Trachy and Garden Winter Update

(@hilashes)

Posts: 219

Reputable Member

Topic starter

Hello all, hope this finds everyone well! I've been popping in and out of this site for a few weeks to see everyone's updates, although I hadn't had any time to post anything because of such a busy New Year. I figured now it's about time to update you with my garden pics.
We haven't had any snow since beginning of December and since January here on the Canadian BC coast, Vancouver has seen consistent temperatures of at least 3 C above average. We are still enjoying unseasonably warm highs of 11 - 16C (52 F and higher) with overnight lows of 6 C. Needless to say my two 4 ft. Trachy's are loving it, pumping out a couple of spears. However, a few overnight frosts in Dec. seemed to have damaged the leaves a bit, hope it'll be okay? (see pics). for weeks now I've enjoyed watching my day lilies come up, everything sure has a head start to spring! As far as my 2 Musa Basjoo they were seriously hit with hard overnight freezes back in November so it was a little too late to protect them. since they have been brown mushy stumps at the soil. I'm hoping there wasn't any rot to the corm, so I'm anxious for the warmer weather to bring them back to life again (if they're not already gone). My Adam's Needle seems great, but the New Zealand Bronze Flax is flattened, again from the few overnight freezes. Seems that each year I'm getting more brave and learning so much, that I've got some plans to add a nice red Hibiscus bush this summer, as well as a Bird of Paradise...nice pops of color for the tropical landscape. Here's the link to my Picasa Web Album for the winter update.
So nice to be back into the Palms North groove and looking forward to reconnecting with everyone again - it's been long enough! - Heidi 🙂

http://picasaweb.google.ca/hilashes/TrachyAndGardenWinterUpdate?feat=directlink

~ palms on the Canadian west coast

Posted : 03/03/2010 4:05 pm

TerdalFarm

(@terdalfarm)

Posts: 2981

Famed Member

Heidi,
they look splendid!
I almost can't believe the daylillies already.
The Trachies look fantastic to me. This will be a super year for them.
--Erik

Posted : 03/03/2010 5:18 pm

lucky1

(@lucky1)

Posts: 11322

Illustrious Member

Hey Heidi, nice to "see" you again.

And what a mini-winter you have had.
About 3 billion people know how mild Vancouver's winter has been! 😀

Thanks for posting your album.
My, how those trachies have filled out since I last saw a picture.
Look great!
That leaf damage is very minor (compared to some of us, LOL).
Soon be covered by more and more flushes.

I always chuckle when I see a slimy heap-stump called Musa this time of year.
I'll let others chime in as to its "health" as mine is indoors, and looks like "standing death".

My New Zealand Bronze Flax is dead too, and I didn't even have it planted!
It succumbed from the heat of summer in a big pot. Very disappointing.
Thought it would be able to stand the blast-furnace heat of the Okanagan summer, but obviously not.

Your yucca looks great, mine started flushing already too! Bizarre in February.

Ooooh, BoP. You'll love having a bird of paradise.
Hoping mine blooms this year, but it's white (hopefully the label was wrong)
😆

Hibiscus will love Vancouver's weather!

Barb

If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

Posted : 03/03/2010 5:40 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

Welcome Back Heidi,
Your Trachys are looking great! They sure did put on some nice size like Barb said. Don't worry about the basjoo
it will come back, worst case from pups. Your root system is getting stronger so it will grow much more vigorously
this year. Day lilies- Nice! Bring on some nice warm weather.

Look forward to seeing your new additions.

Nice hearing from you,
Bill

Posted : 03/03/2010 6:01 pm

hilashes

(@hilashes)

Posts: 219

Reputable Member

Topic starter

Thanks Erik! I planted the Trachys last April so I figured this wonderful winter gave them a good head start and even more for this year!

Barb, many thanks! At least I still have another New Zealand Flax in the front yard that looks great, probably because it's south facing. Good to know about the Trachy leaves. Yes they did put out a lot of growth in the last year...I kept a log and with each entry I was amazed. I should go back and look at actual pics. As for the Basjoo(s) I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I can't wait to see your BoP pics and to have a couple of my own! Thanks for all your input, so good to hear from you Barb!

Hey thanks Bill, good to hear from you too! I'm really hoping the poor Basjoo comes back, I babied it so much last year. Thanks for the encouragement!

Heidi 🙂

~ palms on the Canadian west coast

Posted : 03/03/2010 6:26 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

Give them the banana fuel this year and watch them grow faster then ever before! Heidi you know how I work with the fertilizer! That palm is over 8
feet trying to push out of the encloser 😀

Bill

Posted : 03/03/2010 10:12 pm

hilashes

(@hilashes)

Posts: 219

Reputable Member

Topic starter

I would love to get my hands on that stuff, now that I know it's tried and true Bill, but I think shipping it to Canada would be way too much for my pocketbook. Has anyone tried the Blackstrap Molasses idea yet! Barb I think you mentioned you were going to? I might try that out by adding a bit to some similar ratio fertilizer (15-5-30 I believe I saw some at Rona or other big box stores).

Heidi

~ palms on the Canadian west coast

Posted : 03/03/2010 11:11 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

I know it's expensive but it's worth it! I can't wait to Start Juicing my nanas Now! I still have a month plus, no worries
20 foot plants is in the cards this year I bet you all. Sorry the nana fuel is to expensive! Sorry Heidi but in your climate
I'd be growing 30 foot sabas! LOL

Posted : 03/03/2010 11:38 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

LOL I'll send it to you and Barb if you can get together.
Be careful Barb I might be the CIA!
Don't let out to much info! :glasses7: :glasses7: :glasses7:

Bill

Posted : 03/03/2010 11:48 pm

Corrosion

(@corrosion)

Posts: 50

Trusted Member

Dont you guys over the sea use Palm booster which is so widely used in Europe? I´m getting my hands on one soon so I can hopefully tell about its "magical" qualities in the future 🙂 At the moment I´m using 1 dollar russian fertiliser Skoraja pomoch which seem to have all the necessary ingredients for the growth but no difference imo compared to "expensive" german ones.

Posted : 04/03/2010 3:49 am

lucky1

(@lucky1)

Posts: 11322

Illustrious Member

Heidi, I completely forgot WHAT plant I used molasses on. Brain fart!
I'm convinced outdoor use would encourage ants. UGH.

My one Banana gets so shredded from summer winds it becomes unrecognizable.
All the non-windy sites are chock full of other plants, so I'll pass on your generous offer Bill.

Bill...CIA ? Maybe you could knock some sense into our border constabulary if you were! 8)

But I did receive my Palm special fertilizer out of White Plains, New York...with 4 pages of accompanying paperwork. Sheesh!
Here's the label for it:

Corrosion...1 dollar fertilizer? That's a steal.

Barb

If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

Posted : 04/03/2010 12:15 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

Corrosion,
I've never heard of palm booster, do you have a link or more information on it?

Bill

Posted : 04/03/2010 3:47 pm

Corrosion

(@corrosion)

Posts: 50

Trusted Member

Here it is: http://www.butia.co.uk/Palmbooster.html
I know it may sound a bit commercial reading all of this but I´ve read from different forums about it and it seems to be worth its price.
I´ve seen it also on ebay but I guess the shipping to US would cost another fortune 🙂

Posted : 04/03/2010 4:18 pm

hilashes

(@hilashes)

Posts: 219

Reputable Member

Topic starter

Thanks everyone for the fertilizer suggestions, great ideas!

Heidi

~ palms on the Canadian west coast

Posted : 04/03/2010 10:50 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

Thanks for the link! Looks like a good product.

Bill

Posted : 05/03/2010 10:30 am