hard freeze warning for Southern Cal..........

[trioderob 301]

the jet stream has taken an incredible dip into southern cal and will be pouring very cold dry air into the area which originated where the polar bears live in the Hudson Bay.

in low lying areas and at elevation - a palm killing "hard freeze" may occur Wen night

Edited December 30, 2014 by trioderob

[enigma99 623]

As I predicted long ago it has finally came true sadly.

GFS just ran 10 min ago and it is looking like time to cover up outside just in case

[Stevetoad 2,024]

im showing that ill see 30f. been down to 26f at my place before and that was 2 years ago. my palms are bigger and stronger now. BRING IT ON MOTHER NATURE!!!!!!

[Phoenikakias 2,013]

Natural selection is rewarding now!

[SailorBold 954]

16F (-9C) this morning... which would make this the coldest I have seen so far this winter. The dewpoints have been in the single digits. I lightly covered my hybrid palms with tablecloths.. there wasn't any snow or frost associated with our recent blast and everything looks alright. We have had about 1.5" of snow from 2 storms already.

The real test might be next week...the storm that may bring snow to Las Vegas is headed straight for us...

if so.. I better protect a little better.

Batten down the hatches!

[Josh-O 2,780]

im showing that ill see 30f. been down to 26f at my place before and that was 2 years ago. my palms are bigger and stronger now. BRING IT ON MOTHER NATURE!!!!!!

how did your palms do at 26F??

[Pete in Paradise Hills 130]

the jet stream has taken an incredible dip into southern cal and will be pouring very cold dry air into the area which originated where the polar bears live in the Hudson Bay.

in low lying areas and at elevation - a palm killing "hard freeze" may occur Wen night

aren't we being a little dramatic here? people who live in low lying and elevated areas should be planting hardier palms anyways. I'm showing a potential low of 37 for my area, so I'm not worried about my palms...

[Shon 20]

Why are you commenting on the thread then? Losing palms and plants to a freeze is dramatic to some people. People put lots of time and money into their gardens.

[Pando 4,580]

Thanks trioderob for the thread! It's worth being prepared, even if it happens only 1-2 times a year. It makes it much more worthwhile for the rest of those 364 days growing and enjoying what we really like.

[MattyB 2,232]

Sometimes it depends on the timing of the wet part of the cold front. If the wet part comes through during dawn and the coldest driest part comes through during the day, sometimes that's helpful to keep us away from a few more cold degrees.

[Josh-O 2,780]

I agree 100% Matty!! we don't want to see is a cloudless late night / early morning after rain with this cold front. That could be very bad.

[MattyB 2,232]

Shall we start praying? Are we allowed to pray for that?

[Pete in Paradise Hills 130]

Why are you commenting on the thread then? Losing palms and plants to a freeze is dramatic to some people. People put lots of time and money into their gardens.[/quote

I commented because I don't see the need to panic. f I had a bottle palm I would be worried. I invest plenty of time and money too. I will continue to express my opinions until the moderator tells me I can't. As far as I know, you are not the moderator. Enjoy the rest of your day.

[Shon 20]

Whatever guy. Hands down the biggest ass clown response I've seen on this board since 2006. Your still talking about yourself how about showing some empathy for other people and what they might go through.

[Jim in Los Altos 3,267]

Most of us on PalmTalk zone stretch a bit and I think it's healthy. We plant what we love and those exotic palms and companion plants grow well 364 days out of the year and sometimes 365 days but they need a little TLC that one or two days. Why exclude such incredibly satisfying plants? Most of us enjoy the challenge despite how we sound worried. Some people just don't have the desire to take on the challenge and I understand that. I would be COMPLETELY bored with gardening if all I grew were hard as nails for my area plants.

My gut is telling me that our gardens in northern and southern CA will make it through this cold spell and the warmup, later in the week, will be much appreciated. Kudos to all of you who "push the envelope."

[quaman58 2,436]

It's funny. Either most everything has gotten bigger & I have a good feel for what they can take, or all my tender stuff has already been killed off. Not sure which. I was walking around last night with a few cover sheets, but only used one over a bunch of little seedlings..

[John Case 173]

I am thinking about bringing in my Syagrus sancona seedlings fore the night......pushing,...just not so hard.....

[nachocarl 210]

We go through this every year and we can't control mother nature but it is stressful and yes it sucks. Heck, I'm worried about my old garden that I don't own, I know there will be damage but it is what it is. Breathe in, breathe out and move on.

[Pete in Paradise Hills 130]

Whatever guy. Hands down the biggest ass clown response I've seen on this board since 2006. Your still talking about yourself how about showing some empathy for other people and what they might go through.

[Pete in Paradise Hills 130]

Whatever guy. Hands down the biggest ass clown response I've seen on this board since 2006. Your still talking about yourself how about showing some empathy for other people and what they might go through.

You clearly have issues

[Josh-O 2,780]

I think one of the cooler things for ME in collecting and growing palms is ALWAYS pushing the envelope to see if I can pull something off. I have lost many palms here in coastal Carlsbad over the years with this enveloping pushing. Although unfortunate at times I really jump up and down when something pulls through and it is alive and well. I agree that it is frustrating and costly but I would go nuts if I just grew palms known for their cold tolerance and not the harder to grow palms. As collectors we never want to be limited as to what we can try. Another thing to keep in mine is that all the envelope pushers out there in the palm world who can pull off something gives hope to everyone else. Not to mention the valuable weather data we gain on a particular specie and how it weathered through a cold snap...etc...

happy growing..

[Josh-O 2,780]

Shall we start praying? Are we allowed to pray for that?

Matty, Ill be praying for your carpoxylon macrosperma

[Josh-O 2,780]

We go through this every year and we can't control mother nature but it is stressful and yes it sucks. Heck, I'm worried about my old garden that I don't own, I know there will be damage but it is what it is. Breathe in, breathe out and move on.

Carl, what was your low temp yesterday morning??

[DoomsDave 10,350]

Today is worrysome. It's been a cold day, and overcast. My high for the day is about 50 F. Black clouds have stayed overhead all day long. It's raining a little bit.

If we lose our cloud cover tonight, this could be a very bad freeze. I recall in 2007 that it stayed cold all day then froze nastily at night.

I'll do a little praying, too.

[WestCoastGal 2,339]

We did decide to plant palms for our zone although if I had more room and a covered canopy or better shielding from wind and cold, would love to add more "less cold hardy" ones and keep hoping for the best. We do have more tender ground plants that are 30-25F rated that I use for color in the yard. After some of them got killed by last years freeze, when they had been in bloom days before, I decided it was worth protecting the tender stuff to get to enjoy them once the cold had passed. It's not like we live in the midwest with months of freezing cold. I can understand people risking it with palms; and getting the heads up of bad weather is very helpful. Not everyone is up to the additional occasional efforts though. That's a matter of choice.

I think most people are not fully planted out for their zone. If we lived in Southern Calif I think it would be much easier to push zones since most of the time the weather is so great and I'm in love with varieties I wouldn't plant here. Seems like Southern Calif is going to be in colder weather than us in the SF Bay area this time around so realize more may be at risk. Hope you guys don't have much loss.

[Pando 4,580]

I've got some pretty tender stuff in the ground now. We'll see if they are annuals or not.... ! Throwing some trash cans over them.

Raining now; rain's good, just not when it's freezing after that.

[nachocarl 210]

My coldest morning was the 26th @ 36F NW side of the house roof level no canopy. It was 39F yesterday morning and 46F this morning. This is a new yard for me, so nothing to kill yet but queens and washies, sooooo I'm not worried.

[Pando 4,580]

I saw 39 F last Thursday or Friday (can't remember) in the front yard. It's been a few degrees warmer since. Back yard is much more protected and probably hasn't come below 40 yet. I don't have a thermometer there but I'm looking at my Calyptrocalyx...

[Shon 20]

Where are you in san marcos Pando?

[DoomsDave 10,350]

Here's a weather geek link with all the reasons.

http://www.weather.com/forecast/national/news/cold-outbreak-ends-2014-west-midwest-northeast

Running out to put up my tarp tonight. And girding for tomorrow.

[Pando 4,580]

Shon - about a mile west from SM lake.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Pando

[Shon 20]

Oh cool I'm in the lake you've probably seen my buddy's place off bluesage with the bismarkia's. Good location I have another friend that lives on top of the hill that had no damage at all during the 2007 freeze.

[Pando 4,580]

Haven't seen it, but I agree - it's an awesome location. I'm west-facing on that hill, under the palm grove above a canyon. Cold air just sinks away into the lagoon and then to the ocean. Recently I was at my old neighbor's house at the lake one night, and when I got home my temps were 6-7 degrees higher. It was noticeably warmer.

[Shon 20]

Yeah we looked over there at 2 houses before we moved here so my kids could be with their friends for school instead of la costa. I'm off san Julian you'll be able to tell which one has the palm guy.

[Pete in Paradise Hills 130]

I think one of the cooler things for ME in collecting and growing palms is ALWAYS pushing the envelope to see if I can pull something off. I have lost many palms here in coastal Carlsbad over the years with this enveloping pushing. Although unfortunate at times I really jump up and down when something pulls through and it is alive and well. I agree that it is frustrating and costly but I would go nuts if I just grew palms known for their cold tolerance and not the harder to grow palms. As collectors we never want to be limited as to what we can try. Another thing to keep in mine is that all the envelope pushers out there in the palm world who can pull off something gives hope to everyone else. Not to mention the valuable weather data we gain on a particular specie and how it weathered through a cold snap...etc...

happy growing..

I'm all for zone pushing. I've got 11 palms from Floribunda in the ground. I hope they make it ; but I'm not going to hold my breath on it. I bought and planted them knowing the risk. I have them planted in the most protected areas of my yard, so if they croak it just wasn't meant to be. If they make it, great, but they're not the foundation of my garden in a subtropical climate.

[Pete in Paradise Hills 130]

We go through this every year and we can't control mother nature but it is stressful and yes it sucks. Heck, I'm worried about my old garden that I don't own, I know there will be damage but it is what it is. Breathe in, breathe out and move on.

thanks for a sane perspective

[Pete in Paradise Hills 130]

Most of us on PalmTalk zone stretch a bit and I think it's healthy. We plant what we love and those exotic palms and companion plants grow well 364 days out of the year and sometimes 365 days but they need a little TLC that one or two days. Why exclude such incredibly satisfying plants? Most of us enjoy the challenge despite how we sound worried. Some people just don't have the desire to take on the challenge and I understand that. I would be COMPLETELY bored with gardening if all I grew were hard as nails for my area plants.

My gut is telling me that our gardens in northern and southern CA will make it through this cold spell and the warmup, later in the week, will be much appreciated. Kudos to all of you who "push the envelope."

kudos to those who push the envelope (but thumbs down to palm snobbery. Yes, I said it, some zone pushers are snobs),and to those who grow the more common palms like Bismarckia. If I had to choose I'd take my soon to be glorious Bismarckia, which grow very well in San Diego, over my Kerriodoxa Elegans,which really grows much better in Hawaii.

[_Keith 775]

Wishing all of my SoCal buddies the best on this one.

[Josh-O 2,780]

Wishing all of my SoCal buddies the best on this one.

Thanks Keith!! It's going to be a close one

[DoomsDave 10,350]

Wishing all of my SoCal buddies the best on this one.

thanks

we'll need all the good karma we can get