what about growing palms in Darwin and the Northern Territory ?

[trioderob]

alot of folks from Queensland here - what if you travel north west ?

"Darwin has a tropical savannah climate (Köppen Awgi)[18][19] with distinct wet and dry seasons and the average maximum temperature is similar all year round. The dry season runs from April/May to October (the southern hemisphere winter), during which nearly every day is warm and sunny, and afternoon humidity averages around 30%.[20]

There is very little rainfall between May and September. In the coolest months of June and July, the daily minimum temperature may dip as low as 14 °C (57 °F), but very rarely lower, and frost has never been recorded.

The wet season is associated with tropical cyclones and monsoon rains.[21] The majority of rainfall occurs between December and March (the southern hemisphere summer), when thunderstorms are common and afternoon relative humidity averages over 70 per cent during the wettest months.[20] It does not rain every day during the wet season, but most days are warm to hot with plentiful cloud cover; January averages under 6 hours of bright sunshine daily. Darwin's highest Bureau of Meteorology verified daily rainfall total is 367.6 mm, which fell when Cyclone Carlos bore down on the Darwin area on 16 February 2011[22]

The hottest month is November, just before the onset of the main rainy season. Because of its long dry season, Darwin has the most daily average sunshine hours (8.4) of any Australian capital with the most sunshine from April to November. The sun passes directly overhead in mid October and mid February.[23] Climatically Darwin has more in common with Singapore than Sydney because it sits well inside the tropical zone.

Darwin is located in one of the most lightning-prone areas in the world. On 31 January 2002, an early morning squall line produced over 5,000 cloud to ground lightning strikes within a 60 kilometres (37 mi) radius of Darwin alone which is about 3 times the amount of lightning that Perth, Western Australia, experiences on average in an entire year"

[Bags]

We need a sub forum called "Random thoughts by Trioderob"

Seriously though Triod, you keep things interesting around here.

[Kim]

Ari has documented life and palm growing in Darwin quite extensively here.

[Stevetoad]

We need a sub forum called "Random thoughts by Trioderob"

Seriously though Triod, you keep things interesting around here.

I was thinking the same thing.

[pogobob]

We need a sub forum called "Random thoughts by Trioderob"

Seriously though Triod, you keep things interesting around here.

I was thinking the same thing.

Andy Rooneys job just opened up

[trioderob]

"TRIODE" + ROB = TRIODEROB

A TRIODE:

[tropicbreeze]

You should know better than to quote from Wikipedia. It's not considered a reliable source.

[Gtlevine]

Have you not been paying attention? Some of the best palm posting ever on this board have come from there.

[paulgila]

[Bags]

Oh, you named your self after some obscure light bulb. It is all clear now?

[Miccles]

Darwin and surrounds are a superb place to grow palms ! During the wet season, palms can grow at Mach 1.0 (or slightly under...depending on the species involved of course).

Bear in mind that the Northern Territory varies in climate hugely. Up the northern end, Darwin is about 12 degrees south of the equator. However , the southern part of the territory is smack bang in central Australia - which is dry, arid country. This is where Alice Springs is situated. Summers are boiling hot, but winter days are cool, and winters nights can be below freezing.

More than one Livistona species call the Territory home., and they are all impressive palms.

Darwin: One of my favorite spots in the entire world.

Regards

Michael.

[aussiearoids]

Some of Ari's palms have grown twice as fast as mine ,, planted same time from same source and same size

[Dave-Vero]

I checked John Dowe's book and discovered that my two Carpentarias are Darwin Palms. I won't let any local creationists know that.

In terms of climate, interior southern Florida has a distinctly savannah climate (that's a term that got lots of usage in British North America), what with dry winters and lots of lightning fire at the start of rainy season. So is anyone in Darwin growing our quintessential savannah palm, Serenoa repens? In regularly-burned "dry prairie" they can be a mere 60 cm tall.

[trioderob]

"Oh, you named your self after some obscure light bulb. It is all clear now?"

thats not a light bulb -- do you think I am nuts ?

lets keep hearing about DARWIN.................I spoke many times to blokes from there and alice springs.

san diego to northern territory is an easy path for the ham radio - 73s to ya "old man"

Edited November 20, 2011 by trioderob

[Stevetoad]

My amp has triodes....I like the sound of tube amps over solid state amps...

[Walter John]

Another world

Another time

Like no other

That is Darwin and NT

Come with us next year and see for yourself.

[ariscott]

Darwin is great!!! I am bias because I live here... Gardening is a challenge for sure.. We don't have the rainfall and humidity of FNQ and we have the distinct dry/wet season... it is SO distinct, if you come to Darwin in different time, you would think you are at different place. But yes... palms or plants in general grow SO fast in the wet season... it is like they have reserve all their energy through out the dry, then suddenly, when the wet season comes... they are exploding.

But it is a challenge to keep things (usually newly planted things) to survive the dry season. A lot of stuff has perished and died. We have horrible dry wind that seemed to kill most ultra tropical things... I have managed to do it by trial and errors... probably more errors... but so far so good. I lost less and less every year...

It is a different place... you either like it or hate it. There is nothing in between. Come and experience this place yourself, like Wal said... it is another world!!

Regards, Ari

[Pedro 65]

Darwin is great!!! I am bias because I live here... Gardening is a challenge for sure.. We don't have the rainfall and humidity of FNQ and we have the distinct dry/wet season... it is SO distinct, if you come to Darwin in different time, you would think you are at different place. But yes... palms or plants in general grow SO fast in the wet season... it is like they have reserve all their energy through out the dry, then suddenly, when the wet season comes... they are exploding.

But it is a challenge to keep things (usually newly planted things) to survive the dry season. A lot of stuff has perished and died. We have horrible dry wind that seemed to kill most ultra tropical things... I have managed to do it by trial and errors... probably more errors... but so far so good. I lost less and less every year...

It is a different place... you either like it or hate it. There is nothing in between. Come and experience this place yourself, like Wal said... it is another world!!

Regards, Ari

Now if i go back in time, Stella Maris (now closed) the Vic Hotel in the Mall ( now closed).. Oh us fishermen help keep Darwin lively Ari, its time for you to go and get some snaps of the seeding Lodoicea..( Coco de mer) in Darwin Bot Gardens, AND that Dypsis sp White Petiole in the heart of Darwin. No im giving you directions again... And Rainfall, Darwin had 2400 mm for the first 6 months of this year, thats a hell of a drop, but then theres that long dry spell...but the regular Top End Thunderstorms at the build up of the coming wet make up for the dry, what a Magical time, and so the cycle starts over again. Happy Growing Ari. Pete

[ariscott]

I know which palm, Pete. I have put a photo of it a few times... but just not recently. The last time I went pass it, it was getting dark.... It is quite a nice palm now... although I think the gardener is too happy to clean up the dying fronds. I will get there again... maybe when I go to the waterfront...

Regards, Ari

[peachy]

As somebody who has been to both Darwin and Alice Springs, I personally never wish to see either place ever again as long as I live. In Alice you soak your face in a bucket moisturiser hourly or by the end of a day you would look like a dehydrated prune, its just so bloody hot and dry. In winter you freeze to death, it goes down well below freezing at night and the days arent exactly warm either. Darwin is just plain hot all the time, and in the build up to the wet season the humidity and heat would kill just about anyone not born there or somewhere similar. Throw in the cyclones and you have my approximation of what hell will be like for all the wicked non catholics out there !! So your palms grow fast ....they have to....you wont live long enough to see them grow otherwise. As much as I love my palms and tropical plants, there are a few sacrifices that I refuse to make for them.

Peachy

[Gtlevine]

Wow Peachy, that's throwing your fellow mates under the bus. I guess if I go to Darwin I'll have to go strait to the Pub and meet up with Crocodile Dundee.

[kahili]

Ari-whats the watering situation like for you? How available is water when its so dry? Do you have a well, and if so, is there lots of water? Or is it coming from a lake nearby? Do you have to pay for it? If its hard to come by (either not available or expensive) would it be feasible to dig a large pond and fill it up in the rainy season and then pump it out? I can see why canopies are so important to you. It sounds sort of similiar to here in the summer when we are going through a bad drought. Temps in the high nineties or higher and so oppressively humid. We have gone 6 wks or more without rain and it feels unbearable at times.

[ariscott]

Despite the long dry season, Darwin has been lucky and we have never had water restriction so far. But, since we live in rural residential block, we have a 6 inch bore. It is expensive to drill, but it is a guarantee water supply if you strike water. Darwin has good water table which is replenished annually (despite what the greenies are trying to tell us). Our bore is not as productive as some. It is only about 2l/s, but it is plenty for what we need. It is 54m deep. We have automatic irrigation system and it is on 4 hours a day during the dry season. Once the canopy has grown even more, we should be able to reduce the amount of watering. It is amazing what canopy and mulch do to a garden.

The difference between your place, Kahili, and Darwin in the tropics... we can go 256 days without rain, but it would be in the dry season (winter for you) and it would be absolutely beautiful and perfect weather. 30deg C max with 60% humidity and cool nights. It gets to single digit where I am, whereas about 16deg minimum on the coast. During the wet season when temperature soars and it is the most uncomfortable (when the tourists leave town in big numbers), the rain will start and it makes it all bearable. I hope that answers your questions.

Regards, Ari

[Bags]

"Oh, you named your self after some obscure light bulb. It is all clear now?"

thats not a light bulb -- do you think I am nuts ?

Sorry Rob. I'm just messin with you. Believe me I am in no position to call anyone nuts.

[Walter John]

Here Robert, check these threads out:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=15680&hl=%20darwin%20%20ratpack&st=0

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=8811&st=0&p=217215&hl=0

[trioderob]

WAL-

what a great place to grow palms.

I would bet they are growing 3 to 4x faster there - than in California.

need to visit there some day

[Walter John]

WAL-

what a great place to grow palms.

I would bet they are growing 3 to 4x faster there - than in California.

need to visit there some day

The ratpack are planning a grander return visit late 2012, come along and join us with another group, more the merrier.

[kahili]

Thanks Ari for the all the answers! Going that long without rain seems brutal, I don't think I would like dealing with that-although you sound like watering is not a problem. And I saw your pool-where I would be all day. I still think that Hawaii has the best weather if I had a choice. I absolutely hate the extreme heat/humidity that we have in the summer. By 9 am you start to sweat just standing, not even moving. The plants love it though, and we hardly ever get winds here. My son lives on Maui and sometimes, if he is outside and we are talking on the phone, I can hardly hear him because the wind is so strong-that I don't miss .

[Dave-Vero]

These climate diagrams are from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid.

[ariscott]

Thanks Ari for the all the answers! Going that long without rain seems brutal, I don't think I would like dealing with that-although you sound like watering is not a problem. And I saw your pool-where I would be all day. I still think that Hawaii has the best weather if I had a choice. I absolutely hate the extreme heat/humidity that we have in the summer. By 9 am you start to sweat just standing, not even moving. The plants love it though, and we hardly ever get winds here. My son lives on Maui and sometimes, if he is outside and we are talking on the phone, I can hardly hear him because the wind is so strong-that I don't miss .

Kahili,

There are a lot of other reasons why we live here. We love our gardening, but we also have to have a good job to support our hobbies. Unfortunately, jobs in FNQ in the area that we are after is not paying very well. Darwin is a revolving door and there is always opportunity, if you want to work. Besides, you do acclimitise to the heat easier than you think. I can't imagine living at very very cold places.... where the place looks dead for months at the time. It will be very very sad existence for me...

Darwin is also very quiet but not very far from other Asian centres, if you want some excitement in your life. From the rest of Australia, it is quite isolated. But not from South East Asia. We love to go north for holiday!! Living in Hawaii is not an option for me.... and I think I will feel quite isolated. At least it is only 2 hours plane ride to Bali for me... and 3 hours to Singapore. It is also a very multicultural place.... which is handy for me personally and for my kids. We are doing ok gardening here..... even with the challenges that we have to overcome.

Regards, Ari

Edited November 23, 2011 by ariscott

[kahili]

I think that you are doing great there! It seems to have a great growing environment-esp with irrigation. Not having rain for a long period of time is not the end of the world. I would switch with you in a heart beat. I also hate the cold with a passion. and you are right-everything looks dead in the winter. When we moved here from Hawaii (of which I was not in favor of- it was a compromise between Florida and Vermont (his choice, mine was Florida if we had to come back to the east coast of the mainland) I had a really hard time for the first few years. Still hate the cold and winter. Honestly-Hawaii was not warm enough for me-I always wanted to move closer to the equator. But now Hawaii seems warm enough to me...lol. I would love to move back there, and will at some time, but I have 2 of my 3 kids that live here and for now, I like seeing them and being involved in parts of their lifes etc. I do have a semi-plan where they all move back there. One down-two to go!

Its really the humidity that I don't like-and yes, you get used to it, but I am able to set my work hours where I can start really early, take a long break in the afternoon and work late until dark. Part of the time that it is so humid I don't have to work, so I just get up early to water etc. I envy that you are so close to other places like Bali etc.