Australian Tree Fern (Dicksonia)

[Boo Boo]

I have an Australian Tree Fern (Dicksonia) in a shady bed in the back garden (although it does get some sunlight in the mid-morning). New fronds have grown from the crown, & some of the old fronds are partly brown/dead - should I let nature take its course with the old fronds or should I cut them away?

[gucciman]

the whole of the trunk of a tree fern is actually made up of the stems of the old fronds.

cut off the brown fronds now and leave the new ones to grow. then, at the end of the autumn before the frosts come you should cut off all the fronds and then bubble wrap the crown of the plant and half way down the trunk to help the plant survive the winter. i usually remove my bubble wrap the first week of april and then a few weeks later the new fronds start to uncurl.

[Boo Boo]

Thanks gucciman. I removed the old fronds today. Actually, during the winter I cover the crown with newspaper which seems to work too. Thanks again.