Cleaning up and putting away the electric toys

[TerdalFarm]

In late January I thought I was done with winter, but fortunately was not so confident as to put away the electric toys.
I sure needed them in February!
I decided to put them away today. I only got to 25 F this morning, and nothing that cold in the forecast. I am sure I have not seen the last freeze, but probably the last really cold freeze.

Photo 1 shows extension cords, thermocubes, C9 lights and pipe heating cables being laid out to be labelled and put away for the summer.

Photo 2 shows my Chammie which had both heating cable and C9 lights on a thermocube. A grass weed has even flowered!

Photo 3 shows the Sabal "Lou" planted in September. Doesn't look great, but alive and I sure am glad I plugged in the base.

Photo 4 shows my avatar Butia as it looks today. Not great, but pretty fantastic for a Butia that went through my winter. One of the waggies is visible in the upper right. Also looks good (and also plugged in).

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[lucky1]

You've often said you don't get winter until January, so it's good you were prepared.

Plants with heat look like they fared pretty well.

Nice pics, thanks.
Barb

[canadianplant]

Wow eric concidering the winter youve had, everything looks pertty good.

That Chammy looks like it didnt see that much cold.

Is that Sabal the one that was one the fritz? DIspite the few dead leaves it looks pertty good. You know the reason why one side died and one looks ok?

The Butia should recover well no? That WAggie looks realy good!

Howd the Chameadorea make it?

[igor.glukhovtsev]

Erik, what was your hydro bill in February?

[TerdalFarm]

Thanks, everyone.
I admit--I only shared photos of the better looking palms. So, the Sabal "Lou" pictured is one that was flawless and growing in late January. The dying Sabal palmetto still looks awful, but at least no worse than a month ago
I think the Sabal mexicana (x2) might come back, thanks to electric heat.
The C. humilis looks fantastic (hence my sharing that photo...). Really demonstrates the benefit of electric heating and good insulation.
Igor, electricity is very inexpensive here, and those pipe heat tapes do not draw much current. I used much more electricity heating water for livestock so the little extra for palms does not show up on the bill.
(Note: we have very little hydro power; most electricity comes from burning coal.)
The Butia looks vastly better than I expected. Not good, but some foliage was saved. Hence my sharing that photo.
Yes, the heated waggies look good. Unheated Trachy? Not so much. Go figure.
Jesse, the C. radicalis in the heated palm hut look dreadful. But, there is some green on the petioles and where there is green there is hope, right?
--Erik
Photo: the best of the Chameadorea....
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t ... site"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_r-Mv ... AG0598.jpg" height="478" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm ... ">February 2011</a></td></tr></table>

[canadianplant]

Wow....... that took a shit kickin eh

I can see the green, and although pictures dont always give the proper colour, the green thats there looks ok. Im not an expert but id have to guess and say what trunk it has should be ok. And then again, if these palms are as cold hardy as they are made up to be, its feasable to assume that they can take some cold damage and recover quite well ( like some sabal apperantly do).

I wouldnt be suprised of some of the ones you think are done for recover. That nice rebound of temps you had after the real cold probably saved alot of plants ( and animals).

Its usualy a month or 2 of nice temps before you can really count something dead from cold right?

[igor.glukhovtsev]

[quote="TerdalFarm"]Thanks, everyone.
Igor, electricity is very inexpensive here, (Note: we have very little hydro power; most electricity comes from burning coal.) /quote]
Anyway, just for comparing living conditions... I pay about 250 USD per a winter month for the Hydro and for the Heating (natural gas) (about 150 sq. m house)...

[Dean W.]

Glad it's warming up for you, Erik.

Looks like you invested quite a bit in these palms.

[TerdalFarm]

Dean,
it is easily the easiest past-time here on the farm.
Here are dead Sabal fronds being fed to goats and horses this evening after work.
I kept all goats, horses and even chickens alive through last month's cold. Not easy; growing Sabal in Oklahoma is!
--Erik

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s ... site"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_r-Mv ... 0march.jpg" height="800" width="478" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm ... ite">March 2011</a></td></tr></table>

[Dean W.]

I'm surprised the horses are eating them. I knew the goats would. The animals are a little easier than some of the palms.

It's been getting warm here too. Then we get a little dip in the temps.

It's like once the spring excitement builds it gets setback.