Here at Black’s Garden Centre we have a wide variety of mature tree ferns. Starting from €244 and reaching up to €495. Your tree fern is happiest in a sheltered area, out of the worst of the winds. They grow strongest in a position with good light, but like most ferns can tolerate a position with low light levels. Ideally, try to ensure your tree ferns gets a few hours of sunlight where it is planted.
Your tree fern (and most ferns) thrive and root best in acidic soil–ericaceous compost, a roughly milled peat will have your plant very happy. Add around 20% of horticultural grit to the peat medium, to allow for adequate drainage and to stop the medium ‘caking’ i.e. becoming encrusted on the surface, which will stop rain water permeating the soil to water the roots.
From March to October once daytime temperatures are above 10 Celsius you cannot over water your tree fern. Daily, during dry spells it is even more important to water your tree fern, this will also assist in a healthy crown of fronds for next season. Water March to October once daytime temperatures are above 10 Celsius you cannot over water your tree fern. Feed every 3-4 weeks during growing season, using liquid seaweed.
For planting: they are often sold as trunks without fronds. Remember healthy fronds will be 3-4 times the length of the trunk. Leave space for the fronds. Remember a tree fern is not actually a tree, just tree like in appearance. The planting depth of your trunk is not important to your fern. The depth that is required, is enough to stabilize your tree fern in its new home. E.G. -a 2-foot trunked tree fern, planted 4” deep in firm ground. It takes about 6 months for your tree fern to root in your garden. If your tree fern is sold in a pot and is firm in the pot, plant to the existing level of the compost in the pot.
Fronds will naturally fall off your tree fern after a few years. If you must, tidy desiccated browned-off fronds on your specimen, make sure to try and cut the stipe a few inches out from the trunk. Tight cutting back will lead to narrowing of the trunk, and when this happens the succeeding fronds will naturally be smaller.
