winter in the conservatory.
_________________ Mark
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Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:31 am |
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