Use of Copper sprays around ferns plus spraying in general

JUST SOME NOTES ON GROUND FERNS

Ground ferns are many and varied in terms of height/width they grow to, hardiness, colour, evergreen or deciduous, native or exotic so too much to rabbit on about here. Suffice to say ferns are a brilliant plants given the right conditions and care.

Have a look at our "where to plant guide" which will give you some indication as to what you can do and where in your garden, if you need further advice contact us or you local garden centre.

CAN YOU EAT FERNS?

The only edible ground fern we are aware of is the true NZ native Asplenium bulbiferum ("Pikopiko") and it is the tender young shoots that can be picked and blanched - tastes something like Asparagus. Hen and Chicken is the common name for this fern.

Just be careful as there are some hen and chicken cultivars in the garden centres and in fact almost all the hen and chicken you will find in garden centres is a crossed variety and definitely not an edible fern!!

JUST SOME NOTES ON TREE FERNS

To many people one tree fern looks just the same as any other and we are often asked for a "ponga" and the requester expresses surprise that there is more than one variety!!!

In terms of NZ native tree ferns there are about 9 varieties - we stock 6 and they fall into 2 distinct species -

1. Dicksoniaceae (Dicksonia for short) and the two common varieties are the squarrosa and the fibrosa. Species is distinctive due to long woody trunks and crown of fronds on the top.

2. Cyatheaceae (Cyathea for short) - different from the Dicksonia due to scales and hairs on the trunks. medullaris (Mamaku or black tree fern), dealbata (Silver), smithii (soft tree fern) and cunninghamii (Gully tree fern) are the most common.

Tree ferns can augment many a garden but do understand that they are in general shade lovers and they will keel over if you don't attend to their watering needs!!! Wind is also an enemy so find a shaded place - plant and enjoy!!!

SOME NOTES REGARDING MAPLES

Best planting times are when plant is dormant and no leaves on so Winter thru to late Spring is best but they can be planted out from planter bags at any time of the year. Summer thru to Autumn is the time of year when maples (Acers) are looking great.

 Ours have been grown in planter bags and are established with good root systems so all you need to do is dig the hole (to same depth and slightly wider than the bag they come to allow you room to slide the bag in) - slit the sides of the bag before lowering into the hole - throw in a bucket of water - gently ease the bag out and cover in - Easy!!.

We have purple/red maples, lime green/yellow, weeping maples and others various shades of green - some are what is callled "Standards" so they have been grafted at a certain height (1.5m or 1.8m is quite often the case)  so the actuall species is the top bit above the graft.

Check our varieties under the product section.

SOME NOTES REGARDING PRUNUS TREES

There are over 400 genus of Prunus trees so they are a very popular tree. You can get Flowering Cherries, flowering Apricots, Flowering Peach and also flowering Almonds in the prunus genus. Weeping cherries are a favourite of mine.

Prunus need plenty of light and in good well mulched and good draining soil. Not a bad idea to give them a balanced NPK fertiliser in the early Spring.

Spring is when they flower and so plant, if you want to get the benefit of your first look at the flowers they will provide, by mid winter (Autumn to mid winter is best time for planting).

Notes on Ferns in Pots

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