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Here's my palms & protection plan for the winter


pennerchris@gmail.com

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Album: http://imgur.com/a/uAmxD

Here's what I planted recently. The Washy was planted in August, and the Trachys were planted two weeks ago. I don't know if it's smart to plant these in the fall, but they were $50 a pop at Lowes.

The climate here is usually hot, windy, and dry. The polar vortex low was around +5, but we rarely stay below freezing for an entire day, and the winters are pretty dry, with maybe 10 snowy/rainy events per winter. Even when that happens, the ground goes back to being bone dry in a couple of days.

I'm not concerned about the Trachys; I'm planning to toss some of the little Christmas lights around them. I know the Washingtonia will need some protection, at least for a few years. I plan to wrap it in little lights, controlled by a thermo-cube, and put a trash can over the palm on cold days.

The only (and few) palms I see around Lubbock are Trachys, which usually look tattered because of the hot winds we get; I figure they'd look decent with a little pruning and watering.

The posts I've seen from Jwitt give me lots of hope; Lubbock is a little warmer than Albuquerue. If it can happen there, it SHOULD work here.

Wish me luck!

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Filifera is the way to go with your conditions. Brahea's and some of the stuff that Sailor Bold is planting sounds like it might work with your conditions also. Welcome to PT.

David Simms zone 9a on Highway 30a

200 steps from the Gulf in NW Florida

30 ft. elevation and sandy soil

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I see quite a few trachys growing in places like southern california that are hot & dry but remember that many trachys are native to the high mountains of asia. They do like a fair amount of cold and rain to thrive. If don't think you'll have a problem if you're seeing them growing around your area, but i would encourage you to try growing them in a shaded spot out of the gusty hot winds you spoke of. Ours in Seattle get to 50 ft. tall when mature but climate is much different here than Lubbock.

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That definitely looks like a filifera to me..the hairs and the lighter green leaf color yep. nice find actually! I agree it will do fine. It looks like it has put some significant growth already.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We got a ton of rain in the last few days, and then dropped to ~35. I wrapped them all in christmas lights and covered the Filifera with a trash can for 3-4 days. When I took the can off today, it was like a sauna because of condensation and heat. It's newest frond grew close to an inch while under there.

Edited by pennerchris@gmail.com
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Just make sure what ever enclosure you make isn't totally air tight. I usually slit the plastic 2 or 3 places at various heights to let that condensation out. Palms that get a lot of winter sun done have the condensation issue so much, but any in shade will. Also wrapping them in some kind of burlap or frost cloth works wonders as well. I just started to put protection around mine today, staring with the Robusta and S. Palmetto. Will leave Trachey's alone for a while longer.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Dang! Those dinky Christmas lights did all of that? It seems as if you did it the right way. Why would it cause the base of the stems to burn that bad? Can anyone else point out what he did wrong?

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I'm so glad I live in a climate where I don't normally need to protect plants from cold. I'm facinated by the effort other people go to to grow plants I taje for granted.

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^^^ My wife doesn't find it fascinating...she thinks I'm a nut lol and isn't happy about the power usage spike from all the Christmas lights, and heat tape I use to keep them alive over the winter.

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In my honest opinion, I think it makes it a tad bit more fun to grow something that you know can't grow in your area without a little assistance. It's that factor of knowing that you're probably the only person for miles and miles that has a particular plant and is growing with the help of a little ingenuity and some work. With that said, If I lived in Hawaii or South Florida, it probably wouldn't be that fun since you expect everything you have to thrive (most species, that is). It's the same with my area and Sabal palmettos. They're everywhere, and I have a few, but it's much more fun to push the envelope and try to grow something different and a little more challenging.

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Problem: towel kept too much heat in. You can see the exact point on the petioles where they stuck out of the towel. They were fine with the lights only. Trachys don't have any problem surviving here, but I was just being an idiot, trying to baby them since they're new plantings.

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Smithn is right. If I lived in the deep South, for sure I would be growing Blue Spruce, Maple, and other indigenous Canadian varieties.

Perhaps the Air conditioning bill would be even higher!

Chris, we all have been there. These beloved extended members of our family, tend to be babied when new. Truth be told, they need to be roughed up a bit... and kept dry.lol

Agaves are my new challenge...

Pineapple Dan

Burlington, On. USDA Z6B

Canada

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^ Agreed, we've all been there Chris. Hopefully the burn is more so an eye sore than anything that will be too traumatic for the palm, health wise.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The spears seem to be growing pretty fast still, even though they're coming out brown. I'll be amazed if they could look that bad and still pull through.

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Here is my plan.

  1. The End

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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You'd be surprised. Give em the benefit of the doubt. Good to see there's still some action going on with the spear. You'll find out more this spring and summer.

Keith: I remember reading an old post about how you gave up zone pushing and the full extent of protection is you throwing a bucket or pot on top of a seedling Lol. I've been disheartened so far but I haven't reached this point yet. Why don't you try to protect even a few things to give them a chance while they're small?

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hahahah Keith, love your plan amigo!!

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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My goal is to have palms that are totally self-sustaining; that's why I chose these varieties. I'm okay with protecting them for the first few winters; other people in my area have done the same, and it quickly paid off, as they now have amazing palms that need almost no maintenance.

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Wrap in light sheet......wrap lights....wrap with another sheet.....only need the little icicle lights doing it this way. Believe it or not you can burn trunks even with the tiny lights if you dont wrap trunk first. Been there.....done that

David Simms zone 9a on Highway 30a

200 steps from the Gulf in NW Florida

30 ft. elevation and sandy soil

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I doubt you will have any problems protected or not.. you might end up doing more harm than good.

Quick question- did you plant in a wind protected area?

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My thought was bio fleece then lights then a third layer of bubble foil insulation held on by bungees. But the more I think and read maybe I need to plant more zone appropriate. Spending money on exotic hybrids allows me to satisfy that "palm that no one else around here has" phenomenon. But I sure do like some of those marginal species

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SailorBold: they're all in front of a west facing wall, but unfortunately, there's no such thing as a wind protected area in Lubbock; this summer we had 30 days of non-stop wind. Just dry, dusty, hellish wind. I also have a tiny yard, so I'm very limited in terms of location. The wind just BEATS these poor things until the fronds on the Trachys are brown and tattered; the washy doesn't seem to mind at all, though. Now they have mo protection besides lights on a thermocube. It's been a warm winter, so they've only been lit for a few days. On a really cold night, I'll put the trash can over the Washy (like you suggested). Next year I'll only protect the Filifera, and continue that for a few more years.

I've been very pleased with the Filifera's performance; it's still perfectly green and the spears move at 1" or more per week. Pops out a full frond every few weeks. Amazing!

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