How to keep them warm

[nomolos]

Wondering what cold protection strategies people use.

I have heard large pebbles around the base to catch daytime warmth. Also using big black plastic containers filled with water to catch heat from the sun to

[nomolos]

...be released at night (message above seemed to post by itself before it was ready)

What works what doesn't?

IMG]http://scosoft.com/h/Flowers/1c4a57e2.gif

[Logolight]

I use two strands of outdoor Christmas lights in my small greenhouse an also cover it with blankets.  With an OAT of 25F I've gotten the greenhouse temp to 70F.

[wendisplantation]

Wow, from just 2 strands of Christmas lights? That's great!!

I have a home made greenhouse that my boyfriend and I made from a couple of frames of chain link dog kennels (w/o the chain link). I cover it with the thickest clearish plastic I can find. The first  year I used my Coleman lantern to heat it the few times that I needed to. I was really worried though about the carbon monoxide output from it.

This past winter I didn't even use it at all because of the milder temps.  I took the rescued Cocos in the house (because I still can)and a few seedlings that had sprouted late in the Fall, only when forecast to reach 45 or below. Everything else went into what I lovingly refer to as the "vine cave"- a small cave-like structure made by Mother Nature under the trees on the west side of the house. That is the best cover near my land- a little micro-climate. No Frost, ever in the 14 years I've been here, my tree ferns live there year round so they don't burn to death.

The 3 queens I have got no cover- I have many , many different Phoenix species 1 yr or less that also got no cover at all, all doing well.

The only other thing that got covered was the in ground Adonidia triplet, small enough to cover with a large plastic outdoor trash can,as well as 2 baby wodyetia, 3 yrs old(my very first 2 seeds ever germed). That worked great, stayed nice and warm under there.

i see people wrap crownshaft areas with blankets and tie up fronds (if possible). Many people in my area have white Christmas lights wrapped around their various palms' trunks.

I'm sure more info will come....

[nomolos]

Something I thought of. There was a band called 'three dog night' - Joy to the world, black and white..... The band got their name from the Australian Aboriginies, it refered to when a aborigine was on a hunting expedition (I think) it was how many dogs it took them warm on a very cold night. Maybe we could get our dogs to sleep with our palms to keep them warm.    :laugh:

[Tyrone]

Sol,

What are you trying to grow and what sort of temps are you trying to achieve?

I always try a north facing aspect against a wall of the house under the eaves with rocks etc around the base of my really sensitive marginal palms. Clear plastic tents can also harness the suns warmth and block all of the wind. Any more warmth requires electrical help, but I've never gone that far outside of a heated greenhouse.

best regards

Tyrone

[Logolight]

Another way of harnessing daytime heat is to place a black fabric or a black painted sheet of wood or cardboard along the inside back wall of the greenhouse.  I've found this works well in partial sun or cooler days.

[freekypalmguy]

What about for larger plants in the ground that would be difficult to cover? Would propane heaters and fans work during cold spells?

[Kris]

Dear Sol  

i think you guys should all move in to South India !  

this is the only cost free remady...no expensive heaters, lighting expenses or greenhouses_how is that !

hey just joking  

Love,

Kris  

[Tyrone]

(krisachar @ Apr. 05 2007,12:08)

QUOTE

Dear Sol  

i think you guys should all move in to South India !  

this is the only cost free remady...no expensive heaters, lighting expenses or greenhouses_how is that !

hey just joking  

Love,

Kris  

Yes Kris,

I'd love a more tropical climate, but there are some advantages to our climate.

We can grow Howea, Hedyscepe and Rhopalostylis.

Best regards

Tyrone

PS but you can grow Cyrtostachys and we can't

[nomolos]

(Tyrone @ Apr. 06 2007,00:23)

QUOTE

(krisachar @ Apr. 05 2007,12:08)

QUOTE

Dear Sol  

i think you guys should all move in to South India !  

this is the only cost free remady...no expensive heaters, lighting expenses or greenhouses_how is that !

hey just joking  

Love,

Kris  

Yes Kris,

I'd love a more tropical climate, but there are some advantages to our climate.

We can grow Howea, Hedyscepe and Rhopalostylis.

Best regards

Tyrone

PS but you can grow Cyrtostachys and we can't

Don't forget parajubea and Ceroxlyn

[Kris]

Dear Folks  

as the proverb goes the grass is always greener on the other side of the bank(an indian proverb).or the neighbours wife is

more preetier than mine..

what iam saying here is there are some fentastic plants_trees

that you guys have,that i cannot grow or even dream to grow

in my hot climate.

so its all part of life_"to have and not to ".

Love,

Kris  

[nomolos]

(krisachar @ Apr. 07 2007,03:07)

QUOTE

Dear Folks  

as the proverb goes the grass is always greener on the other side of the bank(an indian proverb).or the neighbours wife is

more preetier than mine..

what iam saying here is there are some fentastic plants_trees

that you guys have,that i cannot grow or even dream to grow

in my hot climate.

so its all part of life_"to have and not to ".

Love,

Kris  

That's true, I still like to try though, some species that were thought of as tropical in their requirements years ago proved to be adaptable to temperate climates.

One interesting thing I read was about mulching, it said mulcing is not recommened where only light frosts occur. This is because it acts as an insulator and stops the soil from warming during the day. At night no heat is then released.

This is why you see frost on mulched areas but no bare dirt close by.

Cheers

Sol

[nomolos]

that should be none on bare dirt close by

[nomolos]

(Tyrone @ Apr. 05 2007,10:38)

QUOTE

Sol,

What are you trying to grow and what sort of temps are you trying to achieve?

I always try a north facing aspect against a wall of the house under the eaves with rocks etc around the base of my really sensitive marginal palms. Clear plastic tents can also harness the suns warmth and block all of the wind. Any more warmth requires electrical help, but I've never gone that far outside of a heated greenhouse.

best regards

Tyrone

Hi Tyrone trying to grow various caryota, dypsis, arenga, attalea, pritchardia, ravenea

trying to add a few degrees 2-5 celsius over night to the tender ones

[Tyrone]

Sol,

I've found that the plastic tents with rocks around the base of the palm will hold close to 4C if they get some strong sun during the day. The downside is, once the plants get bigger so does the tent. The theory is once a plant has outgrown a decent size tent it should be OK on it's own, unless you're growing something way out of your climate zone like Deckenia nobilis, in which case your baby will be lost.

It's amazing how attached one can become to their babied palm.

regards

Tyrone