Hello everyone,

   I just put up my winter protection yesterday and I had a couple of questions.  The biggest one being, will my palms be okay with no sunlight for the next 4 months?  I have T. fortunei (right) wrapped with frost cloth with a heat lamp attached to a thermo-cube.  The Needle (left) is tied together surrounded by straw / leaves.  It has a frost cloth roof with plastic corrugated roofing over it.  Can I just leave it for 4 months? No watering / sunlight?  There are small ventilation holes in the back of each box and doors that I can open if it gets too warm.  Thanks for the help!

No sunlight for 4 months is not a problem.  A 'heat lamp' might build up significant heat in a box, it's hard to know.  You need a temperature sensor in the boxes to see what's going on.  It needs to be close to the spear.  The thermocube needs to be placed close to spear.  I prefer the incandescent Christmas lights so it is even, gentle heating.

Edited November 7, 20196 yr by Allen

9 minutes ago, Allen said:

No sunlight for 4 months is not a problem.  A 'heat lamp' might build up significant heat in a box, it's hard to know.  

Thanks for the reply.  I have a 125 watt heat lamp which is half the normal output.  But my thought was the thermo-cube would regulate the amount that it is on.  This being my first year with a windmill I am curious how it does...

You have to monitor Thermo-Cubes on a regular basis because they can quit working at any time.  For a few dollars more you can get a high quality digital thermostat with a remote sensor and 1 degree differential.  

Your palms will continue to produce leaves without sunlight but they will be pale yellow.  If you will periodically open the boxes during the day when temperatures are above 28-30F the new leaves will be able to produce some chlorophyll.      

@Steve in Florida  could you possibly post / send me a link to what you are talking about with the remote sensor? Thanks!

Inkbird Temperature Controllers have worked flawlessly for me.

7 hours ago, kbob11 said:

Thanks for the reply.  I have a 125 watt heat lamp which is half the normal output.  But my thought was the thermo-cube would regulate the amount that it is on.  This being my first year with a windmill I am curious how it does...

it will go on/off a lot with heat on one side of plant.  

1 hour ago, Steve in Florida said:

Inkbird Temperature Controllers have worked flawlessly for me.

I looked at those on Amazon and they only measure down to 40F

49 minutes ago, Allen said:

I looked at those on Amazon and they only measure down to 40F

I just looked doesn’t it say -40f?

1 hour ago, kbob11 said:

I just looked doesn’t it say -40f?

 

I'm blind.  Having a rough day, you're right.

You guys are jerks, i just bought a thermocube and now you're making me feel like I need to upgrade even before I started.

KBob, whereabouts in MA are you? I am in Newburyport (Northeastern coast) and we are still in the 50's, dipping into the high 40's on occasion. I'm curious why you set these up so early? They look nice though. 

What temperature will it remain inside the boxes? I'll be curious how it all works out. 

@The Silent Seed  I am up on the hills in Worcester.  We had 29f this morning 22f tom.  Most nights for the next week will be below freezing.   I went ahead and bought a wifi Inkbird and plan on keeping it set 35-45f.