Coconut palms vs cold

[SEPalm]

This Wednesday looks like a low of 33 with rain. I am in a supposed 10a just put these guys in the ground this fall and never expected such lows. Going to hope they make it but little hope for them.

[Kim]

If the days heat up, they may be okay.

Tell me that is sand and not snow! 

[SEPalm]

Yes white sand for sure.  looks like the following day high in the 50s so we shall see. 

[Palmaceae]

You will see damage, coconuts will show damage when it goes below 40, but as long as it does not go below freezing, at least for a extended period they show be ok.  Looks like 3 cold days and nights, praying for the best for everyone.

[rprimbs]

2 hours ago, SEPalm said:

This Wednesday looks like a low of 33 with rain. I am in a supposed 10a just put these guys in the ground this fall and never expected such lows. Going to hope they make it but little hope for them.

I would throw a blanket, or "sheet", over them.

[PalmTreeDude]

39 minutes ago, rprimbs said:

I would throw a blanket, or "sheet", over them.

Yeah, I agree with rprimbs, protect them just for precautionary measures! Also if they get all beat up don't assume that they are dead right away. 

Edited January 1, 2018 by PalmTreeDude

[PalmatierMeg]

Is the rain before the temp drops to 33?  Or after? If before, I would let palms dry off then wrap them in a blanket or two. Secure blanket with clothespins or clamps and weigh down edges with stones or bricks to keep wind at bay. I bought blankets & flannel sheets at Goodwill just to protect plants. Blankets will shield from frost and give some cold protection. Never use plastic on palms. It conducts cold & causes additional damage.

If you expect 33 degrees and rain at the same time you have major trouble as your little coconuts will almost surely succumb. In that case before the rain I suggest you securely wrap  them in blankets then wrap again in a sturdy waterproof tarp. Make sure plastic does not touch palm tissue or leak cold rain onto the blankets. Your aim is not only to mitigate the cold but also to block the icy rain that is lethal to tropical palms.

As my friend Palmaceae said, your coconuts will suffer some damage at 33F no matter what - my seedlings spotted at 45F - but your goal is to keep them alive till spring. I would leave them covered until days are above 60F and nights above 42-45F. Coconuts don’t photosynthesize at all below 50F so why expose them to a few degrees more.

[kinzyjr]

I am expecting the following:

My protection method involves layering towels and blankets, and tying them up with some nylon rope.  They take damage on the outside fronds, but as long as the growing point is protected, you've got it made in the shade.  By May or June, all of the damaged fronds will either be dead or close enough to be removed by properly sterilized shears, and the new fronds will be a wonderful green.

Edited January 1, 2018 by kinzyjr
Formatting

[dwimss]

On 01/01/2018 à, kinzyjr said:

I am expecting the following:

My protection method involves layering towels and blankets, and tying them up with some nylon rope.  They take damage on the outside fronds, but as long as the growing point is protected, you've got it made in the shade.  By May or June, all of the damaged fronds will either be dead or close enough to be removed by properly sterilized shears, and the new fronds will be a wonderful green.

The towels hold water, I'm not sure it's a good idea if it stays like that for a long periode like more than a month or two ??? Correct me if I'm wrong...
I'm also trying to find the best way to protect my cold sentive palms during the winter, I have some juvenile veichia's and other palm sp and they don't look good just after the winter without protection or they just die.
I'm trying this year a protection with small shade tents, and we will see how it goes ... 

Here few pics from my post : Winter cold damage best way to protect palms sp

 

[kinzyjr]

@dwimss This method is only for the few days a year where we get weather that will kill coconuts.  We're talking 12 days a winter, maximum, and not in a row.  The towels do hold water or moisture if used long term, but I do change them out and/or put them through the drier.  In the recent freeze, I had to put them through the drier after a rain storm.  It took about 1 hour to dry them, and then they were put back on before the temperature went under 45F.  One thing that can help is to wrap the towels with tarps to keep them drier.  That's probably overboard for what I need.  I've wrapped my Green Malayan Dwarf this way for 7 years now and never had an issue.

Your pictures  are not showing up, but I can say that tenting is great for small plants, but it becomes a cumbersome task if the plants get tall.  There was an individual in Alberta, Canada that would tent washingtonia's and other species in zone 4.  I have to admit being impressed with the structures this individual's level of motivation... much greater than mine