How should I overwinter this Sabal Minor?

[Colin1110082]

Hello, this is my Sabal Minor I planted back in June in Zone 6A in Massachusetts. It is raised above the ground up on a rock wall. How should I overwinter it? Hoping there is a way where I can somehow take the lid off and get some air and sun if the weather is nice, which sometimes it is. Thanks

[Harry’s Palms]

That is very young and newly planted so protection is the only hope. I would build a frame work of garden stakes that you can easily slip a cover on and off . It would be good to put a small LED light bulb in with it . Even LED bulbs produce a small amount of heat which should be enough to keep the palm from getting too cold . I live in an area that doesn’t need it but I have seen others on this forum with some pretty neat ideas . Harry

[Las Palmas Norte]

If I lived in a zone 6a climate, I'd steer clear of LED lights as a supplemental heat source. You'll need more than a small amount of heat source. Incandescent lights would be far more beneficial as would be the already stated shelter.

[Colin1110082]

1 hour ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

If I lived in a zone 6a climate, I'd steer clear of LED lights as a supplemental heat source. You'll need more than a small amount of heat source. Incandescent lights would be far more beneficial as would be the already stated shelter.

Would you say lights are necessary I reached out to northeast Ohio palms where I got the plant and they said to build a little box out of garden stakes like Harry said  and use a few layers of frost cloth wrapped around it and surround the box with lots and lots of mulch. Reason I ask is because isn’t that a fire hazard?

[Allen]

The ones from NE Ohio Palms take damage under 5F and significant damage under 0F.  A Leaf cage with dry large leaves or a shelter and a spotlight bulb on a thermocube or incandescent Xmas lights turned on only when temps go close to 5F. 

[Las Palmas Norte]

⇪ This ⇪

[Colin1110082]

3 hours ago, Allen said:

The ones from NE Ohio Palms take damage under 5F and significant damage under 0F.  A Leaf cage with dry large leaves or a shelter and a spotlight bulb on a thermocube or incandescent Xmas lights turned on only when temps go close to 5F. 

Yes my whole plan originally was to use dry leaves but they said it could cause rot and us mine isn’t on ground level it’s above so it might take more damage due to frost. How should I put the bulb inside  I’ve never done this so I have no idea what to use for the lid and such. Like I said I wanted to do leaves but northeast said it could cause rot.

[Allen]

Use these if you don't want to take the advice on the leaves.  http://amzn.com/dp/B00KWUBWBE .  Tie the fronds to make it smaller and wrap around and turn on as needed.  These won't burn it.

[Colin1110082]

8 hours ago, Allen said:

Use these if you don't want to take the advice on the leaves.  http://amzn.com/dp/B00KWUBWBE .  Tie the fronds to make it smaller and wrap around and turn on as needed.  These won't burn it.

Can I put these directly on the plant? Or should I wrap it around the inside perimeter of the box 

[DTS]

52 minutes ago, Colin1110082 said:

Can I put these directly on the plant? Or should I wrap it around the inside perimeter of the box 

directly on the plant

[Jack Lord]

Leaf cages work very well. Before you dump the leaves on it, wrapt the plant the best you can in burlap. That helps prevent rot and keeps the leaves from crushing any stems. The leaves should be bone dry and pack them tightly in there. That keeps precipitation from causing the aforementioned rot.

You could also wrap it in burlap and put a trash can over it. Then cover the trash can with a paint tarp. Perhaps put a light bulb in there as well? That worked for my Trachy until it grew too big, but I am in Zone 7a. The advantage of that is you can easily remove when the weather is tolerable. The disadvantage is it may not be enough for Zone 6b. Not to mention the Sabal will grow too big for it in a year or two.

My Sabals no longer need protection. I use C9 lights for my Trachy.  At the very least, I would get some those pronto.

[Allen]

Watch this vid he is a friend of mine from Cincinnati OH.  Here are his palms after 1F, spotting which eventually got a little worse.  His little cage for the needle take a look at.  The needle was wrapped to avoid spear pull for a couple years while it got bigger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwrZ4W8o7b8

 

[Colin1110082]

On 9/26/2024 at 7:58 PM, Allen said:

Watch this vid he is a friend of mine from Cincinnati OH.  Here are his palms after 1F, spotting which eventually got a little worse.  His little cage for the needle take a look at.  The needle was wrapped to avoid spear pull for a couple years while it got bigger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwrZ4W8o7b8

 

I’m surprised the one closer to the building got more damage.

Northeast Ohio Palms said “We then cover the whole cylinder, top and sides, with 2-4 layers of white frost cloth. I put the top layers on first leaving a bit of excess hanging down the sides. Use clear packing tape to go around the sides around the the cylinder to secure the top piece. Next wrap the sides and again secure with the packing tape around in several spots to keep the fabric tight. 

 

This method allows air space and some airflow, as well as some light, which is good for the tree. Use a few inches of mulch inside the cage on the ground and outside around the structure. I do not recommend using leaves, I have seen that cause rotting when the tree is packed in them.”

This method sounds solid enough, I’ll cover my banana with leaves and a tarp but the palm I don’t want to risk it so i’ll go to home depot and buy a few large sheets of frost cloth. Just nit sure what I will use for the lid. He said to make it slightly larger so I can re use it for a few years.

[Colin1110082]

On 9/26/2024 at 7:58 PM, Allen said:

Watch this vid he is a friend of mine from Cincinnati OH.  Here are his palms after 1F, spotting which eventually got a little worse.  His little cage for the needle take a look at.  The needle was wrapped to avoid spear pull for a couple years while it got bigger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwrZ4W8o7b8

 

Also unrelated, but how come my windmill frond tips are turning black? 

[Allen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV3d1bg2wa0

For the windmill potted is not as healthy and maybe underwatered

[Ben G.]

When I lived in Oklahoma, I had small sabal minor survive -14F as an absolute low. They also survived 6 out of 8 winters going below 0F. So, I think just a solid leaf layer of mulch will keep your palm alive. If you want to keep it undamaged, it will take just a little more effort.

I think many of the wrapping and heating methods mentioned above will work for you. I would personally go very low tech though. A simple leaf cage in which maybe part of the fronds are left exposed for most of the winter would probably work fine. If you expect temps below maybe 10F (probably 5F after it is better established), cover the fronds entirely and cover with something like a trash can to keep freezing rain, ice, or snow off.

I have never had issues with rotting sabal leaves due to wet leaf litter. I even had sabal minor seedlings sit uncovered in a flower bed that was watered by a sprinkler from my aerobic septic system. So, imagine sabal seedlings getting sprayed and soaked every morning all winter long. That bed often looked like an ice sculpture in the winter. All of my Musa Basjoo stumps and sabal seedlings would be coated with ice most mornings all winter. They always came through alive though.

 

[Ben G.]

Here are a few photos of sabal minor seedlings that survived for years in the woods on my Oklahoma property. (Including the -14F in 2021) They received no winter protection or any supplemental water either:

[Colin1110082]

6 minutes ago, Ben G. said:

Here are a few photos of sabal minor seedlings that survived for years in the woods on my Oklahoma property. (Including the -14F in 2021) They received no winter protection or any supplemental water either:

I’ll try the leaf method then. I’ll just have to make sure they are very dry. What should I use as my leaf cage because I don’t want to use just chicken wire because water will get in and rot it. Probably would have to use a tarp or like you said I can tie it up very tight and put a trash can over the whole thing. 

[Colin1110082]

2 hours ago, Allen said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV3d1bg2wa0

For the windmill potted is not as healthy and maybe underwatered

You’re probably right about the windmill, I just gave it a good water. 

[Colin1110082]

Pop up Mini Greenhouse, Plant Protector and Frost Cover for Plants https://a.co/d/irbEaZt

Can I use this on the top of the plant, and do a thick layer of mulch around the bottom and maybe even wrap this in another layer of frost fabric or is this not enough? I see little green house covers on amazon that seem a lot easier than building one, but then again they might not be as good. At least this one here allows light and humidity to be trapped which is what they obviously like and maybe with some extra mulch and the thermocube with lights could be good