Yep....

I usually keep track of about 6-7 different enclosures
all winter,hi/lo recorded until protection is lifted.

Lets hope the bulb doesn't burn out in January!

Lets hope the bulb doesn't burn out in January!

alright like I don't have enough to worry about. I put a brand new bulb in the fixture and I intend to sleep outside next to the palm hut so I can monitor the temps more closely (j/k). Actually I'll just have to monitor the temps every 2 hours in the hut and if the temps get to low I'll have to run outside in the freezing cold weather and sleet and snow and put a new light bulb in the fixture. I have been practicing my 30 yard sprints just in case I am forced to run outside in the early morning hours. I actually move pretty fast for an aging insurance man. You will be interested to learn I have 2 lights in my other palm hut just in case one goes out.

That was funny, Kent.

Even though you've got a remote thermometer to keep track of temps, why not cut a 2-inch "window" in the cammo, and double-plastic it inside and outside with tape.
Then you can SEE when the light's on, and temps will presumably be heading back upwards.
Instead of streaking...trying to take the protection apart in a blizzard...just to install a new bulb.

😆 😆
Barb

I did leave a small 2" piece of insulation off of the top left hand corner and can see when the light is on (at night).

Road Trip. Left this morning at 6:30AM to travel 2 1/2 hours to our lake house to cover 3 palms I have in-ground before the really cold weather sets in. I planted 1 trachycarpus fortunei and 2 sabal minors (very small 3 strap leaves) in April 2010. Covered them last winter with leaves and a trash bag. Heres how I do it. Cut a slit in the bottom of the trash bag, slip it over the palm and then duct tape the bottom inside closed, so it fits tight around the base of the palm. Here's a pic of what I'm working with. The little palm is maybe 2' tall, so its not huge. The Lake of the Ozarks is in southwest Missouri zone 6a. About the same zone I have at home, so winter protection is about the same.

Then pull the bag up and stuff it full of leaves. No shortage of leaves at the lake as there are about 30 trees on the property. The house was built in the 60's , so the trees are huge and they have tons of leaves. It gets windy at the lake , so I secure with rope and tent stakes pounded into the ground to hold the bag in place. I do the same thing on the little sabal minors except the trash bags are about half the size.

Nice!
I didn't know you had a 2nd palm garden, especially one that nice.
Does the water freeze? If not, that should help moderate temps in the microclimate.

Nice looking Trachy, Kent.
Not a mark on it from last winter...without lights.

The caretaker's probably wondering why you're tying down your garbage...

Barb

You guys are cracking me up!

😆 😆 😆

(Does the water freeze? If not, that should help moderate temps in the microclimate.

)

The water very rarely will freeze over. we have a bubbler in dock wells to keep it from freezing solid around the dock, as
a precaution. I agree that the water may produce a little warmer micro-climate. The trade off is there is no protection from a north wind for this particular palm tee. The wind from the north comes across water and smacks it pretty hard.

Barb, this is the Ozarks, its perfectly acceptable to tie trash bags down. Nobody cares. I do worry about a dog or a raccoon digging into the bag looking for food. Of course I worry about alot of stuff, for example, I worry if the elastic band in the top of my socks will give out.

The beauty of having palm trees at the lake is I have 2 sets of neighbors that think I'm nuts growing palm trees in the midwest.

a dog or a raccoon digging into the bag looking for food. Of course I worry about alot of stuff, for example, I worry if the elastic band in the top of my socks will give out.

Dogs/raccoons will dig IF they smell food, your bag will be safe all winter with only leaves inside.

...my sock elastic, not so much. Just meteorites. 🙄

What would we do without your humor, Kent!
😆

getting a little anxious to see if my thermocube is going to work this year. I have a 20F-30F (-16C--1C) thermocube in my palm hut and we have not had temps below like 25F this year yet. Even our 10 day forecst shows our lowest temp at 25F (about -3C). Weather has been fairly mild so far in winter 2011. I hope our streak continues. I guess only time will tell.

My town is promised to be cold spelled down to minus 26C on the December 19-20-21th. There is no heater inside of my "the palm-hayloft". What is a critical T min inside it to be worried?

Igor- What types of palms are we talking about and how established are they? Both of these factors are key!