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Scottsdale Coconut


wrigjef

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It won't allow me to post a pic. Something about 8MB. Is that my pic size?  I'm taking it from my phone like always. 

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Here you go. Too many pics on page one.  I have an idea for my winter green house they may be genius. 

image.jpeg

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I wouldn't trim any green or living fronds. You can trim off the dry obviously dead material. Living fronds are still working for the overall health of the palm.

Cheers, Barrie. 

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1 hour ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

I wouldn't trim any green or living fronds. You can trim off the dry obviously dead material. Living fronds are still working for the overall health of the palm.

Cheers, Barrie. 

Agree with Barrie, trim away only totally dead stuff/dried out leaflet tips.. Been doing this with a lot of seedling palms that got torched following last months and Junes heat waves.

Beyond that, i might suggest pulling the gravel away from around the base.. Maybe about 6" or so just to open up a little more breathing room. Looks great otherwise..

I'm sure its been enjoying the rain lately. Pretty amazing how the plants respond to a weeks worth of Florida-esque Humidity + some decent rainfall here :greenthumb: Just wish this side of town would get in on the soakers the N.E and N.W.  parts of the Valley have been getting.

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  • 2 months later...

Hey Guys,

 Wanted to give an update.  It's now been in the ground 8 months today. I put up the frame for the greenhouse this winter. I used PVC to build a 6ft tall 5ft wide enclosure. I think this is going to work great. I plan to use clear plastic on the top and back two sides. Here is the part I think is genius. The front two sides I am going to put up clear shower curtains so I can open it up easily during the day and close in evenings. How do you think it's growing?  It seems slow to me but healthy. 

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

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42 minutes ago, wrigjef said:

Hey Guys,

 Wanted to give an update.  It's now been in the ground 8 months today. I put up the frame for the greenhouse this winter. I used PVC to build a 6ft tall 5ft wide enclosure. I think this is going to work great. I plan to use clear plastic on the top and back two sides. Here is the part I think is genius. The front two sides I am going to put up clear shower curtains so I can open it up easily during the day and close in evenings. How do you think it's growing?  It seems slow to me but healthy. 

 

image.jpeg

Outstanding, wrigjef!

Is that a lamp in front of it?  If so, is it a patio one or is it trained on the coconut?

 

 

  • Upvote 1

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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That is just a solar spotlight. Not used for a heat source.  I have power behind the right bush and going to put a heat lamp inside the greenhouse. I have a thermometer hanging from the base so I know my nighttime lows. 

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2 minutes ago, wrigjef said:

That is just a solar spotlight. Not used for a heat source.  I have power behind the right bush and going to put a heat lamp inside the greenhouse. I have a thermometer hanging from the base so I know my nighttime lows. 

What type of heat lamp? Halogen?  Will you have it pointed toward the interior greenhouse walls or directly on the coconut? 

 

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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I haven't purchased the lamp yet. I won't be pointing it directly on the palm as I think it will be too hot. I am going to experiment with locations. There is plenty of room to keep the lamp away from the walls and Palm.  

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Coincidentally, two nights ago, I experimented with a thermometer and a brand new HDX "4in1 250watt" Halogen lamp ($9 @ home depot) in my patio. I stayed up till 3:30am "experimenting" with distances. Granted the night was 15c at its lowest. (I'm trying to get ready for January)

Anyway,

I first started at a distance of 62" between the lamp and the thermometer.  

10:49pm-11:30pm Ambient temp was 17c/63f.

The test thermometer rose 2c (19c/66f). 

--------------------------------------------------

Second test

Distance of 37" between the lamp and the thermometer.

1:00am-1:35am ambient temp was 16c/60f

The test thermometer rose 4c (20c/68f)

---------------------------------------------------

Third test

Distance of 23" between the lamp and the thermometer.

1:40am-3:20am ambient temp was 16c/60.8 (1:40am) and 15c/59f(3:05am)

The test thermometer was at 24.9c/76.8f and remained constant throughout. No variation (+9c temperature gain from ambient temp)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I read that Halogen is not the preferred light for growing plants, however, halogen gives out constant, instant and more heat per watt than any other economically available light. Something like 97% of its energy is heat. 

They are calling for a couple of chilly nights for late next week. (10-12c), I plan to test the lamp on one of the coconuts then (at a safe distance). I will have  thermometers on the coconut to be on the safe side. 

 

 

 

 

 

2a3b1a4b-7b3e-4365-a515-2e17d22b24a7_1000.jpg

Edited by GottmitAlex
  • Upvote 3

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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Here are the pictures of the coconut seedlings. They've been in the ground since I got em'. Around July 27th 

 

20161027_151637.jpg

20161027_171633.jpg

20161027_151438.jpg

Edited by GottmitAlex
  • Upvote 3

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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This is great information. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like your experimentation will pay off. I like the look of that light, I am going to look at some this weekend.  

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  • 2 months later...

Any tips on transitioning my coco palm from high humidity (50-70%) moderate to low light ( gets a couple of hours of direct sun). I want to bring it outside once it's around 60+ at night. I have basically two options for placement. Bright full shade or  all day full sun. If it gives you an idea my garden area is a long rectangle one long side with a cement wall is south facing and creates full shade for about half the area longways. Other side is the house with sun up to sun down full sun.

i guess maybe I can figure it out if I knew the minimum number of sun hours the palm needed. Humidity seems to not be an issue here going by others experience.coming from east Iowa Arizona gardening is making my feel like I have to relearn things. 

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1 hour ago, jayb said:

Any tips on transitioning my coco palm from high humidity (50-70%) moderate to low light ( gets a couple of hours of direct sun). I want to bring it outside once it's around 60+ at night. I have basically two options for placement. Bright full shade or  all day full sun. If it gives you an idea my garden area is a long rectangle one long side with a cement wall is south facing and creates full shade for about half the area longways. Other side is the house with sun up to sun down full sun.

i guess maybe I can figure it out if I knew the minimum number of sun hours the palm needed. Humidity seems to not be an issue here going by others experience.coming from east Iowa Arizona gardening is making my feel like I have to relearn things. 

To understand better, the long rectangle which provides full shade is south facing. So the implication is the coconut would be on the north side of that wall?

And you mention "other side of house with sun up to sun down full sun". Is that on the west side of the long rectangular area? or a completely different area altogether?

 

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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2 hours ago, jayb said:

Any tips on transitioning my coco palm from high humidity (50-70%) moderate to low light ( gets a couple of hours of direct sun). I want to bring it outside once it's around 60+ at night. I have basically two options for placement. Bright full shade or  all day full sun. If it gives you an idea my garden area is a long rectangle one long side with a cement wall is south facing and creates full shade for about half the area longways. Other side is the house with sun up to sun down full sun.

i guess maybe I can figure it out if I knew the minimum number of sun hours the palm needed. Humidity seems to not be an issue here going by others experience.coming from east Iowa Arizona gardening is making my feel like I have to relearn things. 

Coming from the Midwest, you definitely will be relearning a lot of the ins and outs, gardening wise, here in the Desert. If you haven't yet had the pleasure of experiencing what 110+ heat does to things, you're in for a not so pleasant treat..  I'll tell you what many explained to me before..and after I'd moved here last year.. shade, esp. during the afternoon, in summer, is your best friend. That would turn out to be an understatement..

After experiencing first hand what a few weeks of our intense heat can do to stuff that most people would consider quite tolerant of full sun/higher heat, I'll throw up shade canopies across most of the backyard if I have to this year, while I wait for a couple new trees to provide more natural canopy. Truth be told, it is the pre-monsoon season heat/ complete lack of any humidity that seems to have done most of the damage I experienced last year. That and the fact it went from  normally hot to nuclear almost overnight.

If your property has a similar front-faces-east, ( mainly morning to mid day sun) back faces west, ( full, all day sun after 9-10 am most of the summer, except for the s.w. corner of the yard which is shaded by an old Mesquite) orientation as mine does here in Chandler,  you'll have some planning to work out as to where you decide to plant the coconut, if you decide to this year. The big thing to keep in mind is where the sun will be come June, not where it might be shining now.. I'd be set if I had as much shade through the summer as I have at the moment. :)

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JayB,

If you haven't read this entire thread it may help you with a location to plant in the ground for the tree. I had mine in a pot for 4 years before considering in the ground. I planted mine on the SE side of my house up against a wall.  My thought was first light in the morning hits that area and heats up quickly. In winter obviously is when needing a quick heat up. Summer afternoon sun farther north and the house protects the tree from the afternoon blaze.

Your potted palm I would start out in light shade and gradually moved to full sun after about a week. The UV index this time of year is very low so you won't fry it in full sun in January. By mid March the sun here is intense.

Here is pic of my palm today in the green house I built. Lowest temp I have recorded was 52 degrees. Most night bottom out at around 60. Hi temps when we have full fun hit the low 90's every day. When clouds are prevalent most of the day I have to run the lamp or the temps stay in the low 60's which is not good for long term. I think the palm is doing great in its home so far. 

image.jpeg

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  • 2 months later...

The coconut palm has been in the ground now for over a year and doing well. I am glad it made it through its first Arizona winter. I hope it puts on some nice growth this spring and summer 

image.jpeg

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Any tips for keeping the deep green leaves. Mine still looks healthy like it just came from Miami but it's still quite young. The new leaves are still in a V shape. Not like yours yet though for a tree it's growing like a weed. I get a new frond a month just about. So far it's taken a drastic change in humidity like a champ. From 50-70% to 10-45% I had to stop using the humidifier for fear of mold.

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Since experimenting with Cocos I now know low humidity is a non factor for success. As long as you water it regularly I will do fine.  

As far as Phoenix weather goes our low temps are the reason the fronds turn yellow. I found that if I can keep winter lows above 50 degrees it will thrive here. Mine has seen 119 degrees with no issue.

In my best opinion, the only chance for long term Cocos in the ground is if you keep in in a pot for four years minimum and baby the heck out of it 

Mine is 5 years old now with one year in the ground with not too much effort into building the greenhouse   

I will continue to build a greenhouse for winter as long as I can. I predict I will have the first fruiting coco in Arizona history. That may be a pipe dream but I'm well on my way.  

 

 

 

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On 3/11/2017, 11:13:17, wrigjef said:

The coconut palm has been in the ground now for over a year and doing well. I am glad it made it through its first Arizona winter. I hope it puts on some nice growth this spring and summer 

image.jpeg

I admire the determination and innovation to keep the tree growing. I hope someday you can drink a beer in the shade of this tree :)

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

Sunset zone 24

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Have you tried ceramic reptile stones similar in appearance to light bulbs. Come in various wattages. Worked great in my California greenhouse.

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On March 14, 2017 at 7:08:42 AM, tacobender said:

Have you tried ceramic reptile stones similar in appearance to light bulbs. Come in various wattages. Worked great in my California greenhouse.

I had but not tried them, the halogen seems to work well.  

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  • 4 months later...

I was going to post the latest pic of my palm. 18 months in the ground and 5 years old. looks really good. I will post when I can figure out how to make it less than 8MB

Edited by wrigjef
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  • 8 months later...

Nice!!! 

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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4 hours ago, wrigjef said:

Over 2 years in the ground. Winter was a breeze!  

B4F97EDB-85A3-4BED-A7A9-1C30314CCDF8.jpeg

Looking good, Jeff!  Good luck with it.

John

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  • 1 month later...

A month and a half since your last post. How is it holding up?

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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On 5/28/2018, 4:16:26, GottmitAlex said:

A month and a half since your last post. How is it holding up?

 

210AC28A-5F7E-4D7B-8AF0-D0F89B2C2FF5.jpeg

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Fantastic!!!

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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  • 5 months later...

Hey guys,

  Wanted to give an update on the Palm. It did real well through a relatively hot summer. I just didn’t think it put on much growth. Then October came and we got over 5 inches of Tropical rain from two hurricanes off Baja California. For a six week period, I haven't witnessed more growth than during this time.  It grew at least a foot. 

Last year I put up a greenhouse that was 4 feet wide and 5 feet tall. This years is 5 feet wide and 7 feet tall. The Palm is right at 7 feet and the newest frond will take the winter to outgrow the space.

Until I looked at the pics from my last post, I had no idea it put on that much size. Way bigger base, maybe see a trunk soon.   

Let me know your thoughts  

    Cheers,    

             Jeff 

 

 

 

 

B0EBFB92-6D79-4486-B918-A2328E7F22E8.jpeg

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The inside of the greenhouse is done, just need to clean up the outside edges and put up the clear shower curtain when needed.  The temp is still in the low 80’s (26c) with lows on the mid 50’s (12c)

 Once our night time lows get in the 40’s the heat lamp will  get turned on and everything buttoned up. Last year I didn’t need to do much until December.   

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  • 9 months later...

Ando.wsu,

Well it was the worst winter I recall in 20 years of living in Phoenix.  I see you live in Avondale so you can attest.  The palm is alive and pushing out a new frond but took a long time to start growing again. The palm almost completely defoliated this winter but not for the reason you might think. It was my stupidity that almost killed it.  At my house we had several freezes.  My guess is about 7-10 days with outside temps in my yard at or just below freezing.  The coldest I recorded was 28 degrees and I have 3 thermometers placed around my property.   The palm was in its “greenhouse” and the lowest temp recorded inside was 38 degrees.

I had the heat lamp like normal in the greenhouse but After several nights in the low 40’s and one night in the 30’s the older fronds started to spot real bad.  I put in a small space heater I have used several times but made the huge mistake of not moving the heater much further away from the tree and I almost fried it.   

The next day every frond was limp and touching the ground.  I thought for sure I killed it.  I felt the base of the trunk and it felt like 130 degrees so I knew I caused it.  

The palm did survive and pushed out a half burnt frond that opened prematurely and then went limp and shriveled up.  Then the new frond after that pushed out normally but very slow.  I will send an updated picture soon.  

Edited by wrigjef
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