Winter 2024/25 - Saving our palms through non-physical means!

[Swolte]

I consider myself a hardcore scientist with no belief in anything spiritual or religious. Yet, after these past brutal years, and in my weaker moments, I find myself silently 'praying' to the northern weather spirits, hoping for kindness this year. Am I alone in this? What helps you cope?

[ahosey01]

3 minutes ago, Swolte said:

I consider myself a hardcore scientist with no belief in anything spiritual or religious. Yet, after these past brutal years, and in my weaker moments, I find myself silently 'praying' to the northern weather spirits, hoping for kindness this year. Am I alone in this? What helps you cope?

I'm on the flip side of this equation.  I consider myself hardcore religious and think much of The Science believes it can explain far more than it can.  Yet, after these past brutal years, I find myself checking Farmer's Almanac, believing the reasons for the wrath of God's weather patterns far outweigh the importance of my prayers to spare my ornamental garden.

I cope through ignorance and hubris and plant stuff like Adonidia because how boring would it be if I didn't?

🤣

[Xenon]

Double down and plant more tropicals! Be even more daring and push the envelope even further 😄 

FOMO is greater than the fear of cold imo. If this winter is on the + side of average/mild, I'll have the only thriving outdoor Euterpe and Cyphophoenix for 100s of miles 😝.

The sinking reality is the things I've protected since 2021 are now too big to protect.  Now I'm just along for the ride I guess...just need to get past the next 3 months. Let's goooo

[Las Palmas Norte]

The realists approach works quite well. Plant what you can to make some pretty good assurances on. Step out of that range on occasion knowing it will need assistance and also knowing it may not make it thru winter.

[ChrisA]

These are awesome replies! Thanks for the chuckle. I spend every summer sweltering here, and by summer I mean April thru October, in absolute awe remembering the few days of each previous winter where the icy wind screeched like a banshee and torched nearly every bit of greenery it found.  It never ceases to amaze me how a place can be so muggy and stuffy 75% or more of the year and yet also have just a couple of days that feel as if your in the northern US experiencing serious winter wrath?? 
 

No that it’s not summer I’m not thinking that way at all.  I’m in complete denial and just know that my queen palm won’t need any protection and it’s gonna sail right thru to April and then outpace those filfera I planted it too close to.  😂

[Chester B]

I've now reached the "F&^% It" stage.  After having to leave an established garden with big palms and many irreplaceable plants, in a way I've lost 100% of my plants previously.  So now, I plant it, if it dies, it dies.  I've already way overbought palms so I have an army of replacements ready.

[DTS]

I've been praying that I don't get a huge artic blast that brings it back down into the negative teens... I've been lucky the past few years!

[Than]

I am schizo; I hate heat and summer and I adore winter and cold but my hobby is tropical plants. If my hobby were different I'd choose to live in the north on some mountain. That would kill all my plants tho, so I don't know what to pray for. 

[MarcusH]

On 11/30/2024 at 9:10 AM, ChrisA said:

These are awesome replies! Thanks for the chuckle. I spend every summer sweltering here, and by summer I mean April thru October, in absolute awe remembering the few days of each previous winter where the icy wind screeched like a banshee and torched nearly every bit of greenery it found.  It never ceases to amaze me how a place can be so muggy and stuffy 75% or more of the year and yet also have just a couple of days that feel as if your in the northern US experiencing serious winter wrath?? 
 

No that it’s not summer I’m not thinking that way at all.  I’m in complete denial and just know that my queen palm won’t need any protection and it’s gonna sail right thru to April and then outpace those filfera I planted it too close to.  😂

I went through 2 Queen palms that I was able to grow from 1 to 2 years but at the end of the day I lost the battle. Lesson learned. I'm probably the least adventurous palm grower here on Palmtalk.  I see what grows successful in my area and I like to stick with it with two exceptions my Sabal Causiarum and W.Robusta  which I consider pretty cold hardy unless we get to the single digits again where things "could " turn upside down.  Fortunately storms like that happen only every once in a century.  While my palms ( 5 W.Filifera, 1 Butia Odorata, W.Robusta and S.Causarium) are young I still would give those light protection if temperatures are forecasted below 18F in the first 5 years. Last year I haven't protected none of my Washies . Only my Robusta got severely damaged where I thought it was gone but surprisingly recovered like nothing ever happened.  I accept the climate where I'm living in and nature is giving me the choice to plant the right palms. I rather be pessimistic than optimistic because not only will it save me money and work but also less stress for me during the few cold months we only have.  Everyone is different,  some like to live on the fast lane and don't mind the financial investments that comes with that hobby and I'm cool with being boring who loves the look of any Sabal and Washie palm. 

[MarcusH]

14 minutes ago, Than said:

I am schizo; I hate heat and summer and I adore winter and cold but my hobby is tropical plants. If my hobby were different I'd choose to live in the north on some mountain. That would kill all my plants tho, so I don't know what to pray for. 

Hi Schizo ! I grew up in Germany where winters can be very long and cold . Can be pretty depressing but I lived without palm trees for 40 years. I know growing palm trees can be an addiction.  It got me.  My interest in growing palms came when I moved here to San Antonio Texas which allows me to grow certain types of palms in this area. I also grow a few palms in pots and I would continue this hobby even if I would move up north in a colder zone. Palms in pots are absolutely fine with me.  Here in North America where palms grow it's either too hot for the most part, too expensive,  natural disasters like hurricanes, floods or yearly wildfires to deal with and so on. Pick your poison lol. 

[ahosey01]

10 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

I went through 2 Queen palms that I was able to grow from 1 to 2 years but at the end of the day I lost the battle. Lesson learned. I'm probably the least adventurous palm grower here on Palmtalk.  I see what grows successful in my area and I like to stick with it with two exceptions my Sabal Causiarum and W.Robusta  which I consider pretty cold hardy unless we get to the single digits again where things "could " turn upside down.  Fortunately storms like that happen only every once in a century.  While my palms ( 5 W.Filifera, 1 Butia Odorata, W.Robusta and S.Causarium) are young I still would give those light protection if temperatures are forecasted below 18F in the first 5 years. Last year I haven't protected none of my Washies . Only my Robusta got severely damaged where I thought it was gone but surprisingly recovered like nothing ever happened.  I accept the climate where I'm living in and nature is giving me the choice to plant the right palms. I rather be pessimistic than optimistic because not only will it save me money and work but also less stress for me during the few cold months we only have.  Everyone is different,  some like to live on the fast lane and don't mind the financial investments that comes with that hobby and I'm cool with being boring who loves the look of any Sabal and Washie palm. 

You can probably also grow most Brahea, the desert Nanorrhops and then more tender stuff that clumps.  There are some weird and beautiful Braheas out there, like decumbens.  Armata in flower is also beautiful.

[Than]

3 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

Hi Schizo ! I grew up in Germany where winters can be very long and cold . Can be pretty depressing but I lived without palm trees for 40 years. I know growing palm trees can be an addiction.  It got me.  My interest in growing palms came when I moved here to San Antonio Texas which allows me to grow certain types of palms in this area. I also grow a few palms in pots and I would continue this hobby even if I would move up north in a colder zone. Palms in pots are absolutely fine with me.  Here in North America where palms grow it's either too hot for the most part, too expensive,  natural disasters like hurricanes, floods or yearly wildfires to deal with and so on. Pick your poison lol. 

I thought about sticking to pots and making my life easier but then again a palm will never look great in a pot.. anywayz

[MarcusH]

1 hour ago, ahosey01 said:

You can probably also grow most Brahea, the desert Nanorrhops and then more tender stuff that clumps.  There are some weird and beautiful Braheas out there, like decumbens.  Armata in flower is also beautiful.

Sure I could but pretty pricey on the other side. Growing from seeds takes way too long .

[ahosey01]

3 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

Sure I could but pretty pricey on the other side. Growing from seeds takes way too long .

Nahhh you just gotta know where to look.

There's a guy named Hal down in Phoenix who has like 36" box Brahea for something like $75 a trunk foot if I remember from way back.  You can get a 3' Brahea armata in flower for like $200.

Take a trip to the desert southwest sometime and get to know some of the palm guys locally and I bet you could find some nice Brahea and other weird desert species for fair prices.

There's a guy down here also who sells Nanorrhops for not much I can put you in contact with.  PM me.

[Looking Glass]

On 11/29/2024 at 2:19 PM, Swolte said:

I consider myself a hardcore scientist with no belief in anything spiritual or religious. Yet, after these past brutal years, and in my weaker moments, I find myself silently 'praying' to the northern weather spirits, hoping for kindness this year. Am I alone in this? What helps you cope?

Just go out there and cackle manically at the sky while giving it the finger.  The neighbors will love you.  

[ChrisA]

9 hours ago, MarcusH said:

I went through 2 Queen palms that I was able to grow from 1 to 2 years but at the end of the day I lost the battle. Lesson learned. I'm probably the least adventurous palm grower here on Palmtalk.  I see what grows successful in my area and I like to stick with it with two exceptions my Sabal Causiarum and W.Robusta  which I consider pretty cold hardy unless we get to the single digits again where things "could " turn upside down.  Fortunately storms like that happen only every once in a century.  While my palms ( 5 W.Filifera, 1 Butia Odorata, W.Robusta and S.Causarium) are young I still would give those light protection if temperatures are forecasted below 18F in the first 5 years. Last year I haven't protected none of my Washies . Only my Robusta got severely damaged where I thought it was gone but surprisingly recovered like nothing ever happened.  I accept the climate where I'm living in and nature is giving me the choice to plant the right palms. I rather be pessimistic than optimistic because not only will it save me money and work but also less stress for me during the few cold months we only have.  Everyone is different,  some like to live on the fast lane and don't mind the financial investments that comes with that hobby and I'm cool with being boring who loves the look of any Sabal and Washie palm. 

I think I’m midway between you and Xenon as far as adventurousness goes.  I get why you’ve given up on the Queens, it is frustrating and stressful when you see the forecast plummet.  I’m interested to see how it goes with your Sabal causiarum. Also I’m inspired by your 2 1/2 year old robusta. In spite of it losing all its fronds last winter it is looking fantastic.  I think robusta is not a bad choice at all for here, sure they may fry every few years and less often than that have to deal with some serious and potentially life threatening cold, but if they survive they bounce back really well.  Here are my two robustas, planted from 1 gallon plants in May of 2023. Two photos from this year and one from last year.
 

Hope mine grow as well as yours! 

 

 

[MarcusH]

10 hours ago, ChrisA said:

I think I’m midway between you and Xenon as far as adventurousness goes.  I get why you’ve given up on the Queens, it is frustrating and stressful when you see the forecast plummet.  I’m interested to see how it goes with your Sabal causiarum. Also I’m inspired by your 2 1/2 year old robusta. In spite of it losing all its fronds last winter it is looking fantastic.  I think robusta is not a bad choice at all for here, sure they may fry every few years and less often than that have to deal with some serious and potentially life threatening cold, but if they survive they bounce back really well.  Here are my two robustas, planted from 1 gallon plants in May of 2023. Two photos from this year and one from last year.
 

Hope mine grow as well as yours! 

 

 

Hi Chris, honestly I didn't think my Robusta wouldn't make it after a partial spear pull.  There was only a giant hole left but apparently not the entire spear was gone.  Surprisingly a couple of weeks later I saw the deformed spear growing out. I water my Robusta 2 to 3 times a week from mid February to late November.  Since the mornings are cold I water it every 2 weeks. This is a new strategy for me because I want my palms to go dormant this winter, I guess last winter I watered them too much and kept them out of dormancy.  Just a theory. As for the recovery process goes these Robustas recovery insanely fast. Give them water and fertilizer and 3 to 4 months later your crown is grown back.  

I hope I can successfully grow my Sabal Causiarum.  According to its cold hardiness it shouldn't have a problem of surviving.  If not it will be replaced probably by a Mexicana but larger size this time. 

I like your group planting on that little hill . Wahsies look best in group planting.  I should have done that before. 

[ChrisA]

I think you're going to be fine with the Sabal causairum.  If you protect for its first three or four winters when it gets obscenely cold I bet it's going to sail through. I think the Botanical Garden's would've survived if they gave it some time.  Not sure that they take the best care of their palms and not sure how they logically can throw away decades of time it takes to grow a tree so large and start with a blank slate again.  Maybe it was destined to die, but I would've personally given it more time.

 

I've got a third W. robusta still in a pot from about the time I bought the other two.  Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I really need to get it in the ground somewhere in the spring!!

[EJPalm05]

On 11/29/2024 at 2:19 PM, Swolte said:

I consider myself a hardcore scientist with no belief in anything spiritual or religious. Yet, after these past brutal years, and in my weaker moments, I find myself silently 'praying' to the northern weather spirits, hoping for kindness this year. Am I alone in this? What helps you cope?

Last winter was mild and HOPEFULLY This one too!

[Banana Belt]

There are three things that make success or for something to work as planned.  Knowledge, experience and luck, but when having only two choices one must always be luck.  Both knowledge and experience combined will never substitute for luck, because if one is out of luck there is no chance at all.  If praying helps luck, do it.