Good Idea or Bad Idea?

[jibit3]

Last year we lost a mature queen palm to the freeze and I am trying to prevent losing my last Queen Palm. The heart had frozen and subsequently rotted from the inside out before. In an attempt to protect my last queen palm from the freeze rolling through Louisiana, I took some preventative measures which may or may not have been a good idea.

Because Christmas just past, I left my LED Christmas lights wrapped around my palm tree. I then took two moving blankets and wrapped the palm from the head of the tree to the roots Then I wrapped a tarp around the moving blankets. The tarp prevents the majority of the water from a rain from reaching the moving blankets, but it is not water tight. The tarp is loose enough that if water does reach the blankets from the head or base of the palm that can hopefully escape during the day.For example, I can reach my arm under the tarp mid way up the trunk to feel if the moving blankets are wet. Most of the time the blankets are dry, but sometimes they are slightly wet. The Palm has been wrapped this way for ten days now.

I have included attachments which include a picture of the palm tree when healthy during the summer, current picture of the palm tree now and the ten day weather forecast for my area. It looks like will be below freezing Tuesday and Wednesday.

Should I stay the course or take alternative actions?

Thank you everyone for your knowledge, wisdom and time as it is greatly appreciated.

 

 

[Kim]

I'm going to guess it will survive even without the blanket and tarp, but yes, I would leave it wrapped. However, this comment is coming from one who has never had palms exposed to anything below high 30sF.  So take my comment with a grain of salt!  Many here have faced similar challenges, but you may get more experienced answers in the COLD HARDY forum.

[Ben in Norcal]

One comment would be that the LED lights are doing nothing for you.  You need incandescents. 

[GottmitAlex]

55 minutes ago, Ben in Norcal said:

One comment would be that the LED lights are doing nothing for you.  You need incandescents. 

This. LED does not generate any significant amount of heat out of Christmas lights. 

 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Since it is already burnt, cut off 100% of the fronds and then put the tarp over the entire palm leaving none of the crown exposed.  You don't need the tarp all the way to the bottom in your climate.  

Those LED lights are doing zero good so you can take those off.

[jibit3]

Thank you everyone for your replies!

The temperatures actually reached as low as 15 degrees fahrenheit. Now that the freeze is over, i'm looking to nurse my queen palm back to health. What steps should I take to nurse my queen palm back health? I have provided post freeze pics of my queen palm below.

TexasColdHardyPalms provided a helpful suggestion I was admittedly hesitant and afraid to take pre-freeze. I wanted to see if anyone else agreed with TexasColdHardyPalms statement below? My hesitation stemmed from thinking if I cut off all the fronds (leaves), then the palm (tree) won't be capable of absorbing sunlight and die. Palms aren't trees and I don't know squat about palms. I'm sure TexasColdHardyPalms was correct in his suggestion and knows way more then me. Just want to be sure before I take a drastic measure. 

On 1/14/2018, 1:31:42, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Since it is already burnt, cut off 100% of the fronds and then put the tarp over the entire palm leaving none of the crown exposed. 

Thank you again TexasColdHardyPalms and everyone else who has taken their time to provide their thoughts and suggestions. It is greatly appreciated.

Edited January 21, 2018 by jibit3

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Those fronds are 100% dead and aren't doing anything for that palm other than eventually let the wind catch and twist them all up as they rot.  A nice clean cut while you can still make it is advised.  I REALLY wish I didn't have any experience removing 100% of burnt palm fronds from trees.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your queen is 99% going to die at 15F and the longevity of your freeze.  The freeze that your area is still a little colder than usual for us and large mature queens die in a heartbeat here without the entire top protected or heated. If you would have chopped all the fronds off and covered it would have had a much better chance of living. 

[rprimbs]

I agree, you should have tied up the fronds and wrapped the entire palm.  I like the Agribon "frost" blankets, but a moving blanket should do more. Good luck!

[PalmatierMeg]

I hate to say this but I totally agree with Texas Cold Hardy Palms. Cut off all the dead fronds and hope for signs of growth in spring. But I expect the palm will continue to collapse. If you want to replace it with another palm there are many beautiful hybrids that are cold hardier and, to my mind, more beautiful, than dime-a-dozen queens. They will better survive errant winter cold blasts better than queens too, which aren't reliably hardy outside of north central FL. Plus, hybrids are usually sterile, so no crops of icky orange fruit that attract hordes of flies in summer. Ask for recommendations on the forum.