Outdoor protection, let’s see what you’re doing! – Page 2 – Greenhouse & Outside Protection – PalmsNorth.com

Paul Ont · 2008-11-07T11:37:28Z

Hey everyone,Let's see some pics/description of the following:What your growing out of zone (or range in the case of desert plants)How it's protectedA description of how you assembled the protectionand what sort of chances you think the plant has in your climate with/without protection.Now I just need to get pictures of what I've protected! but here is an inital list:Cacti- All on their own, not out of zone, but definately out of range. Given rapidly draining soil and full sun exposure. I expect to lose a few, but won't know which ones are gone till spring!Yucca- Got a lot of them. The following will be given NO protection: Yucca glauca, Y. filamentosa, Y. arkansana, Y. baccata, Y. nana, Y. neomexicana, Y. kanabensis, Y. elata, Y. harrimaniae, Y. filata x recurvfolia (2 of 3), and I'm sure I'm missing some. These will be given moisture protection: Yucca rostrata, Y. baccata (1), and Y. filata x recurvfolia.Agaves- All given moisture protection. Agave parryi, A. parryi var. coeusii, A. touymeana (spelling?) ssp. bella, A. neomexicana (seedlings, W. Artemisia), A. havardiana, A. parryi (high altiude), and there may be others that I'm forgetting. These have little to no chance without moisture protection.Bamboo- All species have been bent to the ground and mulched with a loose layer of straw (tops) and thick layer of cedar mulch (root zones). Phyllostachys nuda (2nd year), aureosulcata (2nd year), atrovaginata (new), aureosulcata alata (new), angusta (new), and bissetii (new). Without this treatment all new plants would likely be top-killed their first few winters and then periodically thereafter. I'll say, hopefully, that this treatment will allow perhaps 80% of the upper reaches of these bamboo to overwinter intact...Banana- Trying Musa basjoo again. Here is what I did. i chopped the upper portions of the banana off after they froze. Then, I tied the stems togahter. I wrapped some of the stems with frost cloth, others I left bare. I then mulched the banana about 1.5-2 feet thick in cedar mulch. Then I hammered some large stakes into the ground about 2 feet out from the plant. Then I wrapped frost cloth around the stakes and stapled it in place. Next I placed 2 large water jugs at the base of the banana (partially embedded in the mulch. I hope they don't freeze!). Then I wrapped the stems with tiny xmas lights and filled the entire enclosure with leaves. The lights will be turned on whenever there is an extended freeze or when temps are below -5C. My prediction: Main stem will freeze almost to the ground. Some of the other stems will overwinter ok. Without protection the plant would die.Palms- Sabal minor mccurtain and Sabal minor. Planted on south wall of house. I hammered some stakes in the ground about 2 feet from each and covered with frost cloth. I then mulched them about 6" to 1 ' with ceard mulch. next I loosely covered them with a pile of leaves (not wet leaves, and moisture SHOULD not be an issue. I did treat with fungicide first.Sabal minor and Rhapidophyllum hystrix. These I planted in August. I have built a 'box' of wood and placed it over the entire bed. The box has been surrounded with plastic (still thinking about how to top it). The palms are mulched about 6", and there are a few leaves in the enclosure. I have also purchased 2, 3' pipe heating cords which I've wrapped around pop bottles full of water. These cords will turn on automatically whenever the temperature drops below 37f and shut off again when it hit 45f... This should be enough to get the palms through unscated.Trachycarpus fortunei and Rhapidphyllum hystrix. Planted 2 summers ago. Never oerwinter very well. The Trachy overwinter with minor wrapping last winter but has yet to regain its full size from the time of original planting... This year I've mulched them and I will wrap the leaves in frost cloth and cover loosely with mulch. Unless it is a particularly tough winter this should be enough.Without protection I'd say that all would perish, but I would hope that the Mccurtain would at least come back from the roots...I have more, but this is already a long post. Ilex opaca, Paw-Paw, etc. But they are 'hardy' anyway...Cheers,Paul

Knnn

(@knnn)

Posts: 2370

Famed Member

Bumping this thread for great content, and for new members who may not have seen it.

Here's my shelter for 2009/2010

And a short video/slide show showing how it was constructed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zfIHf2PNVA

Steve

Posted : 05/10/2009 11:19 am

Paul Ont

(@paul-ont)

Posts: 1385

Noble Member

Topic starter

Good idea. I think this weekend or next I'll protect some stuff and I can post pics of some of the different types of protection I use for different plants.

Posted : 05/10/2009 11:28 am

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

Sounds good Paul,
I might be building a few panel walls this weekend too, might as well be ready. I'll post pictures too.

Bill

Posted : 05/10/2009 1:05 pm

ScottyON

(@scottyon)

Posts: 336

Reputable Member

Sorry I've been lazy posting mine. Not as nice as yours Steve!! I had the heater running a couple of nights last week. This weekend got warm so I have had the door of of it.

<img class="go2wpf-bbcode" src="

Thanks for looking!" alt="">

Posted : 05/10/2009 6:38 pm

ScottyON

(@scottyon)

Posts: 336

Reputable Member

One more...

Posted : 05/10/2009 6:40 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

Looking good Scott! Do your neighbors think your on the pipe or what Scott?

Bill

Posted : 05/10/2009 6:55 pm

ronbruce

(@ronbruce)

Posts: 113

Estimable Member

Wow, everyone's protection schemes look great.

It's supposed to get cold later this week and I've yet to figure something out. Go, go, brain!!! 🙄

Posted : 06/10/2009 12:27 am

lucky1

(@lucky1)

Posts: 11322

Illustrious Member

Great video Steve, nicely done.

Scotty, looks like it'll do the job nicely.

ronbruce, yup, at this point (-7C 20F), ANYTHING will help, even a tarp.
I posted this somewhere but can't find it, so here it is again.
Threw this together in a hurry, added a 60w trouble light for tonight's cold.

ronbruce, what did you settle on?

I've got birch and maple trees.
Very few leaves are down, some are still GREEN on the trees!
Weird autumn.

Barb

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

Posted : 11/10/2009 12:26 am

ronbruce

(@ronbruce)

Posts: 113

Estimable Member

Barb, I keep throwing a garbage can over it but that won't be enough protection I'm sure. I may get wood mulch to stuff into the garbage can as well and maybe that will help.

I planted it so late that I can't expect much. I'll keep the seedlings mulched with leaves.

I put a bottomless pot over the Sabal minor and have mulched around the pot with leaves. I think it doesn't do too well smothered in wet leaves. The Trachies don't seem to mind at all though.

I keep wanting to air things out in the day but as I'm at work maybe it's time to put things to bed for the winter. The forecast says things will be nice again in a few days though so I'm perplexed. 🙄

Posted : 11/10/2009 10:30 am

lucky1

(@lucky1)

Posts: 11322

Illustrious Member

ronbruce, late plantings are more susceptible to damage because roots haven't had a chance to develop much into the soil.

Without adding heat (like Christmas lights at the least, or a heater) we're asking for trouble.
Leaves and styrofoam have worked well for posters, but they're not removed in daytime.

I've also got the Nainital and Y.rostrata x with just temporary boxes and old carpets over them.
Gonna have to get something more permanent set up soon.

With the warm-up mid-week, we'll have a bit more time it seems.
Barb

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

Posted : 11/10/2009 1:43 pm

BILL MA

(@bill-ma)

Posts: 1272

Noble Member

Ron, if you are going to use wood chips add more oak leaves to the mix if you can. I'm not 100% but I think the leaves work because they still let some light through to the green tissue of the leaves. Wood chips would not allow any light to get in.

Any others on this?

Bill

Posted : 11/10/2009 5:09 pm

hardyjim

(@hardyjim)

Posts: 4697

Illustrious Member

I think as long as they are locked down in a leaf pile/cage,lights not a factor.My Needle palm had 18"+ of leaves around it and was fine,definitely no light getting through there.

Posted : 12/10/2009 10:26 am

ronbruce

(@ronbruce)

Posts: 113

Estimable Member

Dr. Francko wrote that Sabals fry under heavy wet leaf mulch, mine sure did,
but the Trachies seem to be okay and mine were.

Still I think I may mix leaves and straw together or leaves and woodchips to get
a bit of loft to the mix (and avoid collapse). The air pockets can only
help with insulation I think. 😉

Believe me oak leaves would be awesome but I'd have to borrow them from a park
or something and they hold onto their leaves forever not dropping till long after I need them.

Hmmmm, that does give me a thought or two. 😈

Posted : 12/10/2009 10:52 am

hilashes

(@hilashes)

Posts: 219

Reputable Member

Happy Thanksgiving all! Here's what I've been working on all day today for my palm protection. I hammered a few stakes in around about a foot out from the tree to wrap burlap around. I sprayed a weather proofing spray onto the outsides of the burlap, the same kind you use for leather jackets or shoes. Treated the leaves, trunk and center spear with fungicidal copper spray. Tied up the fronds. Hammered a couple more stakes in front of the tree for tying on a plastic roof, allowing it to drape down over the burlap. To fasten I stapled the plastic and burlap together. When I look at the finished product, to me it looks as though my 4 yr. old did it ... so ok you can laugh too 😆 .. Everyone here has such great plans for their winter protection, so I hope mine will do the trick even if it's not very sophisticated. 😳 I do thank everyone here though for inspiration and all advice given to me. I'm learning so much from here, you're a great group!
Once the day and/or night temps dip below -5C then I'll wrap the tree in burlap. Until then we're only expecting rain for the next 6 or 7 days with temps in mid to high teens.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/-yYHqCZ8S7nFh_ze02vsNw?authkey=Gv1sRgCLz8nP7F4KLa7QE&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.ca/lh/photo/XaFbSYRGEmLv-EGHQ8siDQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCLz8nP7F4KLa7QE&feat=directlink

~ palms on the Canadian west coast

Posted : 12/10/2009 11:22 pm

hardyjim

(@hardyjim)

Posts: 4697

Illustrious Member

Maybe I missed something? are you adding leaves inside the protection?
What are your min lows during the winter? If they are 0F 15"(out from the center) of PACKED leaves would be fine,if less 18" plus would be recommended.I did my needle palm that way last year,I wish I would have had an extra thermometer to see what the temp was inside,I will this year.

Here's what I did least year

UNCOVERED 3-2-09

THE LEAVES ON TOP WERE KINDA FRIED,THE ONES AT THE BOTTOM WERE FINE
This L/cage bared the brunt of the north wind and several temps below 0F,the lowest was -17F
This cage needed to be about 6" thicker

Posted : 13/10/2009 10:43 am

PalmsNorth.com – Cold Hardy Palm Forum

Outdoor protection, let's see what you're doing!