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Photos before the predicted freeze in Cape Coral


PalmatierMeg

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I woke up to news Cape Coral has been issued a freeze warning for overnight Sunday - thanks, Alexa. Gets better and better all the time. I got nearly a 1/2 acre densely planted with palms that haven't experienced lows below 40F in 5-6 years or more and nothing below 37F since 2010. If my bad luck holds it may be the end of the world for many of them. But if my luck changes for the better and the forecast lays an egg you won't find me complaining.

But to focus my anxiety I went out and took "Before" photos for future reference. Up until a week ago, winter had been deceptively benign. I know, you really can't fool Mother Nature.

I'll start with our Back Yard Jungle, aka "World's Smallest Jungle." It is situated facing south on a little ridge overlooking the equally distinguished "Isabelle Canal", our 80' wide freshwater canal (fact: Cape Coral  is home to 400 miles of salt- and freshwater canals, basins, weirs, boat locks and lakes that earn it the monikers "Venice of the South" and "Water Wonderland"). The back of our house shields the jungle from north winds. The winter sun moderates incoming cold fronts - usually.

"World's Smallest Jungle", Cape Coral, FL, Jan. 2022

1350161795_BackYardJunglencanalpre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.99bebb2e7d317d63f63c45579928c203.JPG798698318_BackYardJunglencanalpre-freeze0201-29-22.thumb.JPG.af9ecaacbf2aeaa5c0821606f920d4dc.JPG2060422879_BackYardJunglepre-freeze0301-29-22.thumb.JPG.cecf8ee2137743c9b762583db80b45a7.JPG1761959445_BackYardJunglepre-freeze0401-29-22.thumb.JPG.166773b64b250f4399b01e078ae930e5.JPG30651734_BackYardJunglepre-freeze0601-29-22.thumb.JPG.314039c707c927c336564aa3c4fb5471.JPG2115259358_BackYardJunglepre-freeze0701-29-22.thumb.JPG.b28b9126ae1a419a5119ab4adaa8d1f0.JPG939063586_BackYardJunglepre-freeze0801-29-22.thumb.JPG.3777c72a309ee094d88aac78377fd461.JPG1122914361_BackYardJunglepre-freeze1001-29-22.thumb.JPG.ea38e2e5f1f20d1a3f3d250e9f2faa74.JPG750531267_BackYardJunglepre-freeze1201-29-22.thumb.JPG.8d9750e580b17f521f675f1b732cfa07.JPG2074499307_BackYardJunglepre-freeze1401-29-22.thumb.JPG.cbfef4a009a5fb5b0f42a2b632db6098.JPG16901591_BackYardJunglepre-freeze1501-29-22.thumb.JPG.e85e03fe640d115c9d5728f83e69d965.JPG2115910276_BackYardJunglepre-freezek0901-229-22.thumb.JPG.7153c203799019ed013fdbb3b5cbf934.JPG779814008_BackYardJunglepre-freeze150129-22.thumb.JPG.97c18c01fbdcd1265a296810ef69dd3d.JPG1592111486_IBackYardJunglepre-freeze1301-29-22.thumb.JPG.2a65d2b6cdd5a371285bd0eab5e465f9.JPG

Dypsis malcomberi

1735183452_Dypsismalcomberipre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.0dc8c0ba132699ea3f182b3cb0b8f13d.JPG

Areca catechu semi-dwarf

1901025594_Arecacatechusemi-dwarfpre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.5754789a4bae76a2819eb95e752ff7fa.JPG

Dictyosperma album

421592405_BackYardJunglepre-freeze0501-29-22.thumb.JPG.ee7736c88fe5abf59fae9fc5835d6b10.JPG

Adonidia merrillii Golden Form

9603023_GoldenAdonidiancanalpre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.f832e7d130de238975fe8e0d5b377b03.JPG

Pritchardia pacifica

1943203728_Pritchardiapacificancanalpre-freezencanal0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.474e600a2223f987d0e319aebcd80f9f.JPG

Monster Archonotophoenix cunninghamiana

642481219_MonsterAcunninghamianapre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.6676ac1bceaa54e964c90a667d6244a9.JPG

 

  • Like 13
  • Upvote 4

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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Very nice looking "mini jungle"!  And I agree with Ryan re: the water providing some protection (hopefully a decent amount) - and also great that it's been warm right up to this "little blast", as well as it quickly returning to normal/good temps afterwards. 

Have you seen any of the Nile monitors in/around your canal?

  • Like 1

Sarasota, Florida USA (zone 9B) - 1 acre with approx. 91 types of palms & many other plants/trees

My two favorite palms are Teddy Bears and Zombies... zombieteddybear2-compressed.jpg

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Love the garden Meg as usual !!! :drool:Hoping a better forecast is coming your way and many of your palms are spared the compost bin =) 

T J 

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T J 

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I hope for the best for you.  I can really sympathize, as my yard is down to 41F at 7:30 pm.  I am really worried about the actual low in the morning.  I was expecting us to be out of the woods for freezing weather for this season, but one of our local weather men is predicting more freezing temps next Friday with a high only in the 40'sF, when our normal high temp by then should be about 71F!!!

John

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4 hours ago, Brad52 said:

Nice, I bet your place looks great from across the canal!

Probably does.  I can only imagine!!!

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Meg, you’re welcome to bring some of your palms to our greenhouse for protection on the island, Give me a call if needed. Thanks, Shelby

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Thinking of you tonight! My Volusia yard will be a wasteland I’m sure, though I will be taking extreme measures. 
 

Wondering how Bokeelia will do compared to Cape C. 

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The denseness of it will provide a lot of protection from overhead cool air creeping in.

  • Like 1

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@tntropics - 60+ In-ground 7A palms - (Sabal) minor(7 large + 27 seedling size, 3 dwarf),  brazoria(1) , birmingham(4), etonia (1) louisiana(5), palmetto (1), riverside (1),  (Trachycarpus) fortunei(7), wagnerianus(1),  Rhapidophyllum hystrix(7),  15' Mule-Butia x Syagrus(1),  Blue Butia capitata(1) +Tons of tropical plants.  Recent Yearly Lows -1F, 12F, 11F, 18F, 16F, 3F, 3F, 6F, 3F, 1F, 16F, 17F, 6F, 8F

 

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It’s 45F here in Satellite Beach, expecting a high of only 50F. Tonight expected to be 36F, hopefully no surprise freeze, but still I packed all seedlings and some others in GH, with a space heater. 

B8904382-1B6B-4A43-9E3F-D402B8514F75.jpeg

8378422A-7C24-49FE-BC7E-EF92C46CB345.jpeg

FF08C26A-75AC-4686-8036-2D730C0948F3.jpeg

  • Like 4

Warrior Palm Princess, Satellite Beach, Florida

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15 hours ago, ThunderSRQ said:

Have you seen any of the Nile monitors in/around your canal?

No monitors but I know they are here. Saw a juvenile green iguana last fall.

 

2 hours ago, NickJames said:

Thinking of you tonight! My Volusia yard will be a wasteland I’m sure, though I will be taking extreme measures. 
 

Wondering how Bokeelia will do compared to Cape C. 

Thanks, Nick. Back at you.

Pine Island is usually a 1/2 zone warmer than Cape Coral. Expect lower 40s

 

2 hours ago, Allen said:

The denseness of it will provide a lot of protection from overhead cool air creeping in.

I hope so. We'll see. The dense plantings do help shield the house during hurricanes.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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More Before Photos on the eve of the predicted cold blast

Caribbean Garden on north side of house

1051119718_CaribbeanGardenpre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.7a29af3ea14bbf2839ce92bef933857b.JPG2111177740_CaribbeanGardenpre-freeze0201-29-22.thumb.JPG.83420d36d9e13a9e456a8d4d66692d63.JPG358386789_CaribbeanGardenpre-freeze0301-28-22.thumb.JPG.64a40f7154124dd190c213e071e7c28c.JPGIMG_0070.thumb.JPG.29001b8d98313d7dee64188f6a6a449b.JPG

Garden Lot

1219147030_GardenLotpre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.61a99f5a003362620c7e7eafad9e5c4d.JPG918236322_GardenLotnLizziepre-freeze0601-29-22.thumb.JPG.ca13dd1de15d85fb4231f22a70e0b310.JPG46642974_GardenLotpre-freeze0301-29-22.thumb.JPG.706d5ed38d73d2a209f1cf49c5519cf9.JPG318649998_GardenLotpre-freeze0401-29-22.thumb.JPG.a503303e243ed99bc8f0f451c0b3c7f9.JPG1132040893_GardenLotpre-freeze0701-29-22.thumb.JPG.54d72c9ac3f48913f102f0a3f52bdbba.JPG1257823201_GardenLotpre-freeze0901-29-22.thumb.JPG.5ba1fc5bf9f353f34c25645f454afec7.JPG608616198_GardenLotpre-freeze1001-29-22.thumb.JPG.686725ea68f4bd02b7cc47a765987a7b.JPG313476698_GardenLotpre-freeze1101-29-22.thumb.JPG.655ca1dbaf9b00a7e0b36505c9d11004.JPG2014744642_GardenLotpre-freeze1201-29-22.thumb.JPG.f42caaae9a1b05014003f6cb13a4b03c.JPG132556185_GardenLotpre-freeze1301-29-22.thumb.JPG.5f030b3c28efa70b2cdf016348d3df39.JPG

Side Yard West

2010288619_SideYardWestpre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.bba34695fa4b1b56428ca272b21fe9fa.JPG283427285_SideYardWest0201-29-22.thumb.JPG.7fbb46aa82a2a5d7b5f029b829a6c561.JPG

Side Yard East

IMG_0112.thumb.JPG.5ec69d1ce60af37caba5f698d390a1aa.JPG352565316_SideYardEastpre-freeze0201-29-22.thumb.JPG.898ffbb825dc9bf8ae2704dde201ee4b.JPG

Cocos nucifera Dwarf Red Spicata Twins & Roystonea violacea

420551662_RedSpicataTwinsnRviolaceapre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.79e70a5d87aa739c04cf7d142142e814.JPG

Cocos nucifera Dwarf Red Spicata Single

673753437_DwarfRedSpicataSolopre-freeze0101-29-22.thumb.JPG.08731d75d300dafefffca09244202b3d.JPG

  • Like 5
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Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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Hopefully everything works out. You have a nice canopy formed which should help a bit. Garden looks amazing! 

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Wishing the best for your palms @PalmatierMeg !!

Stay warm.

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)

 

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