PalmsNorth.com

Had a chance to take some early winter pics at the house near Kingston. Low has been something like -15/-16C to date. It will almost certainly get colder than that in both of the upcoming months. There has been a consistent freeze (unbroken) since the 14th of December. It looks like this freeze will extend until the 29th.

Plants for the most part look good, and I rediscovered a plant I thought had perished last winter... It's no good as an ornamental, but it does prove that I am, in fact, a liar... Here is the sole surviving Aucuba japonica, it had been about 2 feet tall when planted, protected 1 winter, then left for dead. It was covered by invasive Gooseneck Loostrife (NEVER plant this, it is the worst plant I've ever tried to remove), for 2 summers (and dead plants of this last winter), and was only uncovered when I saw a little green below dead plants this year. It almost certainly has not seen temps below 0f in the past 2 years.
C. 3-4" tall:
<img src="http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/23457 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0873">
Ilex opaca heading into its third winter. Man is this a SLOW plant. No significant damage since it was killed back to the stem its first winter. ~3' TALL.
<img src="http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/29085 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0876">
Basjoo stems covered with leaves. Hopelessly tender here, only extreme protection allows it to survive and achieve any sort of height:
<img src="http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/47172 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0874">
Phyllostachys nuda. Still (mostly) green thanks to the slight snow cover we have (maybe 2" in places). Exposed leaves look green but are fried.
<img src="http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/25221 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0875"></a>
Phyllostachys aureosulcata. Protected leaves are still green. Many of those exposed look green but are fried thanks to cold dry wind.
<img src="http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/24530 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0869">
The old palm hut. It's frozen in place otherwise I would have opened it up to have a look at the plants.
<img src="http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/34599 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0868">
M. grandiflora BBB. Wrapped with 1) Frost cloth. 2) mini-lights. 3) Burlap. 4) A plastic cap to help keep the wind off the top portion of the tree... First year plant. I give it a 70% chance of complete survival.
<img src="http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/29667 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0867">
Beautiful evergreen Rhododendron. R. brachycarpum ssp. tigerstedtii:
<img src="http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/4316/ ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0865">
Kalmia... Might need some sulphur to lower the pH.
<img src="http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/46227 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0864">
Rhodo test bed. Some will be graduating this spring, others will be pulled out and chopped up for the fire:
<img src="http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/23070 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0863">
Quercus fusiformis (virginiana). Still green despite small size and cold dry winds.
<img src="http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/23070 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0863">
"Evergreen" Azalea. Waste of money in my climate.
<img src="http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/45181 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0860">
P. auresulcata 'spectibilis'. Mostly green. Some burn on exposed leaves., I hope the culms stay alive AND maintain their colour better than the normal form:
<img src="http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/32984 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0859">
P. aureosulcata 'alata'. Toughest runner I grow. Second only to F. nitida in terms of hardiness.
<img src="http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/20815 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0857">
Cacti shriveled for winter:
<img src="http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/43551 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0855">
'Protection' on the cactus bed. Have to keep the rabbit from chewing off the Yucca leaves somehow!
<img src="http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/28213 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN0854">

Yuccas look fabulous, despite low snow.

was only uncovered when I saw a little green below dead plants this year.

Quick, cover it up again.

Barb

I keep my fingers crossed, Paul!!!!
Rob

If you didn't already have the fence up I'd say get a cat or two

Rabbits are pretty cute but I have no problem offing them if they touch my palms

your rodos are looking a little beat up. Thanks for the update.

Paul,
looking good.
My dogs keep rabbits at bay.
The bamboo looks amazing. I just might try it again. I know, I keep saying that....
I like the Magnolia protection. My bet is that it works just fine.
That Aucuba photo was my favorite, though. I have had such bad luck with that plant. My one miserable specimen is hanging in there so far, but not looking as good as yours.
You should be proud.
--Erik

I had posted a reply, or so I thought...

Barb- Aucuba is on its own. It offers nothing that is 'special' or is unavailable in hardier plants. The Yucca are fine, they seem to shrug off the weather until it drops below -18C... I am interested to see if any of the Yucca recurvfolia or gloriosa seedlings will survive winer #2.

Jim/Erik- Had I the means I would fence in the yard and get some cats or a dog. The problem is, if I fail to fence the property (or even if I do) there are bob-cats, Coyotes, and Foxes. All of which have killed cats we've had in the past... When I was walking the property a few days ago there were fresh tracks from a few Coyotes. I hadn't heard them, but my mother said she did. Now, if they could just stick around and take care of all the rabbits! I do think that getting a dog would be a good bet.

Ryan- The Rhodos are all fine. They tend to look curled in winter (an adaptation to avoid cold and retain moisture) but bounce back quickly in spring. If the leaves fail to curl, the plant is in trouble! There is one, 'Teddy Bear' in the front left of the test bed that might be trash or at least damaged. Too bad because this plant has the thickest, brightest, indementum of any plant I grow... The evergreen azalea (also a Rhodo) is a useless thing. I'll use it to light a fire this spring!

Here is the BVT in Feb of last year:
<img src="http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/43883 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="047">
And here it is in April. Fresh as a daisy.
<img src="http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/45213 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSC02474">

Paul,
good points.
Frankly, I think it is futile to try to fence out bobcats, foxes and coyotes. And it takes a big dog to deter a coyote--they'll eat the smaller ones. Good luck. --Erik

I bet with that protection your mag will come through with flying colours! All mine have shown no damage yet except form my DD Blanchard in the front. I think it will make it though but look pretty wrecked in the spring..

Paul everything looks good. My phyllostachys Aureosulcata too - 17 one night before i covered it, no worse for the wear. i dont know how well their doing, ill have to wait till march to see if their nice n green.

I hope everything makes it alright

nice update Paul. That Rhody photo with the limp leaves is so cool. I like the fence around your Yuccas..........I hate rabbits too! Those rabbits eat Yucca when snow covered!!!!

Tim- They eat the Yucca when there isn't snow too... Just to irk me, they chew the leaves off at the base, then leave them sitting there. If they ate them, OK. But to just chew them off and leave them there!!!!

Paul,
I don't know your feelings about hunting, but you might want to get a high-quality .177 air rifle.
Lapin is good eating if prepared as the French do it. --Erik

Erik- I thought about getting something like that... I just wouldn't want to kill them if they were going to go to waste.

Anyone know if it's legal to shoot rabbits on your property in Canada?

Up here, as far as i know, if its on your poperty, its pn your property, but, i think thats rural.... im not sure if the laws are different for the city or suburbs. I know my uncle has shot a few moose on his property.

My rural community last year enacted a Firearms Discharge Bylaw which breaks the area down into green (go ahead and shoot away), yellow (interface area, i.e. people/pets might be hiking), and red (move along, quickdraw...)

Phone your city hall or regional district.

CBC this morning had some very disturbing news about crossbow hunting.
Warning: this pic is extremely upsetting.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columb ... ml?ref=rss

I'm bloody sick about that.

Barb

lucky1 wrote:CBC this morning had some very disturbing news about crossbow hunting.
Warning: this pic is extremely upsetting.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columb ... ml?ref=rss

I'm bloody sick about that.

Barb

I wish I did not see that. I may hunt, but that is sick, I would throw the book at them.

I don't even have the heart to shot the rabbits on my place.

I'm still sick about the hawk I hit with the truck last night.

You are right! This is a terrible thing! I hate it!

I'm sorry I posted that picture link.

No Barb! You've done nothing wrong! There is an opportunity thinking about a humanity and the Humanity. I'm so happy to know that I deal with the Humanity here at the PalmsNorth.

Appreciate that Igor.

Aaron, I can imagine how sad you feel about your truck hitting a hawk.
I know how much you care...about animals and plants.

Re the crossbow incident:
Wish I could remember who said this: "Two things amaze me: the intelligence of animals, and the bestiality of man."
We all agree on that.

Barb

Barb,
You are a good person.

Barb sure is.
Aaron, sorry about the hawk. I have a bunch here. They eat my free-range chickens. I don't shoot them--I admire them, while feeling sorry for my chickens whom they eat. Chicks who I raised from the egg. Nature isn't always simple.
I never shot the rabbits as my dogs chase them effectively. They never catch the bunnies but they do keep them away.

Last night I served grilled goat to a party here. The goat who ate Aucuba, Camellia, Hibiscus and Rhapidophyllum.
Nature is sometimes tasty. Paul, try the lapin raised on Yucca. --Erik

sry to hear about the hawk too.

Last summer i seen something i never thought id see before. I know crows eat pretty much anything they can get, but i was outside in the yard. And I hear this small tree of starlings go absolutly crazy. Turns out a crow got one. Happened 4 times last year, after never seeing it before.

Instead of trying to get rid of them, you can create borders of plants the rabbits wont eat, or go near. or distract then with a hedge that the rabbits they CAN eat. The good.bad part is... it usualy attracts foxes, hawks and what not to eat the rabbits... so nature will usualy let it work itself out. Of course no one wants their plants eaten by anything. The thing about rabbits is, you probably will never ever get rid of them when there there, so is there really any reason for shooting them? Well, if you do eat rabbit, and arent going to waste it, i guess it isnt so bad


"Nature is sometimes tasty"

LOL. As for the goat, well, thats karma, he ate your plants, you ate him. LOL