Good news!

17F (-8C) is a mild winter.
Let's hope that's all the cold your Trachy sees.

What was your minimum temp last year?

Barb

I think last winter my min temp was 1 F so this year so far has been pretty mild, I hope it stays that way I hate the cold, and so does my palm, lol. Heres a pic of my palm i took yesterday. http://www.flickr.com/photos/60940697@N08/6647438835/in/photostream

last winter my min temp was 1 F

Quite the difference 😀

Looks very good!
If temps do plummet (and I hope they don't), are you planning on adding a string of Christmas lights to your enclosure to warm the spear area?
But careful, don't let bulbs touch the dry straw mulch.

I hate the cold too, Bryce. :lickice:

Barb

Looks good n green to me! Are you watering it on nice days? I give mine a good
drink about once a week if the temps are decent and forecast to be above freezing
at night. Just keep it out of the spear area.
I would add some milk jugs or pop bottles filled with water around the base
of the tree for thermal mass, too. I leave the tops off the palm enclosures
unless we're forecast to go low 20sF. It's a delicate act keeping them dry, warm
at night, watered,but not too hot in the daytime in my zone 6b-7a.

I haven't decided weather or no to use lights or not barb im kinda afraid ill catch something on fire. I didn't use lights last year, it survived but lost its leaves. I do not water it at all in the winter time. I didn't think that was a good idea? it does get water though because the surrounding soil gets wet when it rains.

I think my palms were damaged more last winter by not watering, than by cold temps. As long as its above freezing and decently warm I've been watering once a week. I figure it can't hurt as long as I keep it out of the spear area. Besides, we are still behind on rainfall and it's been downright warm here for winter - not that I'm complaining! If the ground is wet from snow or rain, then you're prolly good. I do recommend the thermal mass water jugs highly though.

I do not like the Christmas lights anymore. A few years ago I wrapped my palms with berlap and built a frame with plastic all around it. Wrapped the lights around the burlap and added some mulch to the base of the plant.

Well let me tell you get out the marshmallows and hotdogs. I had a towering inferno in my back yard.

I can laugh about it now, but at the times was so angry.

I don't think the lights were the only problem there.....
sometimes one protection method doesn't seem like
enough and other times 2-3 are not enough-don't light and leaf! :cherry: :sign6: