Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Cocos nucifera (Coconut) in Malta


Maltese coconut project

Recommended Posts

Hello everyone.. I wish to ask whether we can gather date which coconut cultivars and varieties are most cool tolerant vs most cool sensitive. In my experience of just roughly three varieties, Indian Coconut palms were the most cool tolerant,, Nicaraguan ones in the middle and Philippines green tall (from Dutch greenhouses) the most cool sensitive.. But I wish to gather more data on other varieties. May I ask for your experiences and opinions regarding other cultivars? Thank you in advance

Edited by Maltese coconut project
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Maltese coconut project said:

Currently only the Indian ones look good. The cool wind has been harsh on the others 

Please post some photos when available. I went to many markets here and can only find African coconuts :( Including at Lidl

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I went to 2 Lidls stores and all coconuts were from Cote d'Ivoire. 

Great that it's February and you still have coconuts going! Do you move them at all? 

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is not good news at all.. I hope the Malta lidl keeps getting them from India. The only one month they got them from Ivory Coast germination was unsuccessful 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are currently East facing with the wall shielding them from some north Eastern wind.. The cold wind is a major threat 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

They are currently East facing with the wall shielding them from some north Eastern wind.. The cold wind is a major threat 

Just saw a video of two friends of mine who are in Malta right now. They're on a yacht in the sea wearing just T-shirts!! If February is that warm then you've got nothing to fear

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's only during daytime though.  February night time low is different anywhere between 11-9 degrees celcius (52-48 degrees Fahrenheit) and it's not just the temperature but rather the Northern cool winds together with those temperatures. I know because in 2021 it was a warmer winter but the winds from the north east in April did more damage than winter itself 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

That's only during daytime though.  February night time low is different anywhere between 11-9 degrees celcius (52-48 degrees Fahrenheit) and it's not just the temperature but rather the Northern cool winds together with those temperatures. I know because in 2021 it was a warmer winter but the winds from the north east in April did more damage than winter itself 

True. However, if 10C is the lowest then the highest must be high enough to compensate.

So, what's the long turn plan? A spot in the garden?

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will see whether the big ones will survive till beginning of May.. Then if they do I will keep them till the end of November on the rooftop, then I will plant them in the garden downstairs.. In the garden wind protection is much better and night time temperatures don't drop as much as on the rooftop but on the other hand the disadvantage in the garden is tgstythe amount of light is lower 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So that I will make the most of the possible photosynthesis and abundance of light from the rooftop.. Then will transfer near end of November for safety's sake from cold wind 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ended up buying only 2 coconuts. One of them rotted but guess what. The other one is sprouting! Yay. Let's see how long I can keep it alive. I wish it were an Indian variety 

  • Like 1

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gentleman,  here's the bottom line: unless your willing to plant them in that ground and give them supplemental heat (and a tarp for their first three years), they will not have a chance to survive.

They will only be living on "life support" by bringing them into your homes during winter and taking them out during summer.

Arriviamo al punto. 

 

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)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Gentleman,  here's the bottom line: unless your willing to plant them in that ground and give them supplemental heat (and a tarp for their first three years), they will not have a chance to survive.

They will only be living on "life support" by bringing them into your homes during winter and taking them out during summer.

Arriviamo al punto. 

 

Yes I do not intend to ever plant it outside. That would be a death sentence. It'll be an indoor plant during winter

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...unless if I ever take it to Kasos... and convince the local school to look after it....  :w00:

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Acclimatising a Coconut has quite a narrow margin of error. The thing is that they have a narrow optimal temperature range because they grow where every resource is abundant including light, humidity, water and warmth. On the other hand, extreme scorching temperatures above 35 degrees celcius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) might cause drought stress and limit growth rate in the warm season (which might be counter productive for the cooler months) but on the other hand, they need some summer sun especially in areas where winter is windy (like in my area). Last summer I placed the coconuts under North facing wall on the 20th May till 10th October. I can say that I was astounded with the growth.. But there was one drawback doing this technique. My coconuts didn't grow a thick enough waxy cuticle on the new leaves.  So then from December onwards they were more susceptible to wind burn (unlike the winter before which was less windy and I exposed them to slightly more sun in summer). Coming summer 2022 I will do shade mapping every few days and will make sure that my coconut palms are in such a position where from the pot height till the heart of the palm and spear will be in the shade after 10am but the bigger higher leaves exposed to the sun so that they will grow thick waxy cuticle. If the bigger ones survive I will plant downstairs in the garden late summer 

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, Maltese coconut project said:

Acclimatising a Coconut has quite a narrow margin of error. The thing is that they have a narrow optimal temperature range because they grow where every resource is abundant including light, humidity, water and warmth. On the other hand, extreme scorching temperatures above 35 degrees celcius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) might cause drought stress and limit growth rate in the warm season (which might be counter productive for the cooler months) but on the other hand, they need some summer sun especially in areas where winter is windy (like in my area). Last summer I placed the coconuts under North facing wall on the 20th May till 10th October. I can say that I was astounded with the growth.. But there was one drawback doing this technique. My coconuts didn't grow a thick enough waxy cuticle on the new leaves.  So then from December onwards they were more susceptible to wind burn (unlike the winter before which was less windy and I exposed them to slightly more sun in summer). Coming summer 2022 I will do shade mapping every few days and will make sure that my coconut palms are in such a position where from the pot height till the heart of the palm and spear will be in the shade after 10am but the bigger higher leaves exposed to the sun so that they will grow thick waxy cuticle. If the bigger ones survive I will plant downstairs in the garden late summer 

Interesting. So one of the waxy cuticle's functions is to protect plants from weather damage?

By the way, apart from Indian talls, could you make a list of your varieties rated by how well they withstand the cold? It would be very interesting.

Edited by ego

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The waxy cuticle protects the leaves from excessive water loss. Extreme sun,, extreme heat and cold dry winds all can contribute to water loss.  Therefore adapting them to some sun helps them later on during the Northern dry winds in winter.  The only variations I am sure of are Indian and Nicaraguan varieties. I have some others which the grocery shop didn't keep the original bag therefore I am not sure whether they are from South East Asia or from Ivory Coast.. From the few Coconut varieties by country that I had experience with, Indian were the best with the unknown type and Nicaraguan ones being both in similar cold sensitivity level. Of course I don't have access to other varieties. 

Edited by Maltese coconut project
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Btw you said you kept them next to a north facing wall all summer. Does this mean they were always in shade?

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No. After march Equinox till just before September Equinox, Sunrise starts from North East and sets in North West therefore giving a few hours early morning sun and some sunset sun 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

No. After march Equinox till just before September Equinox, Sunrise starts from North East and sets in North West therefore giving a few hours early morning sun and some sunset sun 

Don't they want full sun all day to grow fast?

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are tropical monsoon plants and require high humidity and their number of annual sunshine hours is one third less than that of the Mediterranean with frequent cloudy, warm humid and rainy days 

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very interesting. I spent 6 years in Indonesia, their homeland (?) and it was sunny every day from roughly April to November. From December to March it was sunny in the mornings and then heavy rain in the afternoons.

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's why. But Mediterranean summers are usually less humid. Below 60% there will be closure of the stomata 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

hello guys ... I confirm that here in Italy, the coconuts both at lidl and at coop and eurospin are all of Indian origin! tomorrow i will put an update of my dutch coconut. i had some problem with a cochineal weed that very small one that looks like little brown spots ... after giving the poison it seems to be a little better ... damn parasites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this is the damn parasite that I have not yet managed to eradicate despite a wash with a special pesticin poison ...

20220220_094233.jpg

20220220_094222.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My coconut that sprouted "grows" super slowly. It's still just a white bump on the shell.

  • Upvote 1

previously known as ego

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Mine are looking ugly. I am just hoping that the hearts of the palms are still alive. Hopefully some will recover in May and June 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only hope the heart of the palm is still alive in some specimens and possibly will recover.. The cold wind is their worst enemy in non freezing climates. It will dry their pinnate leaves prematurely 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/31/2022 at 12:07 AM, Maltese coconut project said:

Mine are looking ugly. I am just hoping that the hearts of the palms are still alive. Hopefully some will recover in May and June 

Damn, sorry to hear that. Do you have newer pics showing the cocos to post them here? The last ones are from February, almost 2 months ago. 
 

I live in Altea, Spain 38°34'N 0º03'O. USDA zone 11a. Coastal microclimate sheltered by mountains. 
The coconuts shown in my avatar are from the Canary Islands, Spain ! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's sunset here now. I still am hopeful that some might grow new leaves in the warm season 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...