Very Warm October + Mulch = Happy Palms

[ColumbusPalm]

Hey All,

 

Haven’t posted in a minute but I finally mulched today. I saved some to get a thicker layer around each palm, but this was about 2” of mulch each. My hope is that the last couple days in the 80s will lock in some soil warmth for them to give them an extra week or so of total bliss. 

Interesting the color difference between the first two minors West facing vs the last minor South facing. 
 

The Needle and West facing minor are tied for my favorite palms. I never grew to love the Trachy this season. 

Here’s to a mild winter! I’m locked and loaded ready to protect them all. Cheers!

Nate 

[Manalto]

Looks good, Nate. That dark mulch will soak up the last of the sun's rays of autumn. 

I guarantee a mild winter- or your money back!

[Swolte]

Nice, interesting combo with the barberry. Was not a fan of those but it works quite well! 

[ColumbusPalm]

4 hours ago, Manalto said:

Looks good, Nate. That dark mulch will soak up the last of the sun's rays of autumn. 

I guarantee a mild winter- or your money back!

Thank you! That's a guarantee I like to hear, haha!

[ColumbusPalm]

1 hour ago, Swolte said:

Nice, interesting combo with the barberry. Was not a fan of those but it works quite well! 

Thank you! I am not a fan of most of them either, that one is orange rocket and is quite pretty in spring. Mostly have them there for theft deterrent though. 

[newtopalmsMD]

Hi Nate, 

Very nice.  Is the mulch just the hardwood mulch you can buy at a big box store?  I have been using 8 inches of oak leaves, over the winter for sabals and trachys (zone 7a), but was wondering if I could switch to 4 inches or so of hardwood mulch so I would not have to clean up all those leaves in the spring....just spread the mulch around.  Is that the only protection the minors need?  (Still need leaves for bananas and canas

Thanks

Pat

[ColumbusPalm]

51 minutes ago, newtopalmsMD said:

Hi Nate, 

Very nice.  Is the mulch just the hardwood mulch you can buy at a big box store?  I have been using 8 inches of oak leaves, over the winter for sabals and trachys (zone 7a), but was wondering if I could switch to 4 inches or so of hardwood mulch so I would not have to clean up all those leaves in the spring....just spread the mulch around.  Is that the only protection the minors need?  (Still need leaves for bananas and canas

Thanks

Pat

Thank you! This will be my first winter protecting them. They were planted in March. I fully intend to make enclosures with lights for all of them if needed and will mulch heavier around the base, about 4” in a couple weeks. I’ve searched a lot on here for techniques etc. and have made a plan based on previous threads. Lots of zone pushers on here that have proven methods.