"Polarpalm" - Bulgaria

[simona]

I couldn't understand a word, but the pictures are relevant:

http://www.polarpalm.net/prot.html

[jam99]

Simona,

interesting. I am surprised to see they wrap the palms in plastic instead of some porous material such as garden fleece. Plastic doesn't breath and provides ideal conditions for fungi, mould and rot. But I guess they know what they do. Perhaps the plastic works together with artificial heating which I've never tried.

I am also surprised they protect their Trachycarpus fortunei as they don't need any protection here in central inland Europe so I would think they'd be fine without protection further south in Bulgaria right next to the Black sea (if that's a sea what is seen in a few pictures).

Cheers, Jan

[Neofolis]

It's definitely more attractive that some winter protection methods, at night time anyway. I guess the fact that they leave the top few inches open, helps to counteract the plastic not being porous, although you certainly won't get much air circulating inside.

[_Keith]

It's definitely more attractive that some winter protection methods, at night time anyway. I guess the fact that they leave the top few inches open, helps to counteract the plastic not being porous, although you certainly won't get much air circulating inside.

I am not sure on the air circulation. Normally, this is considered a bad method here, but always seal the tops. That small opening at the top and the small amount of heat generated by the bulbs may generate a small convective effect with heat escaping from the top and pulling air from the soil below to create a small but warm air flow.

If we ever get the "big one" here again, I may try this method on a few palms.

[Sasha]

Simona,

interesting. I am surprised to see they wrap the palms in plastic instead of some porous material such as garden fleece. Plastic doesn't breath and provides ideal conditions for fungi, mould and rot. But I guess they know what they do. Perhaps the plastic works together with artificial heating which I've never tried.

I am also surprised they protect their Trachycarpus fortunei as they don't need any protection here in central inland Europe so I would think they'd be fine without protection further south in Bulgaria right next to the Black sea (if that's a sea what is seen in a few pictures).

Cheers, Jan

I lived in Bulgaria (Varna, near the sea) and grew Trachycarpus fortunei without protection and didn't have any problems. I even had a Canary Island Date palm that survived an average winter in Varna though it was damaged. The lowest it usually ever gets in Varna is -8C, but we had a short period of -15C in 2005. Most of the time though it is above freezing and can sometimes reach +20C in January. I would guess that inland is different and it is probably best to protect them. I even have oleanders thriving in Varna.