Growing Greenhouse For Damaged Washy

Bill,
Just concerned about the stuff I planted out February 14th, and watered.
A few days later it got down to -6C 21F again for 4 days. 😐
Oh well...

Barb

Barb,
I have a real easy solution for you. I know you have a extra thermocube lying around, get a roll of the stretchy seran wrap type stuff they sell at HD or Lowes along with some yard stakes, and make some three sided structures that you can place one set of c7 or c9 lights at the bottom of your new huts. It won't take much 6-7 lights in each hut, plus when the sun comes out it will heat things up nicely.

It will get you through for the remainder winter! Mild is Mild but still washies don't really like 45-50f for highs when the ground is cold. I'm going for underground heat cables for everything at my new house 😛

The washy is still pushing up hard with clouds the last three days! Can't wait for sun again so it hits 100f in there. I think I'm going to pump up the night time temp to 52f from the 45f it's set at now. Why not! Maybe I can hit 5 fronds by May 😀

Bill

Bill you will definitely hit the ground running by spring!

Any other pics of your Sabals or what you have going in the basement?

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I don't even want to uncover them to do that, Bill.
So will cross my fingers and call it winter research.
But thanks.

Yes, lets see some more pictures

And...new house! hope you're moving to acreage where you'll have room. 😆

Barb

Bill,
can you explain how to use underground heat cables?
thanks, Erik

Barb
If you have some old covers/plastic/dirt,whatever,you can just bury them if you so get some bad cold.
The more mass/insulation the better,let some of that ground warmth work for you.
Don't ever trust warm winters!
Good luck

I uncovered them today to let the warm sun in.
Nainital looks pretty good considering what it's been through.

Will cover up again with buckets and a large tarp for overnight.

NainiTal spear is firm, thankfully.

The Med Fan Palm is probably still in shock from being planted a week ago. Thank goodness the filiferas can't talk!

😆
Barb

Hey Erik...since your question about heat cables the other day, I thought of Bill's excellent pics of the cables he installed under his nanas.

But ya think I could find the #$%&* post?
We (mostly me!) sure do cross topics 😆 😆 😆

Anyway (drumroll), here it is:

http://www.palmsnorth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2260&start=0

You owe me two hours helping with my garden... 😆 😆 😆 😆
Barb

Barb,
Thanks for posting that link for Erik, I saw it this morning but didn't have time to post anything. I'm glad your newly planted stuff is doing ok, The little bit of heat from the Christmas lights will go along way too.

Erik,
If you do decide to use the heat cables don't let them touch or they'll burn out. With the washies I think I put the cables down 15- 18 inches if I can recall, the roots where enormous all bound up in 30 gallon cool rings. Then just plug em in, they shut off when the temp hits 78f.

Jim,
The Metal Halide lights in the grow room are ridiculously bright, it's kinda like being outside everything should enjoy it. I'll get some pictures up in the next couple of days.

Bill

Barb,
i'd love to spend two hours helping in your garden. The view is super, and Kia looks like a friendly dog.
Thanks for the effort. That was a great thread. Amazing results Bill got!
Bill,
around my palm trunks I just use the heat tape designed for keeping pipes from freezing. It comes on at ~38oF or so. Uses just 1 watt/foot.
Do you think those make sense for keeping the root zone above freezing, or not worth the trouble?
Have you been happy with the heating cables that activate at 78oF going all winter? I frankly hadn't even thought of using those for winter protection!
--Erik

Erik,
I would bother if you where going to just use the other ones, I think they come on at 38-42f or something like that. I'm sure your ground stays that warm anyways most years. The kind I have are 24 feet and 86 watts about 3.5 watts a foot, the difference is the higher thermostat. Our weather is totally different though, I find them very helpful here for a spring and fall boost and keeping the roots alive in the winter. Your call I guess, your spring heats up way faster then here I'm just impatient by spring and need to do everything possible to get stuff going again.

Give it a try if you do a washy again what's the hurt you spend 28 bucks and don't use it? I think if you put it in you will use it though, Just my two cents 😆

Bill

Well it's been a little bit over three weeks since my washy was chopped and placed in it's cooker house.
Wow talk about results! Check out these pictures from today, 100-110f seems to be doing the trick nicely.

Check out how green and happy it is, there are more frond coming too 😀 😀 😀

Hey Paul,
Look how dark the fronds are! Just like a pure Robusta 😈 😈 😈

Bill

That's awesome Bill-
My Washy has the same exact kind of leaf coming out on it,half open,half way up-
a little kink as they say.
Those are some nice Robustas! 😉

Barb-
Are you planting anything else or is it to late in the season there?

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Holy cow, Bill, take a video of it and SEE it move 8)
Fabulous!
And that color!!!!!

Ya, Jim, good point...it's warming up, so the challenge is gone! 😕
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Next plan is to take the outhouse down...where IS that carpenter????!!!!!
Barb

Hahahahaha!