I should probably start a new thread on soil temp.
I've been thinking about it a lot lately.
To follow up with my previous post, this was my favourite part of Barb's link.
[url= http://postimage.org/image/5n10lutg/]<img class="go2wpf-bbcode" src=" " alt="">[/url]

My original question was, can palm roots survive being frozen?
Now my question is, how deep are our palm roots?
--Erik
P.S. but back to Tim's thread: I opened my Chammie this afternoon to see if the C9 lights (on thermocube) were damaging the foliage. The answer is no. They look great. 😀

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href=" https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JoN1LGui8awaXW5xkKUgew?feat=embedwebsit e"><img src=" " height="226" width="400" /></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/February2011?feat=embedwebsit e">February 2011</a></td></tr></table>

50F is the median soil temp here year round down deep. That's what the temperature averages out to between winter and summer. The trachys with the mini lights were planted the first week of April last year so had an entire growing season to root in. They actually put out 6-7 fronds each last summer so I'm confident they are now rooted well. I'm also sure the frozen ground only penetrates the first few inches in the enclosure and the rootball when I planted them was already at least a foot deep. If the frozen roots were causing them problems, I'm sure I'd see a lot of damage on the above freezing green foliage already since it would no longer be getting nutrients from the frozen (dead) roots.

So either, a) the frozen roots aren't bothering the trachys, or b) the roots penetrate far enough down to supply nutrients to the foliage.

Aren't you supposed to be watching TV right now?
😆

Packers won. 😆

I think the issue with what type of lights etc,
you use comes down to how much insulation you have.

As far as the roots go,some of it depends on the palm/plant your protecting.

Butia and Washingtonia are more root tender in regard to cold then Trachys.

I think as long as you put plenty of mulch around your enclosure you
can buffer the extent of cold soil advancing into your palm hut.

My coldest enclosures(remember the mini/greenhouses?)soil
temps would usually bottom out around 34(F)at 4",whereas the larger
(now collapsible :wink:)Cactus g-house would stay around 44(F)
in the center on average-it certainly helps having a large area
covered in regard to keeping those nasty cold/exposed soil temps
from intruding on yer little plants roots. 8)

Referring to Tim's comment that he doesn't need to keep soil from freezing by laying lights on the ground, would like to know:

Where are Trachy's "feeder roots"?
soil level? or at basal end of rootball?

Barb