Old Man Winter

[Palmlover_78]

Hey I have a potted Windmill Palm, on my patio all summer. When I do bring him inside for the winter do i lessen the amount of light it would normally get?, to kind of slow down it's growth? or will it slow it's growth naturally? or put it under a grow light?....

Thanks Guys

[JLM]

Windmill palms can survive temps down to around 10F or -12C. They can also survive moderate snow events, bring it inside before temps dip that low. Windmills are naturally slow anyway, but less light i would figure would slow it down more. Grow light or moving to a window for light will do. Make sure to water much less during the winter, also do not fertilize during winter. For now, let your windmill enjoy itself in that spot, then move inside before temps reach -12C. Looks like a little cold blast is coming, but temps will not be low enough to hurt your windmill. 

[Palmlover_78]

Thanks a lot

I live in Zone 3b our winter night temps can get down to -40 we get it cold here , slow growers? I thought they were fast I got him June 3rd of this year, so far it has grown at least two inches and put out Three new fronds and a spear on the way

[Chester B]

I wouldn't risk it at -10 in the pot.  Really I would maybe let it tolerate some light frosts, but I wouldn't risk it freezing its roots.  When I lived back in the motherland I would bring mine inside usually in mid to late October, but I was a few zones warmer.

[Palmlover_78]

yeah we already had a few frosts, -3 one night. The weather up here has been very erratic. As for growth is my Windmill growing normally?

[RJ]

1 minute ago, Palmlover_78 said:

yeah we already had a few frosts, -3 one night. The weather up here has been very erratic. As for growth is my Windmill growing normally?

Looks good..,, I used to live in a 4b. I know short growing seasons all too well. We didn't see -40 but I would see -25F on the way to work from time to time,  negative teens was the 'normal' 

 

Good to see you growing palms, good choice! 

[Allen]

One that size in a pot I would bring indoors at -4C.  Low light is not a problem as these palms can stay in complete darkness for 3 months with no issues.

[Chester B]

The bigger they get the faster they grow. I wouldn’t say they are a slow grower but probably more in the moderate category. 3 or 4 fronds in a summer for a small one seems pretty typical to me. 
 

I have one that looks different from the rest and this summer it has been doing 6” of trunk a month. No joke. I have to go measure it again to see where it’s at. I think it’s probably slowing down again As we start to cool down. I find June is the month I get the most explosive growth. Soil is warm and still getting some rain, after that we get none until September or October. 

[RaleighNC]

If indoors for long periods, more light would be better. They might handle darkness well when they are cold and dormant, but at room temperature, I expect it to try to keep growing. And if it does, it will be best to get some exposure to good light. Do you have a spot where you can give it fairly direct sunlight for a couple of hours a day? But if you cannot offer that, it should fine, though new leaves might be pale and etiolated and subject to sun scorch when you move it out next year. But sun scorch will be less of an issue at your latitude than it would be here.

While you can shut down growth of some plants by reduced watering, there are many plants that will not respond well to that, so don't overdo it until you get a feel for how it responds.  As a species that seems to always want to produce leaves when temperatures are suitable, you might be walking a fine line if you attempt to restrict watering enough to slow down growth, but to be honest, I have never tried it.  I would water it like a typical indoor houseplant by allowing it to dry slightly between waterings.

[ahosey01]

14 hours ago, Palmlover_78 said:

Thanks a lot

I live in Zone 3b our winter night temps can get down to -40 we get it cold here , slow growers? I thought they were fast I got him June 3rd of this year, so far it has grown at least two inches and put out Three new fronds and a spear on the way

I’m sorry... lol

Edited September 25, 2020 by ahosey01

[Chester B]

5 hours ago, RaleighNC said:

If indoors for long periods, more light would be better. They might handle darkness well when they are cold and dormant, but at room temperature, I expect it to try to keep growing. And if it does, it will be best to get some exposure to good light. Do you have a spot where you can give it fairly direct sunlight for a couple of hours a day? But if you cannot offer that, it should fine, though new leaves might be pale and etiolated and subject to sun scorch when you move it out next year. But sun scorch will be less of an issue at your latitude than it would be here.

While you can shut down growth of some plants by reduced watering, there are many plants that will not respond well to that, so don't overdo it until you get a feel for how it responds.  As a species that seems to always want to produce leaves when temperatures are suitable, you might be walking a fine line if you attempt to restrict watering enough to slow down growth, but to be honest, I have never tried it.  I would water it like a typical indoor houseplant by allowing it to dry slightly between waterings.

I agree with this.  Inside it will continue to grow albeit more slowly, but I would definitely water less than when its outside in the summer.  I'd probably mist the leaves regularly too.

 

[Palmlover_78]

i have a grow light, I was thinking of just putting the grow light higher then I normally would, it is still gonna get good light but just not as much...sound good?

[Palmlover_78]

RJ- Dan Richard the guy I bought the palm from said he never shipped a palm this far up North in Ontario, He was surprised how well and fast it is growing for where it is

[Chester B]

 

2 hours ago, Palmlover_78 said:

RJ- Dan Richard the guy I bought the palm from said he never shipped a palm this far up North in Ontario, He was surprised how well and fast it is growing for where it is

Straight out of Burlington if I'm not mistaken.  Lots of palms from there to Niagara Falls.

I find Trachys grow best in the 20-30C range and I really feel like they appreciate cool nights.  I'm not surprised at all its doing well.  Since it will be inside just make sure it has well draining soil.

[RJ]

10 hours ago, Palmlover_78 said:

RJ- Dan Richard the guy I bought the palm from said he never shipped a palm this far up North in Ontario, He was surprised how well and fast it is growing for where it is

Very cool. I've been to some nice spots in Ontario. I have a friend who has a camp by Sundridge, Ontario. Very nice area, and I prefer the Ontario to Quebec for sure. The furthest north I've made in into Quebec was Quebec City, I lived in Northern New England for many years and the Quebec border was about 20 miles from me.  I haven't been up there in 5 years or so, and ever since 9/11 getting back into the states even as a US citizen is quite a pain. When I was in collage all we needed was a drivers license or college ID and it was cake. It's much easier to get into Canada then back into the sates.  

Your Palm looks great and it's good to have folks from all over! 

[Palmlover_78]

Ontario is a Huge Tourist Destination for a lot of US citizens. They Love it up here, in my town a lone we have a couple of families from the USA, and a few of them visited years ago and wanted to retire and move up here. We live in a beautiful spot for sure, just wish the summers were longer and warmer your originally from zone 5a know what i am talking about I am in 3b, it gets rather cold up here......Yea it is almost getting to the point for you guys, that you have to submit to  a DNA test to get across

Edited September 30, 2020 by Palmlover_78

[RJ]

8 hours ago, Palmlover_78 said:

Ontario is a Huge Tourist Destination for a lot of US citizens. They Love it up here, in my town a lone we have a couple of families from the USA, and a few of them visited years ago and wanted to retire and move up here. We live in a beautiful spot for sure, just wish the summers were longer and warmer your originally from zone 5a know what i am talking about I am in 3b, it gets rather cold up here......Yea it is almost getting to the point for you guys, that you have to submit to  a DNA test to get across

It was in reality a 4b, (solid 4b on the old map and borderline 5a on the new map) I was within a mile of a large body of water (150 miles long and deep) that froze some winters and didn't others. When it froze our temps plummeted. I have a camp in another part of New England that is a 4a. Splitting hairs at that point really. Our summers were awesome but I don't miss the winters and really no interest in enduring a 3b . Our mosquitoes were out of control as I imagine yours are as well. Folks down here get a couple in their yard and have a fit. I just shake my head knowing how bad they can be. I was up north visiting this past summer and noticed all the snow mobiles in peoples yards. Now that is fun.  Ontario is a beautiful area for sure. Consider yourself fortunate. 

 

 

[Chester B]

A 3B winter is no joke.  Central and Northern Ontario are amazing in the summer, but the winters are long and hard, and yes the ever revolving list of biting insects are nasty.  Having spent my first 40 years in life in Ontario the furthest north I ever made it was to Sudbury.  Aside from that I've only gone as far as Parry Sound on a handful of occasions.  I'm sure you're laughing at me @Palmlover_78 . I found even living in Zone 7A in Ontario wasn't to my liking.

[Palmlover_78]

RJ, It all depends on how much rain we get in the spring. If we get a lot, then we are going to be up to our eye balls, with Mosquitoes and Black Flies and they will be relentless. I hear you I love camping but the bugs do turn you off. I'm sure you don't miss the Spruce Beetles either **shrugs** Snow Mobiles or Sledding as we call it is vry fun as well as Ice fishing. The coldest days i have experienced up here was -53. We had all our winter clothes on, snow pants boots coats tooks etc and the car heaters where on Max and the car was just comfortable... Even temps below -40 are not that common..

[Palmlover_78]

ChesterB Do you miss Spruce Beetles :P,  No i am not laughing i just have a giggle when some cities shut down in the USA, for only having 6 -8" of snow.. The blood sucking nasty little pests were BAD this year

[Chester B]

10 hours ago, Palmlover_78 said:

ChesterB Do you miss Spruce Beetles :P,  No i am not laughing i just have a giggle when some cities shut down in the USA, for only having 6 -8" of snow.. The blood sucking nasty little pests were BAD this year

2" of snow and we shut down here, seriously.  If I know any chance of snow is in the forecast it's best to stay in until it all passes.  They do the usual raids on the stores as if a Hurricane is coming.  And the other thing they do is abandon their cars on the highways.  This is a picture of people going back after the event to start collecting their cars.  Now imagine thousands of cars evverywhere, it looks like the end of the world and ends up causing a whole new host of problems after it stops snowing.

As far as bugs I don't miss them one bit.  Even when you go hiking in the woods you don't get bothered it's so odd.  The only biting insects I've encountered here is a mosquito every few weeks. 

In Southern Ontario I never heard about spruce beetles, perhaps because we didn't really have any spruce.  Our issue was with the Emerald Ash Borer.

[Palmlover_78]

, WOW indeed. If we were to shut down in only 2" of snow, there would have to be a mix of rain and ice, or a flash freeze. Yeah I never understood that whole mentality of looting and destruction, when things happen that are beyond any ones control. Our biggest worry up here now is the truckers, mostly middle eastern men driving them, have no idea of what the roads are like up here in winter so many accidents, As I type this it is raining ice pellets The Palm tree is in and under a grow light not too intense. Hope all is well with you I realized that you guys don't have many if at all any Spruce trees so therefore you won't have Spruce beetles. These nasty little pricks nobody misses and MAN can they bite!!!!

[Fusca]

23 minutes ago, Palmlover_78 said:

These nasty little pricks nobody misses and MAN can they bite!!!!

Here in Texas we have to deal with the dreaded Ox Beetle (Strategus aloeus).  I don't think it bites people but it eats juvenile palm trees from below ground.  Last summer I lost a 3-gal Livistona decora seemingly overnight to one of these.  Sorry to get off topic a bit...

 

[EastCanadaTropicals]

On 9/30/2020 at 12:11 PM, Chester B said:

A 3B winter is no joke.  Central and Northern Ontario are amazing in the summer, but the winters are long and hard, and yes the ever revolving list of biting insects are nasty.  Having spent my first 40 years in life in Ontario the furthest north I ever made it was to Sudbury.  Aside from that I've only gone as far as Parry Sound on a handful of occasions.  I'm sure you're laughing at me @Palmlover_78 . I found even living in Zone 7A in Ontario wasn't to my liking.

I would pray to be in zone 7a.

[amh]

On 10/2/2020 at 2:12 PM, Fusca said:

Here in Texas we have to deal with the dreaded Ox Beetle (Strategus aloeus).  I don't think it bites people but it eats juvenile palm trees from below ground.  Last summer I lost a 3-gal Livistona decora seemingly overnight to one of these.  Sorry to get off topic a bit...

 

Fortunately these prefer mulch over my palms, but I had one dig a hole next to some potted palms one night earlier this year. I moved the pots, but the hole was over a foot deep; must have been a disappointment.

[amh]

52 minutes ago, amh said:

earlier this year.

Late last year actually.