Kirk- I use heating cables in my enclosure, but the palms I am overwintering are zone 7 palms, not the zone 9ers some on this board grow! I wrap the cables around large water bottles and then also string mini lights in the foliage of the palms. The lights are on all of the time, but the cables turn on at 38f (or so) and off at 45f! I can't recall the brand name right now.

If you're growing things way out of zone some others may have better suggestions (insulation, lights, space heaters..)

I would seriously question using heating cables in any area that is not very localized
as they are really designed for heating/warming the surface area they are in contact with.

I think they would be fine for keeping a trunk warm that is very closely wrapped but not
as the main heat source in an open area.

As far a warming the soil like our good friend Bill does,they need to be buried within/
or better yet beneath the roots to take advantage of heat rising.
Someone on this board can tell you a story about burying them under mulch
and drying out the soil/feeder roots of a very nice Trachy-R.I.P.

Thanks for all of your opinions!

Hi Kirk,

Sorry I didn't respond earlier. Here's my take, heating cables are useless in my opinion unless there under ground.

Others have had luck but I'd use c 9 lights all day before external cables, my palms always come out perfect using them. There cheap to run and really work well in palm huts. If your doing a leaf en-closer cables might work fine but I'd ask others before doing it as I haven't tried it personally.

Bill

Bill, can you post a pic of the underground cables beneath your nanas?
the one where you had them laid out before the nanas were planted.
Barb

Here it is Barb. The circle one is from under one of my washies, all three have the cables.

Bill

That's it, thanks Bill.
Great pictures, I should bookmark their location (for next time).
Barb

Your welcome Barb.
I can't wait to post my new front yard pictures I'm just about done.

Bill

Can't wait to see the pics, Bill.
And how about the whole place too?
You've got a nursery out there!

Thanks!
Barb

Your welcome Barb.
I can't wait to post my new front yard pictures I'm just about done.

Bill

😯 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😯

Mulch tomorrow and a few touch-ups!

I'm looking forward to it. Include a snap shot of the new Sabal you just planted. I'm all into Sabal right now, both for thew new one my wife brought home Wednesday plus because the Sabal "Birmingham" seeds I'm germinating are growing well.
As for me, mulch and touch up will be done over Memorial Day weekend.
--Erik

I experimented with pipe heating cable this winter and was very impressed.
The specific model was M-D pipe heating cable, which I found inexpensively at the corner hardware store.
If you'll forgive the tiny sample size, here is the experiment.
For three winters, I had had a small Ch. humilis and Butia in the ground. Both are usually thought of as zone 8. I protected them the same way: packed hay and covered with a 20 gallon bucket. Both survived each winter but with near complete defoliation. This winter, the Butia was treated the same but the Chammy had 3' of the heat cable wrapped around the trunk.

Here is a photo of the Chammy:

<a href=" http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2VEVyxZcgMGrn5-G0KNgng?feat=embedwebsit e"><img src=" " /></a>

This spring, the Butia was defoliated as usual. It is growing, though. The Chammy was not defoliated and is growing faster than in previous years.

Thanks to Hardyjim--he is the one who told me that the heat cable must be in direct contact with the trunk and spear to be effective.

--Erik

"I would seriously question using heating cables in any area that is not very localized
as they are really designed for heating/warming the surface area they are in contact with.

I think they would be fine for keeping a trunk warm that is very closely wrapped but not
as the main heat source in an open area.

As far a warming the soil like our good friend Bill does,they need to be buried within/
or better yet beneath the roots to take advantage of heat rising.
Someone on this board can tell you a story about burying them under mulch
and drying out the soil/feeder roots of a very nice Trachy-R.I.P."

I fully agree with Jim. I learned that lesson the hard way... I'm sure the cables are useful for giving things a head start and/or speeding them up, but used inside an enclosure during the dead of winter is not a good idea as I have learned.