If you're living in a cool climate (such as USDA Zone 9, maybe?) you can grow tree ferns. But there are a few things you need to know, and if your weather is too cold for too long in winter, then it's probably not the plant for you. Unless you have a conservatory, of course (wish I had one!)
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
The USDA zones dont equate exactly to UK temperatures- generally where I am is considered a cool 9 or a warm ish 8 - summer temperatures are much cooler than the USDA 9 but winter temperatures not very different and they're the ones that really count. Also your microclimate is important- eg you may be more sheltered or frosty than a normal 8 or 9, and that can make a big difference- hope that helps
@Diana-cf7cc3 жыл бұрын
I live in South West UK 🇬🇧 & they are in the ground 🌴😃
@khaledal-habib7772 жыл бұрын
dear, what about hot weather? (long hot summer)
@digabledoug4 күн бұрын
In San Francisco I planted 4 Cyathea tree ferns when they were about a foot tall. 15 yrs later, they are 20ft tall. They can grow quite fast if you give them plenty water and for the first few I years kept the total number of fronds to 5 or 6. The seem to grow faster if you prune the dead and majority of fronds off. They will constantly put out new fronds. They may not look full and lush as ones left alone but if you're wanting height quickly that's what worked for me. Now I only trim off the dead fronds hanging down and let them be as full as they want. Cut up or chipped fronds make an excellent spongy mulch around the base of the ferns.
@davidyeo25854 жыл бұрын
There seems to be a lot of conflicting advice with tree ferns but I found him believable and competent
@shuvadey4294 Жыл бұрын
The best video on tree ferns that I have come across so far! Thoroughly enjoyed and very informative. I do not need to look any further.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@shuvadey4294 Жыл бұрын
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden I ordered a tree fern (Dicksonia antartica) and it is now planted. Hopefully 2 weeks of sub-zero temperatures have not affected the plant. It came protected with leaves stuffed in the crown and I put a coat on it too! I planted after the thaw and like to admire it each day. Looking forwards to the fronds in Spring.
@mischka544 жыл бұрын
This is the most informative video I have found on the Dicksonja Antarctica tree fern. We have had ours for about 2 or 3 years, live in the UK, and have it planted in a small half barrel type of planter. Having lost our last much smaller one to frost, we now treat this one like a baby - wrapping it in hay for the winter! It is currently about 3 ft tall and right now, in late April, is starting to sprout many baby fronds! We get so much pleasure from watching them unfurl! Thank you again for this really great video!
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@j.m.70564 жыл бұрын
Stephen is delightful. Thanks, Alexandra for including his advice and knowledge.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@michellebeissel39374 жыл бұрын
FASCINATING! Thank you, Stephen. Thank you Alexandra. (If my life depended on it, I would never have guessed that the 'trunk' is part of the root system; I would have just puddled water around its base!)
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@camwells9726 Жыл бұрын
I’m in an area where they grow wild ( Warburton Victoria) got some on my property and they are everywhere when you go for a walk , So beautiful when it’s just nature at work and you don’t have to do a thing
@sharonconnors60614 жыл бұрын
Excellent info and tips for a novice tree fern owner much appreciated
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@favouritemoon41333 жыл бұрын
One thing I have learned about Tree Ferns in pots: if you have them in pots and have to move them for any reason, make a mark on the pot to show which way they were originally 'facing' and keep them facing as near to that same direction as possible. If you forget, their fronds tend to twist and bend and they don't look as attractive. The new growth the following year will be fine, but you will have 'spoiled' your Tree Fern for that season, depending on how drastic the difference in direction was. Yes, I did this once and learned my lesson, but my lovely window cleaner - who is really good at negotiating his way through all my plants around the house - didn't know, and I didn't notice he had turned the pots.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
Interesting!
@SallyGreenaway4 жыл бұрын
This was fantastic, thank you very much! I'm in Canberra and have about 20 ferns on the cooler side of the house under a massive pergola with shade cloth. The climate is incredibly dry and we get extreme temperatures from -7 frosts through Winter (with sunny daytimes) to 40 degrees Celsius in Summer (and no rain for months). We have a microclimate due to the shade cloth but also have a misting system along the boundary of the pergola to keep the air more humid and moist for the ferns. We still need to hand water during the Summer. Thank you for the expert advice especially about the sugar wives tale.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I knew very little about tree ferns before, so it was a really interesting video to make.
@marilynmcdonald68994 жыл бұрын
A drive up through the Dandenongs, and other parts of eastern Victoria, will leave you breathless with the beauty of the abundant treeferns, and very tall, straight trunk trees as the canopy. It is rather magical.🇭🇲
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Yes, I visited the Dandenongs once and it was very beautiful.
@DenisPeel4 жыл бұрын
Great video, straightforward information. more please.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@carmenbailey82094 жыл бұрын
Nice, I love ferns in my garden, but mine are 1-2 feet in height. Our temps can go down to -20 C so no tree ferns for us. I still love seeing and enjoying seeing what other people can grow. Always enjoyable, thanks for sharing 👍❤️😊
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Minus 20 is quite cold!
@carole-f8x4 жыл бұрын
Thank you Alexandra! That was a very informative video. I don't know that I have ever seen a tree fern and I learned a lot today. Thanks so much for your effort in sharing info with us.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@leelastarsky Жыл бұрын
Thankyou for the excellent video, Alexandra! I adore tree ferns and learnt so much!! I'm in Melbourne, Australia, and feel extremely lucky to have temperate rainforests full of tree ferns all around me. And, yes, I have them in my garden! 🥰
@r.batista92863 жыл бұрын
What a great video, thanks! I'm a beginner in the gardening matters (just moved from small apartments my whole life into a 900m2 block, lots and lots of work to do!) and it's great to find such a complete video with all infos you need coming from a true expert.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
Thank you! What an exciting opportunity - you're at the beginning of a good adventure.
@liljack02344 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the video! My mum bought a tree fern for my garden and I have been desperately searching the internet for information on care. Each site has had bits of information missing. Your video has been full of information and wonderful to watch. You've gained a new subscriber!
@mollyk92754 жыл бұрын
Loved this video! You make such great content Alexandra! I had never even heard of tree ferns but I'll watch anything you post ❤💚
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@ugtitto26544 жыл бұрын
14:40 exactly the info I was looking for. I bought a small Dicksonia antarctica last summer for only 10 quid, but it didn’t seem to overwinter well, even though I kept the crown covered with leylandii trimmings. Great quality content on this channel!
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@neverlostforwords4 жыл бұрын
Great knowledge here. Very enjoyable and informative video. Thank. I love ferns and have two small collections - one down the side boundary garden bed, interspersed with large shrubs that provide dappled shade, and one under a large Chinese elm tree in the front garden. They are both fledgling collections but so far my favourite is Doodia Media. It is a stunning fern with red new growth. I don't yet have a tree fern but having seen the beautiful Dicksonias in this video growing happily underneath an elm tree, perhaps I will give it a go under my elm tree. By the way, Dicksonias, when estabished, are hardy as can be. My daughter has one in her garden, and for ten years it has thrived with absolutely no attention other than having leaves that grow over the front path removed from time to time. It is in a raised bed surrounded by shrubs of varying heights (rhododendrons, azaleas, indigofera, camellias, agonis, among others). I think the tough part is getting them established, in the right position.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
I looked up the Doodia as I'd never heard of it - very striking!
@nadakodsia26354 жыл бұрын
Wonderful video, thank you so much... 💕💕💕💕
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@howardcale45473 жыл бұрын
Full of information. Really interesting. I learned a lot here.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@longleypeter69284 жыл бұрын
great advice best iv heard thank you
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@soulboy604 жыл бұрын
‘This is a fantastic video full of information. I have previously killed a tree fern in the uk as l did not know how to water it properly Thank you so much I feel much more confident now about replacing it
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@PaulMcCabe4 жыл бұрын
Thank you, a very helpful video on my favourite addition to the garden. I have recently just got another decent size one after losing a 5ft one around 8 years ago when we had -20c here in the U.K. I’m keeping this one in a pot to ensure I can move it if we have another bad winter. This one I’ve made a nice compost mix with some chicken manure so it should be happy. I’m looking forward to seeing the new fronds coming out to see how it looks.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@PaulMcCabe4 жыл бұрын
The Middle-Sized Garden Thank you 🙏
@dexterkeano3 жыл бұрын
Stephen you legend, awesome summary. It has got me thinking though, what have I bought! Lots of attention and slow growth..... IF it's still alive. Oh boy!
@markhenry1923 жыл бұрын
Great review. Thought I knew how to care for my two tree ferns but I was wrong on a couple of points. Thanks
@dianestyles98444 жыл бұрын
Extremely useful info thank you ☺️
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@quicknumbercrunch86914 жыл бұрын
beautiful plant. My garden is just warm enough for the smooth variety, so I wish I knew about thirty years ago. My fan palms survive the cold with covers when they are small. Once large on below zero nights I will place a fan sprinkler on the crown and let it water all night. It is pumped well water so not wasteful. I feared that so much watering in winter might cause mold, but so far so good. Any thoughts?
@pansepot14904 жыл бұрын
Fan palm is a very generic term. What’s the species exactly? Because there’s some palms that are perfectly frost hardy and don’t need any protection, unless of course the climate is very cold. “Chamaerops humilis, variously called European fan palm or the Mediterranean dwarf palm. It is one of the most cold-hardy palms and is used in landscaping in temperate climates.” “Trachycarpus fortunei or Windmill palm is one of the hardiest palms. It tolerates cool, moist summers as well as cold winters, as it grows at much higher altitudes than other species, up to 2,400 m (7,874 ft) in the mountains of southern China. However, it is not the northernmost naturally occurring palm in the world, as European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) grows further north in the Mediterranean.”
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
I'm not quite sure but Stephen indicated that watering in winter, particularly before a frost, could mean that the plant freezes. On the other hand, if it's something you've been doing successfully for some time, then it obviously works for you.
@quicknumbercrunch86914 жыл бұрын
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Stephen knows best. Perhaps, once one starts sprinkling during a frost one best never turn off the sprinkler as without the constant ground temperature water falling the water on the plant will freeze and kill the spear of the palm. If I had it to over I'd plant the palms in the front garden near the street. It is not a busy street, but I have noticed that the palms that do best here, Paris area, do best there. Thanks for the great videos. I've also been using ideas from the one you did on planting a sloped garden.
@brendamccourt4918 ай бұрын
Great video. Very helpful. I have inherited a tree fern in UK. Which has a branch (pup) now growing for 1-2 ys. Can this be removed and replanted as another tree, if so how is this best done and when. I expect to move the main tree also in the spring.
@suethompson64973 жыл бұрын
Does hard tap water effect the growth of tree ferns? Great video with lots of helpful tips. I had a dead 1 ft tree fern, which ai left in the pot but kept watering it and has now started throwing out baby ferns from the bottom! Never give up on your plant!
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
I haven't heard anything about hard water being bad for tree ferns. I'm glad to hear yours has revived.
@RoseandGoldBrides4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for this video, very helpful. I was wondering, I have a 4ft Dicksonia in a pot, and have to water the trunk regularly to prevent drying out. ... but am I at risk of rotting any roots in the pot? Is it possible to over water? Also when you say it mustn’t dry out, does this mean internally? Because the exterior gets within an hour of watering it... thanks in advance for your help!
@katemedland49754 жыл бұрын
Also mine seems to be getting scorched. It is in a sunny spot but our shady spot is very windy... which is best? The better of 2 evils!
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
It doesn't like very bright sun - can the light be filtered at all? If it's not too difficult to move, maybe try the shady spot and see what happens? I don't think you need worry about the roots rotting provided the pot has good drainage. Just keep watering regularly.
@meredith35884 жыл бұрын
Beautiful trees! Thank you for sharing.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@alisonburgess3454 жыл бұрын
Excellent video! Great information here - thanks guys.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@alfreda3673 жыл бұрын
Hi Alexandre, would love some info on ground ferns please. My favorite plants.
@Diana-cf7cc3 жыл бұрын
I planted one last year & it was 36 inches high & it seems to have grown to 42 inches in 1 year, I have watered the trunk daily in summer.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
That's fast for a tree fern.
@harveytweats21194 жыл бұрын
Great video - best on KZfaq. You sound like Theresa May by the way.
@WaterspoutsOfTheDeep4 жыл бұрын
Great video footage and in depth information. Thank you
@user-gq7yd4ql4b3 ай бұрын
Thank you brilliant
@lottypunter-bradshaw12322 жыл бұрын
That was so informative , thank you x
@TheMiddlesizedGarden2 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@paulinewqi4 жыл бұрын
Great video with so much info.... Thanks so much for sharing...💖💝
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@Dr1on2 жыл бұрын
Really informative video - thanks!
@TheMiddlesizedGarden2 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@heatherstephens92954 жыл бұрын
Excellent information - great tutor 👍
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@barry57872 жыл бұрын
Many thanks
@jacintabirchall829911 ай бұрын
We have some rough type that are very tall and quite sickly and now the trunk tops are getting pointy. Are these just too exposed? They have no canopy above and have south facing tin roof under them. Worried they are dying 😢
@lilyrosell99924 жыл бұрын
Loved this video. I live in zone 10 Miami, Florida. Can Cyathea Australis be "potted" and placed close to a window where there is a bit of light throughout the day?
@deanesbamboogardenboggis27243 жыл бұрын
Great video is it true that tree ferns only have feeder roots and no other roots like anchor roots
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
The trunk is the root system, so they don't have much in the way of anchor roots. But having seen this tree fern chopped out of the ground, those roots are pretty good at anchoring them and not easy to dig out.
@mauracurran32703 жыл бұрын
What is the best time of year to move a tree fern
@RucPac3 жыл бұрын
Great video thanks for the help
@susankavanagh7374 жыл бұрын
Excellent video, thank you.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@xyzllii3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for that.
@carolburkett70184 жыл бұрын
I live in Dallas Texas area code 76028. A green fern plant grown out in same pot of my Rose bush. I thought it was another new Rose shoot. This bush now grown fast. Have no idea what it is could you help me figure out what this thorn plant is.?
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Oh, dear, I'm sorry, I don't know - it may be a plant that's local to you. Can you ask someone locally who knows about plants? Unless you like the new plant, it would probably be better to take it out as it will be taking nutrition the rose needs to flower well.
@nguyenquocson36743 жыл бұрын
Thank you.When to prune a tree fern (in the year),pls
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
It doesn't need pruning as such, but if you see a few dying fronds snip them out when they are dead or almost dead. Stephen suggests not taking out too many at once as they can look a bit too bare.
@stanhill3980 Жыл бұрын
How do you propagate tree ferns.
@brucemiles86342 жыл бұрын
Our tree fern has died back but now has fronds coming up from the soil around the base, why would that be? It is in a large pot
@roberthill9414 жыл бұрын
Hi,just brought a tree fern and I live in the uk. I gonna plant the tree in a pot outside with soil and mulch, in your video you feed the tree if you're gonna plant in a pot do you feed the trunk or the centre of the plant. And one more question. I will move the tree in my conservation during cold season do I still water and feed the fern
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Water and feed less in the winter, but don't ever let it dry out. Here is a link from a tree fern specialist that should help answer the feeding question: www.kelways.co.uk/page/tree-fern-care/79/
@danielmcgrath93693 жыл бұрын
I have two healthy ferns,can I cut the trunks to a lower height?
@user-xx8bj3so1e4 күн бұрын
Дякую за видиос
@mnik85012 жыл бұрын
Where can I buy big ones in the US?
@allthingsgardencad97263 жыл бұрын
So do they handle full shade? I always though they died because they where in too sunny a position.. And tended to put them in as close to full shade as possible. As i seen so many in almost full sun looking really healthy being there for years.. And Stephen has pointed out that they seem to handle it OK.. the ones on that property are in the open on the side of the hill, so they must be getting a fair bit of sun? And only really need protection from Hot wind and full midday sun..?
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
Some tree ferns varieties can cope with full sun, it's best to check when buying. The ones in this video are on the side of the hill, but it is quite a wooded hill so they are getting a certain amount of protection from the larger trees around them. And some seem to be in quite a bit of shade, hope that helps.
@georgedimitriadis5494 жыл бұрын
Hi to both of you alexandra and stephen. Thank you for this informative video. Since antarctica and australis have no chances if the crown dies isn"t it better to try a squarrosa in a mediterranian country? Is there any other tree fern specie that can be fast growing and produce offcets if the crown dies? And one more interesting question. Since tree ferns hybridise and ferns do it as well is it possible that a hybrid between fern(very cold and drought tolerant like polistichum neolobatum) and tree fern(cold hardy like antarctica, fibrosa or squarrosa) be made? It is hard for middle europe fern enthousiasts that we can"t have such beautiful plants like tree ferns in our gardens
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
I'll pass your question onto Stephen but because he's in the Southern hemisphere (time change issues) it might take time for a reply.
@georgedimitriadis5494 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the reply alexandra and looking forward for stephens anwser. ☺
@finiteenergy71553 жыл бұрын
I’ve cut a cyathea down and transplanted before and it actually lived. Do you think it won’t make it in the long run?
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
It's difficult to say. I think you can be hopeful, though.
@finiteenergy71553 жыл бұрын
@@TheMiddlesizedGarden glad to hear it :) the fern was growing out the side of a pine retaining wall so had to be removed regardless, but it really hope it makes it!! Much appreciated
@growwithhan2 жыл бұрын
An inch or two in a decade?! Wow that is extremely slow!
@pipandcol3 жыл бұрын
TOP TIP...............WHEN PLANTING MIX IN OLD TEA-BAGS WITH EARTH!
@gwenithalexander16182 жыл бұрын
I use tree fern mulch in the garden ... insects don't like it and so the birds don't scatter it!
@therisinggarden59284 жыл бұрын
I live in zone 8b and I have a tree fern but 23 degrees F is zone 9a not zone 8. I was wondering this because I have a baby Dicksonia Antarctica that I should plant very soon here in zone 8b. I’ve heard that by the time it gets down to 20f it will lose its fronds, and the trunk is hardy down to 15f. I even searched on google earth throughout Tasmania and New Zealand and I only found tree ferns in areas in zone 9a or warmer, often near the coasts. I live in a zone 8b csb warm summer mediteranian. Luckily this year we had a zone 9a winter only getting down to 22f and I put my tree fern right up against my House onto a window but this only happens once every 5 years or so. I live on the western side of Washington state BUT NOT NEAR THE COAST so can they grow in zone 8b?????
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Near the house means that if you have heating on during winter, the bricks of the house will emanate heat. But there are so many factors- USDA zones are a good starting point but if your garden is more sheltered or frosty than is normal for the zone you can grow more or fewer plants
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
So hard to be exact but plant in a light sheltered spot and maybe wrap in horticultural fleece if a period of prolonged bad weather is forecast?
@therisinggarden59284 жыл бұрын
The Middle-Sized Garden speaking of watering when do you water your tree fern? When the outer trunk dries out?
@deejeff88464 жыл бұрын
Keep trunk wet he said
@vicstee4824 жыл бұрын
Wish i had watched this a week ago! I just cut all my old fronds off :-(((
@TheMiddlesizedGarden4 жыл бұрын
Hope new ones grow back
@jamestropicals82623 жыл бұрын
Tree ferns Are Extremely Slow growing trees how slow are they?
@TheMiddlesizedGarden3 жыл бұрын
It probably varies according to type, climate etc, but some barely grow a foot a decade.
@jamestropicals82623 жыл бұрын
That is really really slow
@barito710 ай бұрын
Good luck moving a cyathea.
@TheMiddlesizedGarden9 ай бұрын
The video advises against moving cyatheas, it only applies to dicksonias.
@maple4942 жыл бұрын
"Inch or two a decade" is not true. It's more like inch or two a year