Decided today was a good day to get my frames erected for my two windmill palms. Let's see if I can get a picture to post.
Basically they're two heavy interior doors each tied together with two by fours. I plan on wrapping with plastic, putting two sets of c9's in one and one set in another with smaller lights with thermocubes. I plan on insulating with some four inch thick honeycomb cardboard on the open sides and the tops. I'm hoping the doors which are about 1.5 inches thick are adequate as well.
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Remember to insulate the gaps at bottom too, especially the hut at left.
You said the doors are heavy, are they solid wood? hollow?
If you get lots of wind, maybe a few stakes pounded into the ground, with screws into the frame to anchor.
Looks good.
Barb
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If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
Looks good. Are you going to use plastic to cover the other two sides? Natural light is good for the palms during overwintering. They should be fine in the spring with the effort you`ve put in.
John
Okanagan Palms and Tropicals
6b-7a
Looks good-make sure you mulch
heavily and put a remote sensor(thermometer)
near the spears at least -the mulch inside also
protects your palm from having the drying lights
right on its roots!
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When you guys talk about mulch, I think "bark" that you can buy in a bag at the gas station. Or do you mean a compost type mix of grass, leaves, bark, etc?
I plan on putting plastic over the entire enclosure, but on the plastic sides I have 4 inch thick honeycomb cardboard that I got from one of my grocery store customers to line those open areas. The doors are solid core.... very heavy.... I have the bump on my head to show when one of them blew over as I was getting my initial enclosure set up... I'm hoping their thickness will be enough for insulating with the c9's providing heat.
How does this look for each light set up? I have one more 25 bulb strand that I am debating putting around the fronds, but I'm concerned about burning them.... thoughts? Otherwise my thought is doing mini lights up there to keep chill off?
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Since the enclosure is big, with lots of dead air space to heat up, maybe add the second string of 25.
The second string could be placed a foot off the ground on some sort of frame.
That way you're not overheating the top of roots.
Either way nothing would touch the fronds.
Is that beige thingy your remote thermometer? or thermocube?
One thing re the 4'inch thick cardboard you're installing on two sides, palms benefit from some light.
Maybe do a plastic "window" on the southside to help with heating costs when the sun can warm the shelter.
My big palm hut has a clear fiberglass roof, daylight is a little too high up to benefit from a warm winter sun.
Barb
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If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
Speaking of roofs, will snow load be a factor? You get it pretty deep in your area.
My guess would be this will not provide enough insulation
with that amount of lights....depending on your low temps.
I would go with 3 strands in each,the Thermocube will turn it
off when the temp goes up-better safe than sorry.
I would also buy some (bulk)hardwood mulch and put 4-5"
inside and 4-5" outside about a foot around.
I had over 6" of mulch around my Washys as they are quite root sensitive.
There is nothing worse than having to go out there in sub-zero
temps and make adjustments,believe me, have been there!
Not so much needing to add heat but having the stuff get blown apart!
Just make sure you have a way to watch the temps in there
and if you have too you can always add some type off insulation
to the outside and wrap/stable plastic to it.
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Speaking of roofs, will snow load be a factor? You get it pretty deep in your area.
Local weather guy is predicting over 90 inches this season for where I'll be.
Not surprised--Wife is from around there.
So, can your roofs hold the weight? They look flat.
My guess would be this will not provide enough insulation
with that amount of lights....depending on your low temps.I would go with 3 strands in each,the Thermocube will turn it
off when the temp goes up-better safe than sorry.
I would also buy some (bulk)hardwood mulch and put 4-5"
inside and 4-5" outside about a foot around.
I had over 6" of mulch around my Washys as they are quite root sensitive.
There is nothing worse than having to go out there in sub-zero
temps and make adjustments,believe me, have been there!
Not so much needing to add heat but having the stuff get blown apart!Just make sure you have a way to watch the temps in there
and if you have too you can always add some type off insulation
to the outside and wrap/stable plastic to it.
Last thing I want(ed) to buy is three more stings of lights, the first three ran me over $40.... I'm creeping up on being able to just buy new trees every year! 🙂
I'll give it some thought though. I was going to put some thick plastic over everything and then shrink wrap the whole thing as well to tighten it all up. I'll pick up some mulch as well.
I do have two separate remote thermometers to watch things. I haven't put the sensors in the crown just yet b/c I want to wait for when I cover everything with plastic and rain can't get in. I am also going to watch my themocubes (that's what you see in the crown right now as well, should they maybe be put up higher?) and make sure they turn on once it hits freezing.
Not surprised--Wife is from around there.
So, can your roofs hold the weight? They look flat.
The roofs are 3/4 inch pressboard(?), the same garbage that sauder funiture uses to make their products with. It's an old entertainment center I got from the girlfriend. Plus I'm outside snowmobiling enough that if I need to brush some snow off I can do that easily.
Thermocube is in a good spot.
Wouldn't put it any higher myself.
hey, I've got one of those very fine SAUDER pressboard pieces of furniture...even put it together myself. 😆
Took all afternoon, and no tools, but it worked.
Edit I think I used a hammer just to nudge the little connectors in...
Mind you, the instruction sheet is pretty frayed from it all.
Pressboard is still better than "big chunk" OSB, which I call sawdust held with glue (which my big palm hut is made of).
Barb
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If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
W says OSB stands for "oh shit board" 😆