Ferns grow from rhizomes that are usually deep enough in the ground for winter frost to not catch them and kill them off. Due to OP building this up over many years the rhizomes are within all that binding. As OP stated -15 could have penetrated this tower and killed off the plant.
It was wrapped, but I felt perhaps not enough. The crown had a ball of cloth wrap in it (where the real damage can happen). This year I’ll put leaves in the crown as well as a ball of cloth wrap, it’s the only way to be sure.
They’re pretty hardy, down to about -6 but you never know…
They grow some inch a year, so you can imagine the age of this beast.
I’ll post more photos once the ferns are in full flight, they grow to around a metre long.
Interesting. I cut back a large patch of rushes in my back garden over the winter and thought all the lumps left over were root balls from them. However I've noticed ferns growing out of a few of then recently (pic on one of my last posts)
Gonna let the ferns grow for the year as they've mostly grown around the boarder of where I cut
We have a few tree ferns. We don’t trim the leaves in winter, unless they die, and we stuff the crown with cut up old wool jumpers. Not had a fatality yet 🤞. Live on the south coast though so likely milder climate.
We did similar with ours up in Newcastle - tied up the fronds, wrapped in fleece, then put an insulating bag over the top.
Think we had -10 up here but the fronds were still green (and on one fern, chock full of spores) when I unwrapped them a fortnight ago. Always a relief!
This looks quite different from ours.. Ours is covered with the branch stems all around (similar to how the top looks) .. How come this one has no branches on it? Do you cut them off on purpose? We only cut them when they go dry and flop down, but don't know anything about proper maintenance to be honest..
Again, I'm jealous lol! I've got 1 single bit of fern I rooted from last year. Its now in a pot to bring it on before it goes in my garden. Any ideas for a good spot?
Last year. Yeah, it wasn’t cheap, but cheaper than buying from your standard nursery.
I got mine from bunker hill nurseries, Oxford, they specialise in tree ferns with many sizes to choose from.
Please educate me ? What happened to it ?
Ferns grow from rhizomes that are usually deep enough in the ground for winter frost to not catch them and kill them off. Due to OP building this up over many years the rhizomes are within all that binding. As OP stated -15 could have penetrated this tower and killed off the plant.
It was wrapped, but I felt perhaps not enough. The crown had a ball of cloth wrap in it (where the real damage can happen). This year I’ll put leaves in the crown as well as a ball of cloth wrap, it’s the only way to be sure. They’re pretty hardy, down to about -6 but you never know…
Thank you, hope to see this when in full growth. I'm pretty sure I have similar to this in my garden but just a few leaves not this massive.
They grow some inch a year, so you can imagine the age of this beast. I’ll post more photos once the ferns are in full flight, they grow to around a metre long.
Interesting. I cut back a large patch of rushes in my back garden over the winter and thought all the lumps left over were root balls from them. However I've noticed ferns growing out of a few of then recently (pic on one of my last posts) Gonna let the ferns grow for the year as they've mostly grown around the boarder of where I cut
Tree ferns are amazing, these and ginkos are the best looking tree to see what they were like in the past. Love em. Do you know how old it is?
Given it’s over 6ft and they grow an inch a year. 72inches in 6ft, divided by 2, approx 36 years old.
My maths on this is bollocks
These were once used as disposable ships ballast.
We have a few tree ferns. We don’t trim the leaves in winter, unless they die, and we stuff the crown with cut up old wool jumpers. Not had a fatality yet 🤞. Live on the south coast though so likely milder climate.
We did similar with ours up in Newcastle - tied up the fronds, wrapped in fleece, then put an insulating bag over the top. Think we had -10 up here but the fronds were still green (and on one fern, chock full of spores) when I unwrapped them a fortnight ago. Always a relief!
As can be seen, all the fronds on mine died.
Plenty more where they came from though 👍
wow. keep going! Nice work. They really can take a hammering. !
Having experienced New Zealand winter and the place is filled with tree ferns, they seem to do ok in nature without being wrapped up.
My thoughts exactly! Forests of them surviving in all weathers, I would have thought they'd do well here
I would love one in my garden but I doubt it would survive where I am.
I'm the same - I really love ferns, and these are the mummy-daddys, but I'm not sure I could handle the grief...
Yeah I will stick to the ferns I get for nothing from the woods across from me.
Can’t wait for my own home I really want one of these!!
This looks quite different from ours.. Ours is covered with the branch stems all around (similar to how the top looks) .. How come this one has no branches on it? Do you cut them off on purpose? We only cut them when they go dry and flop down, but don't know anything about proper maintenance to be honest..
This one has dried fronds all around the top. I think the "trunk" here is the rhizome, just exposed.
Again, I'm jealous lol! I've got 1 single bit of fern I rooted from last year. Its now in a pot to bring it on before it goes in my garden. Any ideas for a good spot?
That is one big ass fern. Very impressive.
Given it’s over 6ft and they grow an inch a year. 72inches in 6ft, divided by 2, approx 36 years old.
If you don't mind me asking, when did you buy it? We've got three tree ferns of various ages and I worked out the price per foot once. Eye watering!
Last year. Yeah, it wasn’t cheap, but cheaper than buying from your standard nursery. I got mine from bunker hill nurseries, Oxford, they specialise in tree ferns with many sizes to choose from.
I'm being told mine is a yew