How to protect from this freeze.

[Jim in Los Altos]

Tonight's going to be the coldest night since '98 I'm pretty sure. It's not even 9 PM and the mercury is already down to 35F. The air is very still too. I'm not going overboard on artificial protection other than a few cardboard boxes over a few of my small marginals and several beach umbrellas over some of the bigger ones. All 40 Archys are on their own, the only palms in my yard that I'm expecting some damage to. I think there will be some damage to some companion plants too like my large Ficus elastica and several variegated ones, hibiscus, Heliconias, Hawaiian Ti, and Iresine herbisii. This will be the coldest my bromeliads have ever been too and my yard has hundreds of them. I've quit obsessing over what might happen and I'll just deal with whatever happens later. It's all my clients that I'm more concerned about but so far I've only heard from one who's big Giant Bird of Paradise have been fried already. It's funny because she lives two blocks from me and none of my Streletzia nicholi have been touched. Knowing your individual microclimates is so important. This is going to be a fun night.    

[The Germinator]

Glenn, I found  @ the Walmart in Santa Fe Springs Ca.

They are already on sale, 2 for 6 bucks. I guess no one was buying them. Inside in the Garden section by all the Garden accesories.

They are called Plant Gardian but I can not find any info on the Net about them. They are made of styrofoam.

[RadPalms]

This is what I did to help protect my young palms.  This morining checking them it did seem to be a little warmer inside than outside.....hope it works

[RadPalms]

Here is a second picture showing the palms inside......

[SubTropicRay]

Curt,

How are keeping the tarp suspended under the tent?

It looks pretty warm in there.

Ray

[RadPalms]

With a friend helping me we wraped the shade cloth around the top rail poles and used little zip ties through the weave in the shade cloth....about 4 per side....My girl freinds idea was to use a couple of shower curtins per side....which I thought was smart...could use it for a greenhouse after this crazy weather is over

[RadPalms]

Ray......I am sorry to say that my structure did not work...All of my foxtails and bottle palm suffered greatly.  The fronds are all deep brown....The spears on most are still green and I am hoping that they spring back from this...The palms lucky enough to make it into the garage last night made it through fine....So I cleaned out my garage and put them all in. except my larger palms that won't fit.........Why did I get into this palm stuff the worst winter since 98......I think of them as my kids and I failed again..............