Do my palms need protection during their first winter in zone 7b?

[knikfar]

Back in March, I ordered and planted three 5 gallon trachycarpus novas on the south side of my house. I planted them early in order to give them the most time possible to establish their roots before their first winter. They're each about 3.5' tall. I'm just wondering if I should provide them with any protection since this will be their first winter in the ground. I'm in Raleigh, NC, which is on the zone 7b side of zone 8a. Anyone have advice? 

[Fusca]

24 minutes ago, knikfar said:

Back in March, I ordered and planted three 5 gallon trachycarpus novas on the south side of my house. I planted them early in order to give them the most time possible to establish their roots before their first winter. They're each about 3.5' tall. I'm just wondering if I should provide them with any protection since this will be their first winter in the ground. I'm in Raleigh, NC, which is on the zone 7b side of zone 8a. Anyone have advice? 

I would protect them on nights below 25°F this winter but should be OK after that.  From what I understand from a local grower even small fortunei can be wimps their first winter in the ground and spear-pull around 20°F although I have no experience with nova which I am guessing is slightly less cold-hardy.   Hopefully someone else with experience with this species can offer their thoughts.

[PalmatierMeg]

As they are only 3.5' tall and there are only 3 of them I advise you protect if temps fall below 25F. I protected a lot of my stuff for years using everything from flannel sheets from Goodwill to blankets, towels, jackets, hoodies, even tshirts. Sometimes I wrapped plants then set an overturned plastic trash can over them (Kerriodoxa elegans). I secured wrappings with wooden clothespins. This being FL I usually removed wrappings after sun came up and temps rose. Now almost everything is too large to protect.

Winter 2009 Cape Coral, FL