Coconut Palm in North Carolina Experiment

[ZPalms]

1 hour ago, TokyoShowdown said:

My indoor coconut here in Montana is almost three years old and has reached the ceiling. 

I'm assuming you use a grow light? and if you do what kind is it but if not it must get tons of sunlight?

[palmsOrl]

ZPalms, you will probably want to move your Cocos indoors sometime in October when the lows start consistently getting into the 50s.  Potted juvenile Cocos nucifera can tolerate lower temperatures briefly but there is no reason to stress your palm needlessly.

If you have a sunny window, especially a southern facing one, you might keep your palm there over the winter, especially if the room is kept consistently at 70F plus.  As far as a grow light there are many options but I am sure someone else can give some specific suggestions if you don't have a sunny window available in a warm room.

Your coconut is looking great!  Fortunately, much of North Carolina has a climate favorable to keeping one outdoors successfully for 6 months if the year.  Keep us posted.

-Michael

 

[Reyes Vargas]

On 7/13/2021 at 3:51 AM, ZPalms said:

July 12th Growth Update 

Any update pictures?

Mine has been loving all the heat and rain we've been having all summer.  It has gotten pretty big.

[ZPalms]

4 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

ZPalms, you will probably want to move your Cocos indoors sometime in October when the lows start consistently getting into the 50s.  Potted juvenile Cocos nucifera can tolerate lower temperatures briefly but there is no reason to stress your palm needlessly.

If you have a sunny window, especially a southern facing one, you might keep your palm there over the winter, especially if the room is kept consistently at 70F plus.  As far as a grow light there are many options but I am sure someone else can give some specific suggestions if you don't have a sunny window available in a warm room.

Your coconut is looking great!  Fortunately, much of North Carolina has a climate favorable to keeping one outdoors successfully for 6 months if the year.  Keep us posted.

-Michael

 

My room has a southwest facing window but in the winter the sun comes in between 12pm to 5pm so I hope that's enough! I'm gonna get a grow light to supplement when it gets dark early because the tree line shades the sun after 5! I am a bit nervous for winter though because my windows have a bit of rot and bad insulation so it gets a bit cold in my room but no unbearable cold so this could be a problem so I'll have to run electric oil heater to keep things toasty near the window.

Thank you also! I'm glad my coconut is looking good for now...  I'm also glad the caterpillars haven't found it 

Edited July 30, 2021 by ZPalms

[ZPalms]

3 hours ago, Reyes Vargas said:

Any update pictures?

Mine has been loving all the heat and rain we've been having all summer.  It has gotten pretty big.

I'm still shocked how fast these coconuts grow! It's doing very well and just chilling out in the heat and enjoying the occasional thunderstorms   Yours looks like it's thriving looks very nice and dark green  Do you fertilize it or do you wait a year?

Tuesday, July 27th, 4:58PM, 2021. 

 

Friday, July 30th, 5:04PM, 2021. 

Edited July 30, 2021 by ZPalms

[Reyes Vargas]

8 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

I'm still shocked how fast these coconuts grow! It's doing very well and just chilling out in the heat and enjoying the occasional thunderstorms   Yours looks like it's thriving looks very nice and dark green  Do you fertilize it or do you wait a year?

Tuesday, July 27th, 4:58PM, 2021. 

 

Friday, July 30th, 5:04PM, 2021. 

I'm no coconut expert but I think that coconut palms get all their nutrients from the nut for their first year.  I haven't fertilized mine yet and won't until next year.  Yours looks good also.  They do grow pretty fast. 

[ZPalms]

3 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

I'm no coconut expert but I think that coconut palms get all their nutrients from the nut for their first year.  I haven't fertilized mine yet and won't until next year.  Yours looks good also.  They do grow pretty fast. 

Oh good to know thanks! Coconut satisfy me when it comes to instant gratification from growing palms, I love when they grow quickly and it's fun to watch 

Edited July 30, 2021 by ZPalms

[Maltese coconut project]

Not really low if given the right conditions 

[ZPalms]

Growth Update! 

Wednesday, August 11th, 2:06PM, 2021.

 

Edited August 11, 2021 by ZPalms

[Reyes Vargas]

1 hour ago, ZPalms said:

Growth Update! 

Wednesday, August 11th, 2:06PM, 2021.

 

Looking good.

[ZPalms]

3 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

Looking good.

Thanks! Hope I can keep it looking just as good as now since fall\winter is coming up soon! I'm terrified!

[ZPalms]

Does anyone know what's the general height of green malayan dwarfs grow up too? I'm been searching around for greenhouses but I'm unsure how much height it's going to need!

Edited August 12, 2021 by ZPalms

[Steve the palmreader]

17 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Does anyone know what's the general height green malayan dwarfs grow up too? I'm been searching around for greenhouses but I'm unsure how much height it's going to need!

 Just keep it in large pot , It will be fine for years.

 

[ZPalms]

10 minutes ago, Steve the palmreader said:

 Just keep it in large pot , It will be fine for years.

 

I kind of want it to get bigger but if I do keep it in a pot I want a place to keep it nice and warm but outside in a greenhouse cause I can't carry it in the house every winter once it gets too heavy 

Edited August 12, 2021 by ZPalms

[Steve the palmreader]

13 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I kind of want it to get bigger but if I do keep it in a pot I want a place to keep it nice and warm but outside in a greenhouse cause I can't carry it in the house every winter once it gets too heavy 

 I would still keep it in a pot for a few years, Small coconuts are real cold sensitive

[ZPalms]

9 hours ago, Steve the palmreader said:

 I would still keep it in a pot for a few years, Small coconuts are real cold sensitive

It's gonna be in the pot for a while until It can no longer be in it, But I've been looking for a greenhouse to hold it permanently especially when it does need to go into the ground and I had plans for ventilation and heat and all that good stuff to stop frost from getting close

[ZPalms]

Since fall is coming up when is the best time I should bring the coconut inside, Google says 40 degrees should I bring it inside before it even gets close when the temperatures start dropping to the 60s or 50s?

[NOT A TA]

To be safe I'd bring it in when overnight lows start dropping into the mid 50's. They can certainly survive short periods below 50 but the leaves start to look bad when it gets that cold. Keep the pot well above floor level if possible during winter because the coldest air in the room sinks to the floor.

[ZPalms]

9 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

To be safe I'd bring it in when overnight lows start dropping into the mid 50's. They can certainly survive short periods below 50 but the leaves start to look bad when it gets that cold. Keep the pot well above floor level if possible during winter because the coldest air in the room sinks to the floor.

Does this also apply to 2nd story? I have a bench in my room I might be able to put it on but the insulation is crappy but I do have a awesome water tray that sits off the ground by 7 inches and the pot sits higher so I might wrap a heated blanket or something around the pot and it will have a overhead grow light and humidifier and short period of sunlight through a southwest window and electric oil heater for more heat

[NOT A TA]

Yes even 2nd story. The coldest air in the room will be air sinking from the window to the floor.

[PalmatierMeg]

When we were in college my husband and I lived in converted WWI barracks apartments called "Vetville" in NM. The windows in those decrepit apartments leaked cold air in winter. We bought heavy duty plastic sheeting and taped it around the insides of the windows to block cold air. I also sewed lined curtains out of bedsheets from Goodwill. At night we made sure the curtains were closed. If your window leaks cold air consider covering the inside with plastic sheeting. Keep potted coconut away from the window at night.

[ZPalms]

It's been another week since the last so update time!

Wednesday, August 19th, 7:00PM, 2021. 

Edited August 19, 2021 by ZPalms

[ZPalms]

I went outside to just to look and I didn't realize their was egg on it and I don't know what they are and I'm not sure if I should just spray them off or use neem oil? 

[ZPalms]

6 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I went outside to just to look and I didn't realize their was egg on it and I don't know what they are and I'm not sure if I should just spray them off or use neem oil? 

I went out earlier and used neem oil on them but I didn't want to leave them on the leaf, so I took a couple qtips and wet them with neem oil and very carefully removed them. Then I roughly pushed them into sand and hit them against anything I could find to make their chance of survival thin if the neem oil didn't do its job for whatever reason so I think I handled these and hopefully never again 

They also look disgusting real life and in the picture I cannot stand the way they look 

Edited August 20, 2021 by ZPalms

[Palmy Pal]

Lookin good Zpalms. I also live in NC and have grown coconuts for years. And I can give you tips anytime on growing them in Nc if you ever need any. I always overwinter mine indoors and have successfully done it with them. I am currently growing 2 outside at the moment and I am in the process of germinating another. But let me know if you have any questions! Also how are you planning to overwinter yours? 

[ZPalms]

3 hours ago, Palmy Pal said:

Lookin good Zpalms. I also live in NC and have grown coconuts for years. And I can give you tips anytime on growing them in Nc if you ever need any. I always overwinter mine indoors and have successfully done it with them. I am currently growing 2 outside at the moment and I am in the process of germinating another. But let me know if you have any questions! Also how are you planning to overwinter yours? 

Oh awesome! What are you overwinter precautions and what are you plans for the future? Will they ever go in the ground? I plan on bringing it inside this year and run an electric oil heater to keep some heat and then have a grow light above it and a humidifier! I'm getting a greenhouse but I just don't know what I want in one or what I need or the height I need

Edited August 22, 2021 by ZPalms

[Palmy Pal]

2 hours ago, ZPalms said:

Oh awesome! What are you overwinter precautions and what are you plans for the future? Will they ever go in the ground? I plan on bringing it inside this year and run an electric oil heater to keep some heat and then have a grow light above it and a humidifier! I'm getting a greenhouse but I just don't know what I want in one or what I need or the height I need

I overwinter mine indoors and they have lived. I keep it in a bright window in a warm room and I give it salt (sea or epsom) every month or so which seems to help a lot. I also fert them every 2 months or so. And I keep it pretty dry and water it only when it has been dry for a week. I will never put any in the ground otherwise than my Beccariophoenix Alfredii (Cold hardy coconut palm) and that’s because the roots will get too cold for cocos Nucifera no matter how much you wrap and protect the trunk and crown. Future plans are to just keep it indoors every winter and that’s it. Also I know aquarium water helps a lot when overwintering. I have a greenhouse and I will be getting heaters for it this winter and will grow most of my palms in there during winter and if it’s warm enough I will put them in there but I doubt it will be. I also find that keeping them in smaller pots when overwintering helps a lot. Specifically with letting them dry out. Especially terracotta pots! 

[Palmy Pal]

Here are my two coconut palms I am currently growing here in NC. And as you can see they are thriving. The second smaller one is newer than the other palm. I bought that one about a month ago. But they thrive during the warm months here for sure! 

[ZPalms]

On 8/21/2021 at 11:16 PM, Palmy Pal said:

I overwinter mine indoors and they have lived. I keep it in a bright window in a warm room and I give it salt (sea or epsom) every month or so which seems to help a lot. I also fert them every 2 months or so. And I keep it pretty dry and water it only when it has been dry for a week. I will never put any in the ground otherwise than my Beccariophoenix Alfredii (Cold hardy coconut palm) and that’s because the roots will get too cold for cocos Nucifera no matter how much you wrap and protect the trunk and crown. Future plans are to just keep it indoors every winter and that’s it. Also I know aquarium water helps a lot when overwintering. I have a greenhouse and I will be getting heaters for it this winter and will grow most of my palms in there during winter and if it’s warm enough I will put them in there but I doubt it will be. I also find that keeping them in smaller pots when overwintering helps a lot. Specifically with letting them dry out. Especially terracotta pots! 

I'll be overwintering mine indoors in my bedroom lol, I do have a southwest facing windows but I cover them with sheets because privacy because the blinds are too small and I need a new window anyway because they are old but I do have a grow light  What's the purpose of salt? Is that something they need or do they benefit from or is that personal choice? If you were to put one in the ground in a greenhouse or in a temporary plastic hut in the yard do you think adding heating coils could help to the ground be warmer or do you think it would still be too cold and for how their roots spread? How big is your greenhouse? Ive been trying to find one with height but none that I find have the height I need!

On 8/22/2021 at 8:23 PM, Palmy Pal said:

Here are my two coconut palms I am currently growing here in NC. And as you can see they are thriving. The second smaller one is newer than the other palm. I bought that one about a month ago. But they thrive during the warm months here for sure! 

 They're looking great! Do you know the species of your coconuts? How old is your first one?

Edited August 24, 2021 by ZPalms

[ZPalms]

Caterpillars are getting on my nerves! I went out tonight to check on my palms as I do almost every night because of the Caterpillars and I found over 100 of them on the underside of the leaf!!! It's frustrating!! Their webbing was everywhere  Anyway I sprayed them with neem oil and then took the water hose and sprayed them off after letting them sit in the neem for a min then I used a Q-tip to scrap the weird egg things they were laying or making or whatever or I missed them when I checked the other day and they were hatching but regardless disgusting and annoying!!!!

[palmsOrl]

Don't worry ZPalms, I have a source for coconuts from down south so if you lose yours over the winter I could send you a replacement.  I still owe you those robusta seedlings.

-Michael

[Palmy Pal]

9 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I'll be overwintering mine indoors in my bedroom lol, I do have a southwest facing windows but I cover them with sheets because privacy because the blinds are too small and I need a new window anyway because they are old but I do have a grow light  What's the purpose of salt? Is that something they need or do they benefit from or is that personal choice? If you were to put one in the ground in a greenhouse or in a temporary plastic hut in the yard do you think adding heating coils could help to the ground be warmer or do you think it would still be too cold and for how their roots spread? How big is your greenhouse? Ive been trying to find one with height but none that I find have the height I need!

 They're looking great! Do you know the species of your coconuts? How old is your first one?

So salt acts as basically another fertilizer. And they live in salty, sandy soils and they grow very well when given some salt. The first one is roughly a year old. It’s not needed to grow them but they do benefit from it. And as far as the greenhouse mine is just a 7 foot greenhouse. Polycarbonate. If your trying to make one around the palm I would consider making one with wood and polycarbonate panels as you could add on to the height as it gets bigger. And heating it a lot with coils and stuff may actually work well. A good trick you can also do is water it with hot (not boiling but sink warm) water when there is going to be a hard freeze. But I think it can be done honestly.

[palmsOrl]

If you are really serious about keeping Cocos as an indoor potted palm in areas that experience freezing temperatures in the winter, I would bring the plant(s) in when night time lows begin to get below 50F (60F would be even better, but if your highs are still well above 70F, you might wait until your lows get below 50F).

Devote a room of your house and keep it above 70F (75-80F would be ideal) and make sure the plant gets as much light as possible.  To accomplish this, you can select a room that gets plentiful winter sunlight or you can use strong supplemental lighting.  I have found that while humidity is beneficial for coconuts, it is not necessary as long as the roots don't dry out, the plant get adequate light and temperatures are warm enough.

-Michael

[PalmatierMeg]

I agree with Michael. Remember coconuts are cool sensitive palms as well as cold sensitive. Many people up north keep their houses in the 60s in daytime or even 50s at night to save heating costs. But coconuts cannot take temps that low long term and you can't wrap yours in a sweater or toss a quilt over it. It's important you keep its room above 70, even up to 80 during the day if you want to keep it healthy.

One thing I'm considering for the new small greenhouses I've set up outside for sensitive seedlings is trying small "personal space" heaters to put inside each one to provide some supplemental heat on cold nights. Each will provide enough warmth to keep ambient temps inside the structure to keep night temps above 50 or even 60F. They don't put out enough watts to damage the plants (I hope) but give tropicals an edge. Here, even a "warm" winter can bring lows below 40F. Maybe you could rig up something like a mini greenhouse or a tent and a small heater to keep your coconut warm at night without busting your energy budget.

This is what I am planning to get from Amazon.com:

https://www.lasko.com/products/my-heat-personal-heater-white-101/

I will set them up inside my greenhouses on the back lanai. I will turn them on in cold nights, then off after dawn. I will cover the greenhouse with a blanket to hold the heat in, remove it in the morning. I hope to reduce the need to haul cold sensitive plants into the house every time an arctic front hits. My husband attached this 3x3x3 greenhouse to a wheeled cart and installed the shelves. But by itself it could house a 3' potted coconut.

This past week I bought these mini-greenhouses from Aldi's for $17 each. They are meant to be placed over plants you want to protect. My husband attached them to shelf units with zip ties so I can keep potted plants off the concrete floor of the lanai.  I am considering using the above tiny space heaters inside to provide supplemental heat. You could set one up in your room for your coconut and keep it warm without raising the thermostat in the house or hauling in a large space heater.

[Palmy Pal]

What they said. I was referring to when the coconut palm is too big to bring inside when I threw out the idea of making the greenhouse for it. 

[ZPalms]

12 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Don't worry ZPalms, I have a source for coconuts from down south so if you lose yours over the winter I could send you a replacement.  I still owe you those robusta seedlings.

-Michael

Thanks! I hopefully I don't lose my coconut 

10 hours ago, Palmy Pal said:

So salt acts as basically another fertilizer. And they live in salty, sandy soils and they grow very well when given some salt. The first one is roughly a year old. It’s not needed to grow them but they do benefit from it. And as far as the greenhouse mine is just a 7 foot greenhouse. Polycarbonate. If your trying to make one around the palm I would consider making one with wood and polycarbonate panels as you could add on to the height as it gets bigger. And heating it a lot with coils and stuff may actually work well. A good trick you can also do is water it with hot (not boiling but sink warm) water when there is going to be a hard freeze. But I think it can be done honestly.

I thought they only needed salt if they were sea side? I'll look into it and I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do a box if I try to put it into the ground but polycarbonate sheets aren't cheap which kind of sucks cause I was thinking of using them

 

7 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I agree with Michael. Remember coconuts are cool sensitive palms as well as cold sensitive. Many people up north keep their houses in the 60s in daytime or even 50s at night to save heating costs. But coconuts cannot take temps that low long term and you can't wrap yours in a sweater or toss a quilt over it. It's important you keep its room above 70, even up to 80 during the day if you want to keep it healthy.

One thing I'm considering for the new small greenhouses I've set up outside for sensitive seedlings is trying small "personal space" heaters to put inside each one to provide some supplemental heat on cold nights. Each will provide enough warmth to keep ambient temps inside the structure to keep night temps above 50 or even 60F. They don't put out enough watts to damage the plants (I hope) but give tropicals an edge. Here, even a "warm" winter can bring lows below 40F. Maybe you could rig up something like a mini greenhouse or a tent and a small heater to keep your coconut warm at night without busting your energy budget.

This is what I am planning to get from Amazon.com:

https://www.lasko.com/products/my-heat-personal-heater-white-101/

I will set them up inside my greenhouses on the back lanai. I will turn them on in cold nights, then off after dawn. I will cover the greenhouse with a blanket to hold the heat in, remove it in the morning. I hope to reduce the need to haul cold sensitive plants into the house every time an arctic front hits. My husband attached this 3x3x3 greenhouse to a wheeled cart and installed the shelves. But by itself it could house a 3' potted coconut.

This past week I bought these mini-greenhouses from Aldi's for $17 each. They are meant to be placed over plants you want to protect. My husband attached them to shelf units with zip ties so I can keep potted plants off the concrete floor of the lanai.  I am considering using the above tiny space heaters inside to provide supplemental heat. You could set one up in your room for your coconut and keep it warm without raising the thermostat in the house or hauling in a large space heater.

How would you go about using a grow light on these?

[ZPalms]

I'm actually kind of confused so the day temperatures are still in the 80s and 90s but the night temperatures are starting to drop into the mid 50s and 70s should I start to bring it in?

[JLM]

18 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

I'm actually kind of confused so the day temperatures are still in the 80s and 90s but the night temperatures are starting to drop into the mid 50s and 70s should I start to bring it in?

As long as the duration of 50 degree temps is not long, then i dont see how it would be a problem. If it begins to have a negative reaction, bring it in. I would think that if daytime highs are in the 80-90s, it shouldnt have an issue.

[ZPalms]

4 minutes ago, JLM said:

As long as the duration of 50 degree temps is not long, then i dont see how it would be a problem. If it begins to have a negative reaction, bring it in. I would think that if daytime highs are in the 80-90s, it shouldnt have an issue.

Thanks! I was getting worried because I haven't set up it's indoor greenhouse yet!

[PalmatierMeg]

If you can let it stay outdoors while daytime temps are in the 80s/90s. Watch night temps forecasts carefully. Bring it in overnight if forecast is below 55. You will notice when it gets unhappy - its leaves will start to cold spot, i.e., show areas of yellow-brown discoloration from cold. The tips and edges of leaves are particularly vulnerable. That damage will not heal. If you feel a "chill" in the air, be assured your coconut feels it too.