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Tree Fern - cut off fronds?

Lanarkshire, Scotland

This is a tree fern that spent the winter in a greenhouse , it never lost it's fronds from last year, as you can see it is now sprouting numerous new fronds (brilliant!) . Do I cut off last years fronds to make room for the new ones or just leave them and see what happens? Dont know if this photo shows the yellowing any better.


On plant Dicksonia antarctica


Answers

 

yes cut them off to make way for the new ones, they will only turn brown anyway.

15 Jun, 2009

 

Hi Mac, If they are still green they are growing, you will soon see the spores underneath, leave it to develop on it's own.

15 Jun, 2009

 

The old fronds are definately going yellow slowly but surely , I can tell because of the new fronds on the tree fern next to it for comparison , they look as if they are dying off .

15 Jun, 2009

 

ahh one photo per question!

15 Jun, 2009

 

Leave them if still green even if they are yellowing, thier still producing food and in the wild they wouldnt get cut off! The plant is able to cope with new fronds pushing through old or else they would of died out! I'd let them go brown before removing them.

15 Jun, 2009

 

i'd leave them so that you can see the ,hopefully, good contrast in the foliage for another brilliant photo.
nature doesnt prune dont forget. if you decide you cant stand them get cutting. :o)

16 Jun, 2009

 

leave them till they go brown, for the sake of the plants, thats what they do

16 Jun, 2009

 

right they get left till new uns are out

16 Jun, 2009

 

I have a Dicksonian Antartica about 15 years old which has just produced a second flush of fronds which makes it very top heavy. The fronds are magnificent but I need to move it to another garden. Will it damage the plant if I remove all the fronds to make it easier to transport? Thanks for any suggestions

23 Sep, 2012

How do I say thanks?

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