Cold weather container ranch maintenance in CA etc

[DoomsDave]

Winter weather here can be tricky to deal with when you've got palms in pots.

1. On one hand, it can get cool and damp for days or weeks on end, and some palms like Hyophorbes, Royals and many Chrysalidocarpus (Dypsis) tend to stop growing and rot.

2. On the other, it can get really really searingly dry with Santa Ana winds or similar dry winds. If you're not careful, your potted plants can dry out on you unexpectedly.

One thing I've found helpful is to put things like in No. 1 under sheltering eves, porches or palm fronds in the garden that will keep them a bit warmer. Even if it doesn't freeze, it can really help some plants a lot.

Many palms that get damaged under No. 1 conditions can also take a hit in number 2, especially royals. So I also shelter them from the wind as much as I can.

Anyone else have any thoughts? If so, share them! Or questions; ask!

[happypalms]

Dave you forgot to add the heart break of losing rare and exotic palms to the cold weather.

[Harry’s Palms]

I don’t have many in containers . The ones I do have are protected as best as possible. So far , it’s been mostly very dry with very little rain so if they are dry to touch , they get watered. The dry wind also plays havoc on the garden , but potted plants really suffer , if they are in plastic , they get blown around . Wedging the pots between rocks or other plants helps . Harry

[SCVpalmenthusiast]

Do you think King palms would survive in a pot over winter? 

[Adam_NY]

The hyophorbes you can bring indoors. I have both spindle and bottle that live indoors all winter in NY so I’m sure they’d do fine for shorter periods in CA.  
 

I have a greenhouse that I heat above freezing but is still quite cool at night, similar to what winter days in CA can be like (albeit for more weeks). I have tried to grow a bottle in there and it didn’t die, but it stopped all growth, the existing fronds withered and it never started growing again the whole following summer. The second winter then killed it. All the usual z8/z9 palms do fine with months of cool temps. 

[happypalms]

Dave my grow structures have plastic walls and 70% shade cloth roof . The hothouse plastic on the walls is a grow bonus in keeping the cool draughty air out. It’s a game changer and a bonus  in summer creating more heat for tropical palms. I will say you need air flow over the top of your plants during the day. So good venting is required either end that can be closed of at night to help warm up the structure.