Plants in Garage - How Long?

[KatyTX]

Here in s.central Texas we've had 2 weeks of off/on light freezes - the lowest night was 29F.  For the last 4 nights, I've had some of my sensitive plants (bottle/spindle palms, vetchia merrilli, + a couple of cycads) in the garage.

No time to construct a greenhouse this year...

How bad is it to leave these 'in the dark' for 4-5 days?

Thanks,

Matt

[oppalm]

In my zone, I am forced do this many times during the spring and fall.  My palms/tropicals have not suffered any ill effects that I can tell.   I certainly would not go any longer than 6 days of total darkness before I got them into the sun again.    You and your palms will be fine for 4-5 days at a time.

[pin38]

Oppalm, i live in kansas too and was wondering, do you overwinter any of your palms outside? I am trying out a trachycarpus and was wondering if anyone else is as crazy as i am

[Trópico]

Throw in some cheap fluorescent lights as a minimum. I wouldn't dare put it even for less than two days. I lost a live oak that way (due to my ignorance at the moment), all the leaves browned, eventually some shoots came back but it wound up perishing. I don't know how palms would behave though.

[galveston1602]

Ive had my all of my potted palms in the garage for a week now... They will come out tomorrow.

Ive never had any issues, I do leave the flourescents on 24/7 while I have plants in there.

[KatyTX]

Looks like we're out of the woods for a little while: 50s/70s F next week.

This has started out to be a strange winter...

Thanks for the experiences & advice.

Matt

[cryptobionic]

The longest I've kept plants in garage without light or water was a little over a month, without any apparent damage. As long as you don't place them in full sun afterwards, they will be just fine.

[oppalm]

(pin38 @ Dec. 08 2006,16:41)

QUOTE

Oppalm, i live in kansas too and was wondering, do you overwinter any of your palms outside? I am trying out a trachycarpus and was wondering if anyone else is as crazy as i am

send me a pm and we'll talk or send me an email at kentp5121 at sbcglobal.net

[SubTropicRay]

Back in December of 2001, I had no greenhouse yet and "garaged" my palms for one week.  Temps were in the mid thirties for an unusually long strecth and the palms would have surely suffered.  30 something degrees doesn't sound too cold unless you're talking about A. catechu, V. splendida and other things that hate anything below 40F.

Ray

[BobbyinNY]

I did this last year with a Washie & (2) king sagos..... Bringing them in only on the coldest of days.. I usually would go no longer than 4 days at a clip. No browning to speak of, but I don't know how it would affect other, more tender stuff.

[spockvr6]

(Ray, Tampa @ Dec. 15 2006,09:20)

QUOTE

 30 something degrees doesn't sound too cold unless you're talking about A. catechu, V. splendida and other things that hate anything below 40F.

Ray-

The 42 and some change degree night we had about a week ago affected my A. catechu.  Not terribly of course...but there was some light spotting if one looked closely.

My Prichardia pacifica did not seem to be bothered by this temp, whereas last year low 40's caused some spotting and color change in the foliage.  I suppose this extra toughness is a function of its added size (now about 10 ft OA) with the growth point a few feet off the ground.  This has been a quite fast growing palm.

And, oddly enough, four newly planted (about 2-3 months ago) 6-8 ft OA Archontophoenix cunninghamiana also spotted up in the low 40's.  I guess they are still adjusting and are in a rather weak state.  The more established Archontos in my yard obviously did not blink.

[SubTropicRay]

Larry,

The earlier in the season we get those cooler temps, the more the ultra tropicals get affected cosmetically.  Those same temps in January do less damage as the plants are more hardened off.  There's no scientific proof of this that I'm aware of just an observation made over the years.

Ray