Thanks!I just got home from work. The big cold front has not hit here yet--we are still at 40 oF with winds just now shifting to come from the NW. So,...

Hard to believe It's been colder here at 35 degrees latitude than you Canadians have experienced, but we have already had 18 oF (-8 oC) and will likel...

Thanks for your help here. Let me answer some of your questions:Golden bamboo: it does look good. It is growing a little each year. I keep hoping it w...

I'll check on that switch. I am trying to make things as easy as possible. The reason is that I am escaping to Belize for a couple of weeks soon and l...

I concur, on the Chamearops humilis. I've tried two, with minimal winter protection. The silver variety was from an expensive 1 gallon pot and did not...

Barb, Bill, Jim,thanks for the quick help. For those just checking in, here is a link to the photo of the shelter my 10-year-old and I made for the 15...

Jim,I'm following this one, too, as it will be so big as to hit me as well as you. The local meteorologists are still unsure how it will play out here...

Here is the Trachy I bought from Home Depot (15 gallon pot) in May. This will be its first winter. I sprayed the trunk with neem oil, wrapped it in bu...

Jim,we'll get hit by the same storm coming your way. Hopefully not quite as cold--it was "only" 19 oF here this morning. I finished my winter protecti...

I love palms at sunset at the beach. These are backlit, but the foreground makes it a favorite shot for me. [url=]<img class="go2wpf-bbcode&qu...

El Nino events can build over weeks to months. Here is a readable update from the Australian meteorology bureau: It was published Oct. 28 and so is as...

The NOAA is predicting slightly warmer than normal temps (on average) for my area:This is the usual product of an El Nino event: I am taking more risk...

Thanks! I'll look for it. I bought, on impulse, a bottle of "fungicide" spray today with the active ingredient of neem oil. Does anyone have experienc...

Bill,I think it cost US$20 and had a trunk of six inches or so. It was the largest this particular local nursery had that day. --Erik