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Winter is here...How's it going and what will you be doing?


Hammer

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Funny (not really) that just a couple weeks ago our highs and lows were 20°f warmer.  Now our days are in the 60s and nights here down to the mid 40s. And rain.

My palms don't know it is winter yet. I was out of town for a week.  When I got back today I noticed growth on several of them.  But I am sure that will change as soon as the cold rain accelerates the cooling of the soil.  2016 was fun while it lasted. 

As the garden gears down I will be working hard to prepare for next year along with Winter survival.

All goes well over the winter I plan to...

- Add SulPoMag to my palms in the next couple of weeks

- Finish my irrigation system by moving heads, adding heads, adding Ez-flo and figuring out a mystery zone.

- Extend a path 

- Add mulch and compost to the whole yard where helpful and appropriate 

- And the grand finale, dig and build a small pond and waterfall.

What winter maintenance and improvement plans do you have for your garden this winter?

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When you are done, come finish up my place. :lol:

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Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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Thus far, it has been a warm late fall.. up until today's fast moving system that should keep us here in Phoenix in the 60s most if not all of this week. Lows have also trended in the 40s lately with one morning in the 38-42F range thus far.

Going forward, the late Autumn streak of upper 70s/low 80 degree days here in the desert look broken with more seasonable conditions forecasted going into December. While by no means set in stone, we might escape next month relatively mild with no sub- 32F lows forecasted atm through the end of the month.. we'll see..  

As for projects, front yard renovation continues to move forward. Hoping to have all but the tender stuff planted, and gravel laid by mid January. Still wavering on adding a Mule or two.

Should also have Greenhouse #1 up before February. Figure a 12' L x 10' W x 7' H space should be big enough for now. Walls will accomidate detachable panels utilized by time of year, ie: 50-88% shade ( roof and sides) for the summer, double layer plastic/frost cloth combo for the winter. Working out the "to acquire/propagate" list and dates for upcoming sales/events/trips for next year atm.

Hoping our version of "winter" flies by as fast and frost/freeze free as possible. 

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On ‎11‎/‎27‎/‎2016‎ ‎12‎:‎42‎:‎59‎, BS Man about Palms said:

When you are done, come finish up my place. :lol:

My sentiments exactly!

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I plan on finally getting rid of the Guinea Grass (a highly invasive species from Africa that is taking over large parts of the South Texas Coast) from my yard, which will be a winter long project.  But for the short term, I will be fertilizing my in ground coconut palms next weekend to strengthen them up for the winter.  I used to not fertilize them in the winter, thinking that it would encourage tender new growth that would be susceptible to cold damage, but someone here on Palmtalk suggested to me a few months ago to go ahead and do a winter time fertilization of them, because with his palms in Florida it actually strengthens them and helps them to make it through the winter better and it helps them recover from any cold injury quicker.  I am also hoping that it will help them with Potassium deficiency, which our South Texas Coast coconut palms suffer from even in our normal winters, due to them having a hard time taking up Potassium naturally in the cooler winter months.

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Great topic! My So Cal winter ritual; I do the SulMagPo beginning in late Fall, back off or turn off watering, as necessary, depending on rain. Apply fungicides, as necessary, after cold extended rain events that we sometimes get in So Cal  (but not in the last few years),  and then wait for March! If and when it gets frosty, apply frost cloth on the smaller sensitive non-canopy protected palms, and/or set out fans to stir the air. If we get another 2007 like freeze, all bets are off!!

Mission Viejo, CA

Limited coastal influence

5-10 days of frost

IPS and PSSC Member

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I'm counting the days til I leave for Barbados for 4 weeks. That's how I handle winter!  After living in Uganda and never having lows under 60, my blood is thin and I need to get out of here!

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December is the coolest month for California and look what is coming. Time Dec 6th rolls all it will feel pretty wintery

 

gfs_850_loop.gif

Edited by enigma99
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Nothing much to do here in the winter (for palms) except taking advantage of every warm/mild stretch from now until March, my palms will be outdoors on those days. But when it gets too cold for them to be outside I'll be enjoying my oasis indoors.

I just hope spring arrives quickly, or better yet, "winter" winter (cold, snow, etc.) doesn't arrive at all. Right now it's about 60 degrees with much needed heavy rain, I'll take this over snow any day.

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Been extra warm here and no rain at all since early Oct. until last night when we got 0.6". With wind from the south humidity is way up and highs in the low 80s and lows in the 60s. Anything that gets irrigation keeps on growing. We spend most of each Tues. pruning, trimming and gather yard waste for ag pick up Wed.

Last month we fertilized for the final time until spring barring spot applications for struggling palms. I do most of my maintenance over winter because growth gets away from me over the summer. I have been culling and repotting potted plants and palms. I still have a ton of yard weeding left to do. I also have a major project in repotting my Dyckia mother plants and cleaning up their block patio.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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18 hours ago, enigma99 said:

December is the coolest month for California and look what is coming. Time Dec 6th rolls all it will feel pretty wintery

 

gfs_850_loop.gif

Been watching this possible cold spell closely since it showed up on the longer range models. Hoping the core of the suggested cold stays east of the sierras and gets shoved east before dropping south off the rim here.

AccuWeather's forecast has been wavering between the mid 30s and 29F both next Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Was 39/40F today with frost on the rooftops around 7am. Local news station is calling for 39, AccuWeather is suggesting 34 tonight here in Chandler. Possible first freeze of the season for Casa Grande and Tucson tonight also. Flagstaff is supposed to reach a balmy 7F around sunrise.

While spring would be considered the best time of year, if you don't mind the cool/cold nights ( and days like today ..60f at 4pm) this is a great time for getting outdoors and exploring the desert. Quite the contrast to celebrating the holidays in 80f+ heat last year though. 

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On 11/29/2016, 1:49:35, cm05 said:

Nothing much to do here in the winter (for palms) except taking advantage of every warm/mild stretch from now until March, my palms will be outdoors on those days. But when it gets too cold for them to be outside I'll be enjoying my oasis indoors.

I just hope spring arrives quickly, or better yet, "winter" winter (cold, snow, etc.) doesn't arrive at all. Right now it's about 60 degrees with much needed heavy rain, I'll take this over snow any day.

May your wish be granted.

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Here in the PNW we might get our first freeze on December 6th & 7th. Should be around 30F maybe lower??? The only thing I have to cover up is my gardenia shrub which is fully loaded with spring flower buds. I should cover up my chamaedorea palms too. 

 Will say “Goodbye” to the summer foliages like canna, gingers, begonia, elephant ears, red banana, etc. At least the winter blooming plants will be ok for the hummers. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hunkering down in my place  The palms I did have outside are long inside, and the humidifiers are going full blast as is a pot on the stove. It's 17F now, going down to around 12. tonight.  It got up to 21F today.   This is abnormal for this month here. Usually highs are around 45-50.  YUK.    I hope this is not a preview of the actual winter to come in jan/feb.  Can not wait to move to a warmer climate.   

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Ugh.  It was 9F here last night.  YUK.  I think Dulles airport tied a record at 10F.    EXTREMELY abnormal cold for this time of year.  We dont see this until mid Jan- Feb. :bemused:

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31 minutes ago, DCA_Palm_Fan said:

Ugh.  It was 9F here last night.  YUK.  I think Dulles airport tied a record at 10F.    EXTREMELY abnormal cold for this time of year.  We dont see this until mid Jan- Feb. :bemused:

Ouch. Hopefully things had already hardened off. Guess I shouldn't feel so bad about the 31f that we are forecasted, that has us all freaking out over here lol

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No winter here...yet. Highs in the 80s on too many days. I've only had 4 or 5 days since summer officially ended in which I didn't use AC! My plants like it, but I'd prefer highs on the low 70s and lows in the low 60s (and no AC!) all winter. I realize January is often a rougher month for FL, so I'll try not to feel to cocky ;-)

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Its cold this winter cause it a la nina  year which means colder daytime highs and a bigger chance of snow than normal, but the low are not bad at all. Some of my spring bulbs are all ready up and will continue to grow throughout this winter. And then theres January when the average highs start going back up, Yippee! Cold but very sunny days this week. 

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3 hours ago, NorCalKing said:

Ouch. Hopefully things had already hardened off. Guess I shouldn't feel so bad about the 31f that we are forecasted, that has us all freaking out over here lol

Anything that has died here by now, is an annual here.  Im 18 miles northwest of Downtown Washington, D.C. so were not only outside the beltway but by a decent distance.  Even though Reston is a large city in its own right complete with a skyline of skycrapers, its not a giant sprawling city that DC and its closer in edge cities are.  There is still a marked difference between out here, and inside the beltway, and then again near the Tidal Potomac River.  While it was 9 here last night I think it was 16 or so down there. Warmer in some spots, especially near the river.   Oh well, such as it is in this climate. 

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