Weird December...

[Funkthulhu]

So, just rounding out Xmas week here in the great plains of Eastern Nebraska.  Looking at the projections for next week.

December is, so far, weird; even for our standards.  The average temperature for the state is (depending where you measure) anywhere from 5 to 15F above normal.  It will be at least 45 on Christmas day and the rest of the week tapers off to actually, maybe, give us snow on the 29th.  It is currently raining outside...

In any other year the amount of precipitation received would have resulted in 8-15 inches of snow a week and a half ago, and likely another 6-10 inches today.  But instead we have rain that isn't even really that cold.

Seriously, if it didn't get below freezing at night I'd still have the container ranch outside...

 

How's your weather?

[Yunder Wækraus]

It's in the 80s all week (lows in the 70s). They say we're close to matching records from 90+ years ago. I'm loving it!

[Ed in Houston]

13 minutes ago, Funkthulhu said:

So, just rounding out Xmas week here in the great plains of Eastern Nebraska.  Looking at the projections for next week.

December is, so far, weird; even for our standards.  The average temperature for the state is (depending where you measure) anywhere from 5 to 15F above normal.  It will be at least 45 on Christmas day and the rest of the week tapers off to actually, maybe, give us snow on the 29th.  It is currently raining outside...

In any other year the amount of precipitation received would have resulted in 8-15 inches of snow a week and a half ago, and likely another 6-10 inches today.  But instead we have rain that isn't even really that cold.

Seriously, if it didn't get below freezing at night I'd still have the container ranch outside...

 

How's your weather?

December at Houston Hobby airport through the 22nd.


DY MAX MIN AVG DEP 
================================================================================

 1  63  53  58   0   
 2  65  48  57  -1  
 3  63  43  53  -5  
 4  62  43  53  -5  
 5  67  40  54  -3  
 6  72  43  58   1  
 7  72  49  61   4  
 8  74  48  61   4   
 9  76  51  64   8  
10  80  55  68  12  
11  82  69  76  20 
12  79  72  76  20   
13  75  48  62   6   
14  73  48  61   5  
15  78  51  65  10  
16  74  53  64   9  
17  65  46  56   1   
18  62  43  53  -2  
19  64  43  54  -1  
20  71  50  61   6   
21  76  63  70  15  
22  74  58  66  12  

================================================================================
AV 71.2 50.8                             

AVERAGE MONTHLY: 61.0   
DPTR FM NORMAL:   4.9   
HIGHEST:    82 ON 11    
LOWEST:     40 ON  5 

Currently in the low 70s. The sun will come out in a couple of hours and push the high to about 80.

Ed in Houston

 

 

[PalmatierMeg]

Decidedly weird and warm here. I'll take it. One month (almost) done and two more to go. At least from the POV of super-cold sensitives like Areca macrocalyx.

[Funkthulhu]

We're past the Solstice now, days will start getting longer now.  I wonder how much this will affect the rest of winter?

[Alicehunter2000]

Would be nice to have a non freezing winter after the last two cold winters.....can't imagine the growth with the first warm winter since I've moved to this home. 

[Zeeth]

My normal December stats: Average high of 74, average low of 53

My December so far: Average high of 80, average low of 63.

My predicted temps for the rest of the month:

 

No predictions on the rest of winter, but it's been nice so far.

[Moose]

18 hours ago, Funkthulhu said:

So, just rounding out Xmas week here in the great plains of Eastern Nebraska.  Looking at the projections for next week.

December is, so far, weird; even for our standards.  The average temperature for the state is (depending where you measure) anywhere from 5 to 15F above normal.  It will be at least 45 on Christmas day and the rest of the week tapers off to actually, maybe, give us snow on the 29th.  It is currently raining outside...

In any other year the amount of precipitation received would have resulted in 8-15 inches of snow a week and a half ago, and likely another 6-10 inches today.  But instead we have rain that isn't even really that cold.

Seriously, if it didn't get below freezing at night I'd still have the container ranch outside...

 

How's your weather?

I'm not gonna talk mention the "myth" of global warming. 

[Mandrew968]

I spoke to a friend about climate, the other day and he said the 30 year data on South Florida is in--we are going to be re-zoned as tropical. His point being that you can now just grow the pure Lipstick and not have to grow the hybrid. I think this next 30 years will be even more interesting...

 

As for this December, it has been WET and HOT. I work mostly outside and this is not normal December weather. As long as the rain is increased like we have been seeing, I will be very excited for the future growth of South Florida gardens.

[palmsOrl]

This has been and looks to continue to be the warmest December by far I have ever experienced here.  Our averages thus far for this month are 79F/61F, roughly Miami averages for the month.  VERY little rain, but perfect palm (and orchid) growing weather as long as I keep up with the watering.  We even have high humidity most days and nights.  I wonder if this will be followed by a January like 1974, where the lowest temperature the whole month in Orlando was 55F (average Jan. low 49F).  Of all the months I have researched in the history of my area's climate, January 1974 has to be the most standard deviations from normal (81F/61F vs. normal 71F/49F).  January 1977 was about the same departure from normal in the other direction with the averages 61F/40F and the lowest temperature 19F.

19F would leave me with a Sabal, three large oaks and a FL cherry tree (Prunus serotina), nothing else!

[Funkthulhu]

Of course, I posted this yesterday and this morning I had to drive to work in 2 inches of fresh fluff...

[enigma99]

3 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

This has been and looks to continue to be the warmest December by far I have ever experienced here.  Our averages thus far for this month are 79F/61F, roughly Miami averages for the month.  VERY little rain, but perfect palm (and orchid) growing weather as long as I keep up with the watering.  We even have high humidity most days and nights.  I wonder if this will be followed by a January like 1974, where the lowest temperature the whole month in Orlando was 55F (average Jan. low 49F).  Of all the months I have researched in the history of my area's climate, January 1974 has to be the most standard deviations from normal (81F/61F vs. normal 71F/49F).  January 1977 was about the same departure from normal in the other direction with the averages 61F/40F and the lowest temperature 19F.

19F would leave me with a Sabal, three large oaks and a FL cherry tree (Prunus serotina), nothing else!

Weather always seems to average out. For example you have a really warm winter and then you get a really cold winter. Sometimes when I get hit really hard after an unusually cold snap, I can almost count on it won't happen the next year

Edited December 24, 2015 by enigma99

[palmsOrl]

3 hours ago, Funkthulhu said:

Of course, I posted this yesterday and this morning I had to drive to work in 2 inches of fresh fluff...

I wanna see some snow!

Regarding S. FL, there is no question that a large part of it is tropical.  It is about the averages rather than the extremes when generally defining the climate of an area.  No question, the extremes do affect the biome of a given area.  Areas well outside of regions with tropical climates can have stretches of weather that is commonly considered typical of the tropics, while tropical climate areas (particularly at the margins) can have instances of cold weather that limits establishment and maintenance of tropical species in said areas.

Enigma, no question we will have cold winters again in the near future.  Our climate here (and in many other areas) just seems to be off-kilter somehow nowadays.

I was just reading some weather discussions and there are hints of cold air on the move from Siberia and an East Coast trough setting up in 8-10 days (and the term "Manitoba mauler"  was used as well).  This is the kind of info that is usually available preceding cold outbreaks by 10-15 days.  Could be a record breaking freeze for FL or just a return to normal temperatures here during the first 10 days in January.  Either way, I think we are in for a big change.

Edited December 24, 2015 by palmsOrl

[Alicehunter2000]

I remember back two winters ago.....no freezes until January....then BAM......Polar Vortex! ......... that totally sucked....the year before had no freezes. I didn't plant anything super large or expensive, so we should have a nice warm winter.....Murphy's Law trumps everything else.

[PalmatierMeg]

I am a firm believer in Murphy's Law - it's never let me down.

[enigma99]

Sorry guys. GFS 850 10 days out really took a turn for the cold. Will be interesting to see the next slide in the morning 

[Ed in Houston]

17 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

I wanna see some snow!

 

75 this morning in Houston. Contrast this to Christmas eve 2004.

From Wikipedia:

"The 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm was a rare weather event that took place in Louisiana and Texas in the United States on December 24, 2004 before the storm moved northeast to affect the coastal sections of the Mid-Atlantic states and New Orleans in the succeeding few days. This was a different storm from the historic event that struck the Midwest and southern Canada around December 23 from another cyclone which preceded this storm. The event involved a thin band of snowfall with unusually cold temperatures for the middle Texas coast, and caused dozens of varied weather records to be shattered. It was the most significant snow for the Texas Gulf Coast, and deep South Texas, since February 1895."

It snowed all the way to the Texas coast and into Mexico.

 

Corpus Christi.

 

Brownsville Texas

 

New Orleans

 

Ed in Houston

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ed in Houston]

6 hours ago, enigma99 said:

Sorry guys. GFS 850 10 days out really took a turn for the cold. Will be interesting to see the next slide in the morning 

The cold has decided to shift to the East.

Houston Forecast:

Ed in Houston

 

 

[Moose]

I'm schveating and its Christmas 

[Ed in Houston]

STATION: HOUSTON/HOBBY AIRPORT 
MONTH: DECEMBER YEAR: 2015 LATITUDE: 29 38 N LONGITUDE: 95 17 W

 

DY MAX MIN AVG DEP 
=====================
 1  63  53  58   0  
 2  65  48  57  -1   
 3  63  43  53  -5  
 4  62  43  53  -5  
 5  67  40  54  -3  
 6  72  43  58   1   
 7  72  49  61   4   
 8  74  48  61   4  
 9  76  51  64   8   
10  80  55  68  12   
11  82  69  76  20   
12  79  72  76  20   
13  75  48  62   6   
14  73  48  61   5   
15  78  51  65  10   
16  74  53  64   9   
17  65  46  56   1   
18  62  43  53  -2  
19  64  43  54  -1  
20  71  50  61   6   
21  76  63  70  15   
22  74  58  66  12   
23  83  62  73  19   
24  80  61  71  17   
25  83  75  79  25   
26  81  75  78  24   
27  78  47  63   9   
28  53  41  47  -7  
29  53  41  47  -7  
30  57  50  54   0  
31  55  50  53  -1  
==================
AV 70.6 52.2                               
                                
==================

AVERAGE MONTHLY: 61.4   
DPTR FM NORMAL:   5.8  
HIGHEST:    83 
LOWEST:     40 

 

Ed in Houston

[smithgn]

On ‎12‎/‎23‎/‎2015‎ ‎11‎:‎06‎:‎39‎, Funkthulhu said:

We're past the Solstice now, days will start getting longer now.  I wonder how much this will affect the rest of winter?

We're also a few days past perihelion. We're more than 4 million miles closer to the sun, as of January 2nd. But alas, this and the immediate days and weeks following the solstice mean much, if anything to having warmer weather. It all depends on the cycle of that frigid cold arctic air. Its anyones guess as to what the rest of this winter holds, though. We were due for a good 'ol cold snap, which is what is coming our way right now and will be full force Tuesday night.

[Zeeth]

Looks like January is going to be more towards the normal side. We're in store for a few days in the 40's according to the 10 day forecast. Hopefully the warm December gave the palms an extra boost of energy to fend off the chills. 

[Alicante]

Here in Spain we are experiencing one of the warmest winters that I've met...

20 degrees at this moment... and it's 3.50 AM here, lol!

Take a look at the predictions... this is crazy. In this "winter" we didn't have any temperature below 9,8ºC(49.64F) at this moment... lol!

climate also is going weirder on Europe too...

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Proeza.

Wow!  With winter temps like that you could think about growing coconut palms there. Brownsville, Texas, where there are mature fruiting coconut palms was at 45F during the day yesterday.  Here at my place in Corpus Christi, we only got up to 44.6F yesterday, but our normal high is 65F (67F) at the airport.  Our normal low at my place is 50F or 51F this time of year and 47F at the airport.  What have your highs been like in F?  And what is your normal high/low in Jan. in F?  Sorry, I never got the hang of the metric system.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

By the way, we are supposed to return to more normal temps with the highs in the 60's and 70'sF later this week.

[Alicante]

10 hours ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Proeza.

Wow!  With winter temps like that you could think about growing coconut palms there. Brownsville, Texas, where there are mature fruiting coconut palms was at 45F during the day yesterday.  Here at my place in Corpus Christi, we only got up to 44.6F yesterday, but our normal high is 65F (67F) at the airport.  Our normal low at my place is 50F or 51F this time of year and 47F at the airport.  What have your highs been like in F?  And what is your normal high/low in Jan. in F?  Sorry, I never got the hang of the metric system.

Well, Corpus Christi is almost 10º souther than my position, and I'm really impressed to see that we have similar winters lol! (anyways Corpus is warmer)

Yep, here the averages during the coldest month (The coldest is always between December and January) are like 18/8ºC, 64,4ºF / 46,4ºF

I didn't see any temperature below the freezing mark for a various tens of years, also snow didn't appear here from the Winter of 1960. In fact, in the last 10 years the minimum temperature I've seen here it's 2,8ºC... which in Fahrenheit is exactly 37,04ºF, in fact we are bordering the 11a zone, and I'm at almost 39ºN of latitude... haha!

Yep I think that this year I definetly should try it, it seems that all of this winter is gonna be like this... and if this is the coldest month of the year, I don't want to think what we gonna have .. We had the first tropical night of this year (in Spain is tropical night when mins are +20ºC) and in the whole night the temp. didn't get below 20ºC. I've noticed that this year all the banana plants have a very dark green and 0 burnts, totally lookalike like the ones from tropical places.

At this moment we have 23ºC... and the predictions are very similar, unless tomorrow, all the other days have totally late February - March temperatures... the first Tropical Night of 2016 occurs 3 days after the year started. LOL! 

In Europe there are normal temps in the south... in the center a bit of cold, and in the north also is warmer than normal (not Scandinavia, I mean UK, Netherlands, etc)

Edited January 4, 2016 by pRoeZa*

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

11 hours ago, pRoeZa* said:

Well, Corpus Christi is almost 10º souther than my position, and I'm really impressed to see that we have similar winters lol! (anyways Corpus is warmer)

Yep, here the averages during the coldest month (The coldest is always between December and January) are like 18/8ºC, 64,4ºF / 46,4ºF

I didn't see any temperature below the freezing mark for a various tens of years, also snow didn't appear here from the Winter of 1960. In fact, in the last 10 years the minimum temperature I've seen here it's 2,8ºC... which in Fahrenheit is exactly 37,04ºF, in fact we are bordering the 11a zone, and I'm at almost 39ºN of latitude... haha!

Yep I think that this year I definetly should try it, it seems that all of this winter is gonna be like this... and if this is the coldest month of the year, I don't want to think what we gonna have .. We had the first tropical night of this year (in Spain is tropical night when mins are +20ºC) and in the whole night the temp. didn't get below 20ºC. I've noticed that this year all the banana plants have a very dark green and 0 burnts, totally lookalike like the ones from tropical places.

At this moment we have 23ºC... and the predictions are very similar, unless tomorrow, all the other days have totally late February - March temperatures... the first Tropical Night of 2016 occurs 3 days after the year started. LOL! 

In Europe there are normal temps in the south... in the center a bit of cold, and in the north also is warmer than normal (not Scandinavia, I mean UK, Netherlands, etc)

Proeza,

That is really mild.  Is it a record breaking warm winter so far?  Much of the U.S., including Texas had its warmest December on record.

[Exotic Life]

Northwest Europe has also been very mild for the time of year due the endless winds from the south/southwest. In matter fact this one is the mildest since they start holding daily records in 1706. The last december record from 1974 (7.3C) got smashed with at least two degrees. Personally I was even warmer with a average mean over the 10 degrees. 

It was for almost the whole country also the first December without a frost.

Edited January 5, 2016 by Exotic Life

[Alicante]

11 hours ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Proeza,

That is really mild.  Is it a record breaking warm winter so far?  Much of the U.S., including Texas had its warmest December on record.

Hey, in fact that's a normal winter day in Spain haha! Unless the place where you see 23 (73.4ºF) which normally goes around 20, all the other places have the normal temperatures for this season. In fact, I see that Almeria or Cadiz have 19 and 18 ºC, that's slightly , very slightly, fresher than normal, because at normal they get 21º - 20º - 19ºC (69,8ºF / 68ºF / 66,2ºF) the abnormal thing are the minimum temperatures... All the days minimums with 2 numbers, this is normal to late February and early March, not now, because this is normally the coldest week of the year... In fact in the New Year's Eve of the last year, we arrived almost to 3ºC (37,4ºF) that night, we were hit by a severe Syberian cold wave on 30 December 2014, which was a totally not normal and very cold temperature here.

We didn't break any record, it was just slightly warmer than the normal, but I mostly think that in this January the fluctuation of the averages will be crazy!

Yesterday we touched 24,1ºC for some moments, which is 75,4ºF, with 1,5ºC more we would arrive to the record of January... because it was 25,6ºC (78,08ºF) anyways, here in Europe it doesn't arrive those heat waves during Winter like in the south of US or in the West Coast because El Niño here is not as important as there, we don't have never "Indian Summers". For example I've seen the extremes in Houston or in L.A. ... and any European zone (unless Canary Islands) can "compete" with those max. extremes from December to February (it's also true that we don't get affected by cold waves as severe that those which hit US)

But we did break a record in 2015. It was the warmest May since we have recordings. We arrived to 42,5ºC (108,5ºF) making it the warmest month in the history unless July and August, because July recorded 43,3 (109,94ºF) and August 44,1 (111,4ºF) ... Anyways, just 1,6ºC from the historic recording, in the month of May... lol!

1 hour ago, Exotic Life said:

Northwest Europe has also been very mild for the time of year due the endless winds from the south/southwest. In matter fact this one is the mildest since they start holding daily records in 1706. The last december record from 1974 (7.3C) got smashed with at least two degrees. Personally I was even warmer with a average mean over the 10 degrees. 

It was for almost the whole country also the first December without a frost.

Man, I love your country!  I go there as much as I can; and I've never seen in my life such a warm December than this year in Netherlands...
Man that was totally crazy... Rotterdam is my favourite city; well, the normal for December is like 7-8 maximums and 1-2 minimums, no? Well, this year the minimums were even higher than the normal maximums for December... UK was even warmer, or places like Denmark with 11-12ºC all the days... it was just crazy the last year!

The North Pole arrived to 1ºC on 1 January... while the highest recorded ever on the North Pole was 5ºC in summer when the day lasts 24h... now they're on permanent night until March, is crazy... when it had to be at least -30ºC they had like 1ºC... I don't think that those are normal "weather cycles"  http://www.antena3.com/noticias/ciencia/tormenta-eleva-temperatura-polo-norte-encima-punto-congelacion_2016010200105.html

Edited January 5, 2016 by pRoeZa*

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Wow,

That's a really mild winter climate, and yet we keep setting worldwide heat records in both summer and winter.  Unfortunately, there are those who still want to deny manmade climate change.  When the climate changed in the past, it was gradual and over hundreds  and even thousands of years, except when a sudden catastrophic event occurred like an asteroid hitting the Earth.  However, the rapid pace of climate change today, just over the last few decades is unprecedented and I think entirely manmade.

[Alicante]

On 6/1/2016 4:11:47, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Wow,

That's a really mild winter climate, and yet we keep setting worldwide heat records in both summer and winter.  Unfortunately, there are those who still want to deny manmade climate change.  When the climate changed in the past, it was gradual and over hundreds  and even thousands of years, except when a sudden catastrophic event occurred like an asteroid hitting the Earth.  However, the rapid pace of climate change today, just over the last few decades is unprecedented and I think entirely manmade.

A bit late but here you have the temperatures from the official station of AEMET near me (AEMET is the Spanish Meteo Agency):

8/01  20.6 /  13.2 (69.08 / 55.76ºF)

9/01  22.9 /  12.8 (73.22 / 55.04ºF)

10/01  21.7 /  14.1 (71.06 / 57.38ºF)

11/01  21.8 /  13.9 (71.24 / 57,02ºF)

12/01  17.6 /  11.1 (63.68 / 51.98ºF)

13/01  16.5 /  7.9 (61.7 / 46.22ºF)

14/01  19.4 /  9.0 (66.92 / 48.2ºF)

15/01  15.8  /  11.6 (60.44 / 52.88ºF)

Counting that from mid December to 8th January the temperatures were very similar... unless 2 or 3 days that the maximums were below 20ºC (68ºF) we even arrived to 24ºC (75.2ºF when it was close to the New Year's Eve)

This station is located at 38'56N

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

18 minutes ago, pRoeZa* said:

A bit late but here you have the temperatures from the official station of AEMET near me (AEMET is the Spanish Meteo Agency):

8/01  20.6 /  13.2 (69.08 / 55.76ºF)

9/01  22.9 /  12.8 (73.22 / 55.04ºF)

10/01  21.7 /  14.1 (71.06 / 57.38ºF)

11/01  21.8 /  13.9 (71.24 / 57,02ºF)

12/01  17.6 /  11.1 (63.68 / 51.98ºF)

13/01  16.5 /  7.9 (61.7 / 46.22ºF)

14/01  19.4 /  9.0 (66.92 / 48.2ºF)

15/01  15.8  /  11.6 (60.44 / 52.88ºF)

Counting that from mid December to 8th January the temperatures were very similar... unless 2 or 3 days that the maximums were below 20ºC (68ºF) we even arrived to 24ºC (75.2ºF when it was close to the New Year's Eve)

This station is located at 38'56N

Proeza,

With those kind of winter time temperatures, you could certainly think about trying to grow a coconut palm or two, especially the tall varieties like the Jamaican (Atlantic) Tall or Mexican Tall.  Those temps are even slightly milder than the winter I am having here in Corpus Christi, Texas, and I live in the absolute northernmost limit of where you could try growing a coconut palm in Texas.

John 

[Alicante]

6 hours ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Proeza,

With those kind of winter time temperatures, you could certainly think about trying to grow a coconut palm or two, especially the tall varieties like the Jamaican (Atlantic) Tall or Mexican Tall.  Those temps are even slightly milder than the winter I am having here in Corpus Christi, Texas, and I live in the absolute northernmost limit of where you could try growing a coconut palm in Texas.

John 

Hey John, the problem is that where can I find a Coconut tree in Europe...

I've searched in a lot of nurseries, internet, but nothing, I only found something from eBay which comes from the US or Australia, something like that, with very expensive shipping costs (and also I don't think that the customs officers of Spain would like very much to import live plants... they can carry fungus and parasites which can't be found here) and anyways they are very expensive, I am just a student so I can afford paying something like 50€ to make this experiment, but I calculated all and it was more than 100€ importing it (with the danger that they can be heavily damaged during the shipping or simply the customs won't let it to get in Spain)

I've heard on the Internet that Ikea and Carrefour have Coconuts in Summer but that is not true, at least not in all the malls and hypermarkets I've been. The best way would be if someone from the Canary Islands could send me one. The Coconuts from the Canary Islands face really dry and hot winds and they are totally alive and giving fruits; because when the winds from the Levant blow here, the temperature goes up to 40ºC (104ºF) or more, and it blows really powerful winds which are totally dry and carry sand from the Sahara. If it's a seedling from a palm which fronts this every year and is still fructifying... I think that I can be able, and if is expected a couple of days with real low temperatures I can put it inside my house for those days  

Kind regards!

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

7 minutes ago, pRoeZa* said:

Hey John, the problem is that where can I find a Coconut tree in Europe...

I've searched in a lot of nurseries, internet, but nothing, I only found something from eBay which comes from the US or Australia, something like that, with very expensive shipping costs (and also I don't think that the customs officers of Spain would like very much to import live plants... they can carry fungus and parasites which can't be found here) and anyways they are very expensive, I am just a student so I can afford paying something like 50€ to make this experiment, but I calculated all and it was more than 100€ importing it (with the danger that they can be heavily damaged during the shipping or simply the customs won't let it to get in Spain)

I've heard on the Internet that Ikea and Carrefour have Coconuts in Summer but that is not true, at least not in all the malls and hypermarkets I've been. The best way would be if someone from the Canary Islands could send me one. The Coconuts from the Canary Islands face really dry and hot winds and they are totally alive and giving fruits; because when the winds from the Levant blow here, the temperature goes up to 40ºC (104ºF) or more, and it blows really powerful winds which are totally dry and carry sand from the Sahara. If it's a seedling from a palm which fronts this every year and is still fructifying... I think that I can be able, and if is expected a couple of days with real low temperatures I can put it inside my house for those days  

Kind regards!

Proeza,

That is what I was going to suggest, for you to try to find someone in the Canaries that could send you one. Get one that is just sprouted and make sure they pack it carefully so it won't brake in shipment, then put it in a pot and let it grow outside in a pot in full sun for about a year before planting it in the ground, that way it will get a little bigger and stronger for the next winter before you put it in the ground, and if it gets really cold on some nights, you could take it inside.  You could also try sprouting a grocery store coconut, if they are not radiated by customs or the agriculture dept. before or after shipping, and if they are not refrigerated too much during shipment or storage.  I used to sprout coconuts this way, and there are some people on Palmtalk here that sprout them from grocery store nuts.

John

[Zeeth]

12 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

You could also try sprouting a grocery store coconut, if they are not radiated by customs or the agriculture dept. before or after shipping, and if they are not refrigerated too much during shipment or storage.  I used to sprout coconuts this way, and there are some people on Palmtalk here that sprout them from grocery store nuts.

John

This is the route I'd go. The biggest reason for the lack of success is refrigeration (radiating seeds is a pretty common agricultural technique, so it shouldn't affect sprouting rate too drastically). I've had success with coconuts from the Dominican republic and from Indonesia, but the ones from the Philippines are always too refrigerated and rot. It's really a matter of trial and error of finding coconuts from the right place, and giving them the right conditions for germination. 

[Alicante]

On 16/1/2016 4:17:19, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Proeza,

That is what I was going to suggest, for you to try to find someone in the Canaries that could send you one. Get one that is just sprouted and make sure they pack it carefully so it won't brake in shipment, then put it in a pot and let it grow outside in a pot in full sun for about a year before planting it in the ground, that way it will get a little bigger and stronger for the next winter before you put it in the ground, and if it gets really cold on some nights, you could take it inside.  You could also try sprouting a grocery store coconut, if they are not radiated by customs or the agriculture dept. before or after shipping, and if they are not refrigerated too much during shipment or storage.  I used to sprout coconuts this way, and there are some people on Palmtalk here that sprout them from grocery store nuts.

John

 

On 16/1/2016 4:35:08, Zeeth said:

This is the route I'd go. The biggest reason for the lack of success is refrigeration (radiating seeds is a pretty common agricultural technique, so it shouldn't affect sprouting rate too drastically). I've had success with coconuts from the Dominican republic and from Indonesia, but the ones from the Philippines are always too refrigerated and rot. It's really a matter of trial and error of finding coconuts from the right place, and giving them the right conditions for germination. 

I got great news !

That was the past... Now a nursery offers Coconuts here in the Spanish Peninsula:

http://www.elnougarden.com/tienda/plantas/plantas-de-interior/cocotero-cocos-nucifera

12,50€ the one in a 2.5L pot (125-150cm), 17.50€ the one in a 5L pot (150-175cm).

This March I'm definetly trying it. 

PS. In my last post I wanted to say when the West windws blow, not the Levant winds. I mistake them some times hehe, it's because here the West winds are called "Poniente" and I wanted to search the traduction in English but I don't know why I directly wrote Levant winds haha!

What do you think about those winds? What should I do when those kind of winds blow? To make you an idea of how really bad they are. In this last May, at the beggining of the month, we touched 42.6ºC (108,68ºF) breaking an historical record for May, and also in June, July and August we had at least 1 day with this wind blowing, a couple in July; rising the temperature to 39ºC (102,2ºF) and more... That's fatal for Coconuts, right? What should I do those days?

Kind regards and thanks for your help !!

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

9 minutes ago, pRoeZa* said:

 

I got great news !

That was the past... Now a nursery offers Coconuts here in the Spanish Peninsula:

http://www.elnougarden.com/tienda/plantas/plantas-de-interior/cocotero-cocos-nucifera

12,50€ the one in a 2.5L pot (125-150cm), 17.50€ the one in a 5L pot (150-175cm).

This March I'm definetly trying it. 

PS. In my last post I wanted to say when the West windws blow, not the Levant winds. I mistake them some times hehe, it's because here the West winds are called "Poniente" and I wanted to search the traduction in English but I don't know why I directly wrote Levant winds haha!

What do you think about those winds? What should I do when those kind of winds blow? To make you an idea of how really bad they are. In this last May, at the beggining of the month, we touched 42.6ºC (108,68ºF) breaking an historical record for May, and also in June, July and August we had at least 1 day with this wind blowing, a couple in July; rising the temperature to 39ºC (102,2ºF) and more... That's fatal for Coconuts, right? What should I do those days?

Kind regards and thanks for your help !!

Proeza,

Those look healthy Green Malayan Dwarfs.  The first photo on the website in the link is not a coconut palm though.  It is some other type of palm, but the second photo, the photo you included in your post on here is of coconut palms, very healthy looking by the way.  I don't think you have to worry about those hot winds.  The Rio Grande Valley sometimes gets some hot winds coming off the dessert of northern Mexico, which in the summer can cause high temps around 104F or 105F in McAllen and high temps around 102F in Brownsville, and coconut palms grow just fine there.  Also, in some of the coastal areas of the Arab countries, they have coconut palms planted and they frequently get over 100F in the summer.  I can't wait to see some photos of your palms when you get them planted.  Try two or three of them, if you have the space.

John

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

15 minutes ago, pRoeZa* said:

 

I got great news !

That was the past... Now a nursery offers Coconuts here in the Spanish Peninsula:

http://www.elnougarden.com/tienda/plantas/plantas-de-interior/cocotero-cocos-nucifera

12,50€ the one in a 2.5L pot (125-150cm), 17.50€ the one in a 5L pot (150-175cm).

This March I'm definetly trying it. 

PS. In my last post I wanted to say when the West windws blow, not the Levant winds. I mistake them some times hehe, it's because here the West winds are called "Poniente" and I wanted to search the traduction in English but I don't know why I directly wrote Levant winds haha!

What do you think about those winds? What should I do when those kind of winds blow? To make you an idea of how really bad they are. In this last May, at the beggining of the month, we touched 42.6ºC (108,68ºF) breaking an historical record for May, and also in June, July and August we had at least 1 day with this wind blowing, a couple in July; rising the temperature to 39ºC (102,2ºF) and more... That's fatal for Coconuts, right? What should I do those days?

Kind regards and thanks for your help !!

What part of Spain is that nursery in?  Can you give me the normal high and low temps in Dec. and Jan. for that area in degrees F?  Thanks.

[Alicante]

1 hour ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

What part of Spain is that nursery in?  Can you give me the normal high and low temps in Dec. and Jan. for that area in degrees F?  Thanks.

According to their website, they are at 41º30'N in a little town from the coast of Barcelona, in a good location it maybe has a little slightly warmer microclimate than the other nearby zones. It hasn't got any meteo station, so I can give you here the temps of a nearby official weather station, I don't think that it would be a big difference between them. The temperatures are from the station of the city of Barcelona, which is 20 miles south of Mataró:

Kind regards!

Edited January 17, 2016 by pRoeZa*

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Thanks, Proeza.  That's surprising that they are selling coconut palms there, since their winter climate is just too chilly for them.  Look at their Dec. mean temp of 54.1F, Jan mean temp of 53.2F, and Feb. mean temp of 54.3F.   Where I live, the absolute northernmost limit of where you can grow them in Texas, we only have an average temp in the 50'sF for about a month, not a total of 5 months like there.  You would need a milder winter climate than that to successfully grow coconut palms outdoors in the ground.  They need an average soil temp of at least 60F or warmer about 95% of the time, and where I live, it is barely at that threshold about 90% to 95% of the time.  Anyway, try to buy some of their coconut palms and try them where you live, especially if your climate is at least slightly milder in the winter.

John