Looks like I'm headed for PINE TALK!

[BeaumontTropics]

hey all,

this most recent cold snap has already begun to defoliate many of my palms and it just turned December! Typically, our coldest time of the year is late december, through most of January. But with temps already recorded in the very low 30's (being generous at that) probably high 20's, several species have begun to turn for the worse.

My roystoneas (regia's) have already begun to "bronze" and not in a good way. Same with my Caryotas, Kings, some Chamadoreas, Beccariophoenix Alfredi, Arenga Micanthra, Chamberyonia Macrocarpa, and last but not least, Marojeyja Darianii. Things are not looking great.

I have blanketed every tree with cotton stuffed burlap sacks, from the top of the heart down to the dirt, taped it snug and keeping my fingers crossed. On weekends when I'm home, i'll turn the patio heaters on nearby for additional warmth, however this is not possible at night due to the fact that I'll be sleeping and don't want to burn the house down. Although if i lose all my palms this winter, that might be an option worth considering. I hope none of you are employed by my homeowners insurance carrier!

I'll update with pics this weekend, hopefully it will get above 50* F this weekend at some point so I can go outside and take a closer look. I fear if this fails I'll be forced to succomb to the depths of PINE Talk, and not PALM TALK. And I just refuse to limit myself to cold hardy palms, there's only so many butias, braheas, washintonias, queens and trachies before I lose inspiration for growing palms.

Winter is such an a$$ kicking bummer! I miss Summer so much already!

FINS SHRIVELED AND FREEZING COLD!

-eric

[epicure3]

Sorry, Eric. It can be cruel sometimes.

[epicure3]

Sorry, Eric. It can be cruel sometimes.

Double post for feeling double bad.

(and I hit post 2X)

[DoomsDave]

Eric:

Back in ancient times, when men were men, women were men, etc., I lived in Highland in San Bernardino, right near what was then Norton Air Force Base.

Ah, that first fiery summer, 1986!

Oh, that cold, frigid winter, 1986-87! It got so cold my pipes froze. I had to resort to the old trick of letting the water drip all night to prevent that.

I don't know exactly how cold it got, but it had to be well down into the 20s, F, even lower in some spots (oleanders froze).

At that time, I appreciated the charms of a warmer area, like OC.

I feel your pain, and it's getting cold down here, too.

[DoomsDave]

Eric:

COver that Margy! Every night.

It's tender.

[bahia]

You are not the only one dreading what this early onset of cold weather in California may have in store for us. My own garden in Berkeley is still looking pretty good, but I don't have any really tender palms that can't take at least 27/28F temps, but it is kind of shocking that it is already down to near freezing for almost a week now, after it was up to 80F for about 4 or 5 days in a row in mid November. Just like you, I had become used to the worst bout of cold danger coming at the end of December into the first weeks of January. Like you, I have so many tender things planted out in the garden, I almost wouldn't know where to start with protecting things, and get lazy here most winters and do nothing until the second night of a predicted freeze after I see the first night's damage. Is this first wave of cold just a taste of what we will see for the next couple of months? I sure hope not. I am most inclined to protect the Howeia forsteriana's above all else, because they take so damn long to outgrow the damage. But I suppose the Chamaedorea tepelijote's and C. costaricana are equally at risk, and then the Rhopalostylis baurei and Archontophoenix cunninghamiana's and the Chamaedorea plumosa's. I seem to be gravitating more to the hardier palm species these days in new gardens for clients, because I am tired of spending a 2 or 3 whole days racing all over Berkeley, Oakland and Alameda trying to protect 15 foot tall palms in client's gardens. I usually don't really worry much unless it looks like it will drop below 28/29F here, which is typically the worst it ever gets except for bad year freezes such as 1990 and 1998 and then again in 2007.

Here's hoping the jet stream doesn't decide to get stuck pumping continuous cold air direct from Alaska straight down the west coast for weeks at a time, but who can say! Glad I live right by the bay where it is only uncomfortable lately in the mornings, and not actually freezing, but 35F at 7 am as it has been for almost a week is really getting old already. So far all that has gotten any frost damage is boring old Coleus, but I miss that deep orange foliage already...

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Have a look at The Dick Douglas thread to see how awesome a cold hardy palm garden can be - his looks fantastic .

There is no point having a heap of palms that even though alive look like they are not mean't to grow in your particular microclimate .

[palmcurry]

At that time, I appreciated the charms of a warmer area, like OC.

I live in South OC and I scrapped ice off my car windshield twice this week. Of course I'm at the bottom of a creek basin at sealevel. Coooooooooooold mornings!

[BS Man about Palms]

I can't kick you while you're down...

[Patricia-CR]

Sorry to hear that, especially after such hard work is put into those beloved palms. Maybe, thinking about reprogramming your garden is a good idea, so that such hard work could be enjoyed during winter too.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Patricia-CR

[freakypalmguy]

One word for you my brutha, Hybrids.

[quaman58]

Have a look at The Dick Douglas thread to see how awesome a cold hardy palm garden can be - his looks fantastic .

Eric,

Now I feel bad about all those mean things I said. I didn't think it was really going to happen. If it makes you feel any better, my Roystoneas bronzed as well. But I agree with Troy on this. Give long term thought to tropical looking, but cold hardy palms. Develope the canopy, then go crazy planting your Cryostachys renda underneath. Patience grasshopper..This will pass.

Bret

[DoomsDave]

At that time, I appreciated the charms of a warmer area, like OC.

I live in South OC and I scrapped ice off my car windshield twice this week. Of course I'm at the bottom of a creek basin at sealevel. Coooooooooooold mornings!

Egad!

Gadzooks!

[Shon]

Old BSman ( yeah I said old) can tell you about my early days as a palm grower. You THINK your area is bulletproof but mother nature slaps ypu back to reality. Listen to Brett get some canopy find your microclimates then plant the zone pushers. There are plenty of cold hardy stuff that is tropical looking.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Shon

[BS Man about Palms]

My ass is old and its gonna kick yours!

[_Keith]

Been there, froze that.

[BeaumontTropics]

Have a look at The Dick Douglas thread to see how awesome a cold hardy palm garden can be - his looks fantastic .

Eric,

Now I feel bad about all those mean things I said. I didn't think it was really going to happen. If it makes you feel any better, my Roystoneas bronzed as well. But I agree with Troy on this. Give long term thought to tropical looking, but cold hardy palms. Develope the canopy, then go crazy planting your Cryostachys renda underneath. Patience grasshopper..This will pass.

Bret

Old BSman ( yeah I said old) can tell you about my early days as a palm grower. You THINK your area is bulletproof but mother nature slaps ypu back to reality. Listen to Brett get some canopy find your microclimates then plant the zone pushers. There are plenty of cold hardy stuff that is tropical looking.

Sorry Shon,

But if there's two things in this world I won't do, it's drink cheap booze and listen to Bret. Unfortunately, I can't agree with your opinion of cold hardy tropical looking palms either. The only thing close to the beauty of a tropical

Royal is a Dictyocaryum Lamareckianum, (sorry for the typo, I'm too lazy to look up the spelling on that one.) and those are even more tender than the royals. To me, Parajubea tor-tor's and things of that nature might be somewhat exotic, but they are a distant, and I mean a distant second to actual coco's, chambyos, shaving brush's, mealy bugs, etc. Decipiens isn't a bad palm, it just grows too damn slow for me. I don't ever want to buy a palm that I'm not going to enjoy until 10-15 years from now. Despite all the tails of Super red, and even your epic case of your decipiens that's grown fast, they just don't impress me.

I'm as equally stubborn as I am impatient. What can I say? If a lottery jackpot ever comes to fruition, the fist order of business will be to go where there's never a winter! Bah Humbug!

And as for you Bret,

Don't lay off now! Now's the time to do your worst! I expect more from you. I'm not throwing in the towel yet, I'll rally. Come march at the first hint of warm weather again, I'll be off to some exotic palms dealer to buy stuff I can't grow don't worry! This is just my winter "yip" that I go through every year. What's unfortunate is usually this doesn't hit me until late December, often late January, which is good because then winter is almost over and it starts warming up soon. I guess this year will be a long "yip" phase. But don't let that stop you from being the unbearable monster heckler that you are!

[quaman58]

Have a look at The Dick Douglas thread to see how awesome a cold hardy palm garden can be - his looks fantastic .

Eric,

Now I feel bad about all those mean things I said. I didn't think it was really going to happen. If it makes you feel any better, my Roystoneas bronzed as well. But I agree with Troy on this. Give long term thought to tropical looking, but cold hardy palms. Develope the canopy, then go crazy planting your Cryostachys renda underneath. Patience grasshopper..This will pass.

Bret

And as for you Bret,

Don't lay off now! Now's the time to do your worst! I expect more from you. I'm not throwing in the towel yet, I'll rally. Come march at the first hint of warm weather again, I'll be off to some exotic palms dealer to buy stuff I can't grow don't worry! This is just my winter "yip" that I go through every year. What's unfortunate is usually this doesn't hit me until late December, often late January, which is good because then winter is almost over and it starts warming up soon. I guess this year will be a long "yip" phase. But don't let that stop you from being the unbearable monster heckler that you are!

That's the spirit Eric. Have another Jack Daniels, turn on some Jimmy Buffet, & then consider some Adonidia merelli seedlings that I have for sale. I'll give you a great deal, what with you being a friend & all..

[BeaumontTropics]

I can't kick you while you're down...

Please do BS Man,

I could use a good kicking now and then! Besides, I'll look at the bright side. Whatever doesn't kill my palms only makes them stronger, right? I might be onto something. I might have the hardiest tropical palms ever!

[JASON M]

I can't kick you while you're down...

Please do BS Man,

I could use a good kicking now and then! Besides, I'll look at the bright side. Whatever doesn't kill my palms only makes them stronger, right? I might be onto something. I might have the hardiest tropical palms ever!

Hmm, I don't know about that... if my needle makes it through the winter here cough*5b*cough then maybe it's mine it's been surviving these 10F days... well, mornings and nights, in the afternoons its 20-30F.

[BeaumontTropics]

Touche, Jason, touche!

However, I think the Needle has recorded surviving temps of -5F in certain instances. At least, according to some literature I've come across. And if that is the case, I'd hardly consider that particular

species..tropical.

You're doing great work holding down the palm territory in WI though! Keep it up brother!

-eric

[BS Man about Palms]

I can't kick you while you're down...

Please do BS Man,

I could use a good kicking now and then! Besides, I'll look at the bright side. Whatever doesn't kill my palms only makes them stronger, right? I might be onto something. I might have the hardiest tropical palms ever!

What number is your Stalag for your palms? They go with you in a car to a place they've never been, to never be seen again. By anyone, except the trashman. Very sad really.

[Shon]

You'll learn or you'll go broke buying new ones. I admire your tenacity though.

[BeaumontTropics]

I can't kick you while you're down...

Please do BS Man,

I could use a good kicking now and then! Besides, I'll look at the bright side. Whatever doesn't kill my palms only makes them stronger, right? I might be onto something. I might have the hardiest tropical palms ever!

What number is your Stalag for your palms? They go with you in a car to a place they've never been, to never be seen again. By anyone, except the trashman. Very sad really.

That's more like it BS Man! No worries, it's not like you're going to be unscathed from these winter spells either. If my Royals and Kings die here, there's a good chance your Dypsis Prestoniana, and other exotics may share the same fate where you are.

[BeaumontTropics]

I can't kick you while you're down...

Please do BS Man,

I could use a good kicking now and then! Besides, I'll look at the bright side. Whatever doesn't kill my palms only makes them stronger, right? I might be onto something. I might have the hardiest tropical palms ever!

What number is your Stalag for your palms? They go with you in a car to a place they've never been, to never be seen again. By anyone, except the trashman. Very sad really.

Oh, and don't worry about my P.O.W. camp for my palms. I've been playing lots of Jimmy Buffett and Island music over the loudspeakers, watering with boiled warm water, and letting my pet toucan out occasionally to play amongst the palms. How's that for propaganda?