Easy come, easy go at Lowes

[osideterry]

Matt - In 9B I say baby the teddy bear. It's not exactly a Butia.

I'm not planting anything right now. I'm betting Dave's morning lows are in the 30s. D. leptocheilos is only rated to 30F in the SoCal guide, and Len toasted a couple by planting them too late in the Fall last year. I immediately potted mine up to a 7 gallon pot, and have no problem dragging it into the garage if it gets below freezing Saturday morning. It's going in the ground next Spring or Summer.

That 1-year guarantee doesn't mean much if they don't have this palm next year.

[osideterry]

Here's Len's entry from the freeze data files.

http://palmtalk.org/cgi-bin....ry52087

[paulgila]

len who?

what does he know...

 

[MattyB]

Yeah, I hear ya Terry.  I thought of that but I just figured that if it dies or gets severely damaged in the next 3 months to where it looks like it's not gonna be able to pull through next year, then go back and get another one for spring planting.  Or get your money back if they're out.  But if it does make it (yeah, baby it, cover it, kiss it, whatever to get it through winter) then you have a plant with it's feet in the ground for several months before the spring warmth comes and you'll get better growth next year.  Plus acclimating to sun in winter is easier so instead of having a palm that's acclimating next year, you'll have a palm that already acclimated (even if it looks crappy) and ready to grow a nice new crown.  But really it's just speculation and I've been drinking way too much Nyquil for anyone to take me that serious. ???

[doubravsky]

Nyquil rules!

My lows right now have been 36-38 or so... although they say it might get to 30 Friday night (brrrr....)

I've got them on my front patio under cover... and its usually like 8 degrees warmer there, and they still get a few hours of sun so they can start acclimating. I was gonna wait until March to plant it out in a really protected spot near the house and under some canopy (I know it's a risky one... but at that price? Whadda hey?)

[doubravsky]

I forgot about the whole money back deal... not used to buying palms from Lowes I think I already lost the recept!

[Kim]

Who guarantees Lowes will have more to replace those killed by too much winter too fast?  Treat them nice, you may never see this good price and size again.

[paulgila]

matt does.

[palmaddict]

I bought four of these palms and put them in the ground yesterday.  They were so root-bound in those pots that I think they aren't so bad off going into the ground now.  My low this year in Bonita is 43 degrees so I think I am going to be alright.  It has been my experience that I have more trouble getting palms established when planting in August when the weather is hot and dry.  In that weather there is little time for the root system to start working before the desiccation and frond burn starts.  I find they suffer less in the cooler weather where it is not dry and the sun exposure allows them to acclimate over several months.  The money back guarantee doesn't hurt either.

Patrick

[MattyB]

By the way, if you lost your receipt they can look it up if you bought it w/ your credit card.  That's what the clerk said when I asked him.  They also can track your DMV history, past relationships, and have access to Bo's airplane database.  I think he said they can read your mind too but then he shinned something in my eye and I forgot.

[MattyB]

FYI, Santee has 6 left as of last night.

Eastlake's inventory says they have over 20 but they do not have any.  I think there's some confusion about what these are labled.  I think they're labled "Palm Pottery Assorted" $39.97.  I have a feeling that they're getting some actual pottery and these plants confused in their inventory so talk to an outside garden expert who knows what teddy bear palms are to make sure they're in stock before driving on the toll road all the way down there to find they've got none.

[BS Man about Palms]

I forgot to mention when I last picked up the group here in Oceanside, the checkout guy in Garden had to call his supervisor. He told me he wanted to make sure they were priced right, they were to big and nice and different to cost that price he thought.    (She came up and recognised me from the "first" one I bought. I also told her they should be gone soon enough)

[osideterry]

The wacky pricing at Lowes and Home Depot works both ways. Last time I was at HD, I found a big 5g Chamaedorea hooperiana. Problem is that it had a Kentia barcode on the pot. I even showed them the "King Maya Palm" hangtag attached to the petiole. Nope, it's a kentia, and that will be $79.95 please.

[MattyB]

That's too bad Terry, I think they were letting those C. hooperianas go for about $50 bucks.  They're nice.  Bob got Paul one for their anniversary.

[paulgila]

it was closer to $40.

when are you gonna step up & get me something thoughtful?

[MattyB]

Like that Ptychosperma macarthurii I got you for your birthday?  Hmmm, you're right, I should do something like that.

[paulgila]

it was already dead.

[osideterry]

Wasn't their a Barbara Streisand song like that? "You Don't Send Me Ptychosperma macarthurii Anymore"

[MattyB]

Well, I couldn't resist!  I had to make it an even three!  Santee is pretty much tapped out.  They've got one nice one left but it's really stretched so it would need a protected spot probably.  The other 4 are doingkers.  One of them was sort of a fatty but I felt the base and it felt soft.  EEEEkkkkk!  So I've got my three.  They'll go in the ground this weekend. I is crazy!

[paulgila]

yes,you am.

[palmtiki]

I planted my Lowe's Teddy last weekend. Fortunately we have been having intermittent showers and cool cloudy weather  all week which kept away the normal hot scorching sun I get out in the front. I think it will aclimate nicely there. I also planted a Hyophorbe lagenicaulis a month ago about five feet away from the Teddy. I got the Bottle palm at Home Depot last summer and had been slowly aclimating it before I planted it. It seems to be doing well...so far. Here are a couple of pictures

Bob

Dypsis leptocheilos

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis & Dypsis leptocheilos

[BS Man about Palms]

Man- you all is more braver than I planting at this time of year.  (Not that I really plant palms, but you know what I mean. )

[palmtiki]

Man- you all is more braver than I planting at this time of year.  (Not that I really plant palms, but you know what I mean.  )

Nobody said us east county dwellers had any smarts.  

BUT we are tenacious.  

Bob

[Surf Guy]

After all this talk about the great deal Lowe's had on Teddy Bears I had to take a chance at the Mission Valley Lowe's. Well , I drove down to Mission Valley this morning and walked in to the garden section. Looked around saw some queens, kings, washingtonia, ravanea rivularis galore, and even a CIDP. Where are the Teddy Bears. Kept looking a there they were. There were 24 of them. I made sure I inspected everyone of them. As I was looking through them the garden expert told me that there were more over there and pointed to the ravaneas. I wound up getting three. There were 21 left when I left. I am glad I got my hands on these. Nice Christmas present to myself. Merry Christmas! Mike

[MattyB]

Palmtiki, way to go on the winter planting.  I hope they get a good start.

[BS Man about Palms]

So how did most folks fare on the ones they got at Lowes?

[BS Man about Palms]

Bump again.. any reports? I still have a couple in pots and NO I have not planted any yet! haha I think Matts are pretty big now.

[Palm crazy]

I think I noticed some teddy palm up here back in May at H.D. I almost got there 8' mature clumping cat palms for $20.00, some of the trunks were as thick as your wrist.

But they also have then in smaller cheaper sizes. Love H.D. here, Lowes on the other hand not very good for exotics, but great hardscaping material.

Any Updated photos?

[DoomsDave]

Bill, pick up a shovel, dig a hole, plant those Leptos, soon.

They will reward you.

Oh, yeah. Women will glow. Men will chunder.

Do it soon. They're not fast, that one you got FOUR YEARS AGO needs to go in the ground . . . .