New Palm protection for zone 5 --35 experiments

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 12:20 pm

So here are some new experiments for protecting palms in zone 5b this new method only uses 1 23 w flourescent bulb and looks like an evergreen wrapped up
http://youtu.be/17G_gtkbmik
http://youtu.be/YTV5blESzRE
http://youtu.be/H5ibYUDehVo
Enjoy

Mike

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 12:33 pm

So even your Needle Palms need that much protection in your area? Have you ever not protected one to see if it would make it or not?

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:01 pm

Yes I also just put rose cones over the small ones and they do fine
I also forgot to protect two small needle palms last year
The first snow covered them they lived but had leaf damage
I might leave a big one unprotected next year I doubt you have any with no protection in your area

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:03 pm

The hobby of palms in my area is still pretty new. I get teased about it all the time.

My one needle gets minimal protection, and heat tape buried in the ground around the root ball and that's pretty much about it and seems to do fine.

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 1:20 pm

Yeah since needle palms have a growing point close to the ground any low heat source will work
I wrap them up mostly to keep them dry when I do use electricity it is only 1. 23 w fluorescent bulb

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:13 pm

Mike,
Thanks for the protection updates.
Next time warn us we need hearing protection (for that first video when the saw starts up)

You've probably seen my blue teepees with swimming pool solar blanket wrapped around 3 steel fence posts tied at the top.
Gives a big more room for air movement than wrapping leaves up tight.
And even then I had some fungus on my 2 Washies.

Let us know if cutting slits in the bubble wrap works.

Barb

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:30 pm

Hey Barb I did not see your blue tipis can you show me that. I had the windmill palm tipis bundled too tight I will undo at least 3 of them and give them more room at the top. I am downloading a video as we speak of a night video showing the protection I will post soon
Mike

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:34 pm

Why do we press harder on remote control buttons when we know the batteries are going?

I guess we are hping that the batteries will automatically charge in our hands. I think we also shake the remote.. LOL

As for Washingtonia Robusta It does not like to have the leaves wrapped up at all and I will usually loose most of the fronds with only 3-4 remaining I usually have 15 fronds by the end of the season 4-5 years now.
mike

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:22 pm

Hi Mike,

hoping that the batteries will automatically charge in our hands

I wouldn't know...I never have possession of the damn thing.

did not see your blue tipis

Are you sitting down?

Ta da...voila!

8foot long steel fence posts tied at the top
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/10198435434/" title="011 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8552/1019 ... 11cd_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="011"></a>

6ml vapor barrier plastic is overwrapped with (FREE

from any swimming pool co.) old solar blanket.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/10962762695/" title="002 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3791/1096 ... f3f5_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="002"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/10842983474/" title="009 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/1084 ... 766e_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="009"></a>

Shorter teepees are made with $1 fiberglass broom handles from the dollar store.

Washingtonia Robusta It does not like to have the leaves wrapped up at all and I will usually loose most of the fronds with only 3-4 remaining

Mine recovered completely in summer, except one was really bent over, obviously the top bud died.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/8272057679/" title="003 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8484/8272 ... fe2c_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="003"></a>

This was the worst looking one after unwrapping
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/7154000583/" title="017 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7050/7154 ... 96f4_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="017"></a>

But they grew like crazy this summer:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/10060240056/" title="003 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5524/1006 ... 8898_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="003"></a>

Barb

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 6:31 pm

Nice tractor/FEL Barb!

Interesting concept Mike. Hope it pays off!

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 6:31 pm

Looks Great!!!!!!!
Here is a new video from tonight of the new palm protection tipi method
Enjoy
http://youtu.be/VE9Mm61ZIkw

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 7:33 pm

Hey Mike.
How long are the 23w CFL bulbs on each day?

Barb

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 7:46 pm

Some with thermocube & some always on
Mike

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Dec 03, 2013 8:55 pm

Barb

Your Washys and Yucca look fantastic!

Great native American modern protect too.

I love using bubblewrap,got it on the cactus cover and some of the palm enclosures too.

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/user/orbea6 ... 0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... cbc7e0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 100_7563_zps96cbc7e0.jpg"/></a>

coconutmike · Post by **coconutmike** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 5:23 am

Yeah the res is only 5 mins away great influence

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:44 am

Thanks Jim

Got the idea from YOU.
Figured solar pool blankets are just bubble wrap anyway, and the price was right (FREE, as many as I want).

Only worry now is power outages.
The Hydro company was on the radio this morning blabbering about "high energy usage during 4 - 8 pm".
Yeah, well, gotta keep my palms warm

See you've got a lot of your protection done, with only a few to go.
Looks snug.

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:35 pm

Thanks

That was the pic from the first cold snap-I uncovered the Washy after....
they are all covered now with a pretty rough stretch coming up.....
they are covered though-and not cold enough yet to add more insulation
but I could see it happening.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 2:12 pm

So you double up/add more insulation as the winter progresses?

Yeah, gut-sucking cold

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:17 pm

lucky1 wrote:So you double up/add more insulation as the winter progresses?

Yeah, gut-sucking cold

Well,I could if I needed too....

Its just that one of the covers only has one layer around the bottom
so it needs to be wrapped again as it is only in the 10-12F + range
right now over outside temps-I need at least 20F to start.

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:05 am

For the longest time I thought man I wish I was in a warmer zone but after looking at some of this stuff I guess I am doing alright. I use no heat just burlap and straw and things do fine..I mean it was 73 here yesterday

..and then the weather man says arctic blast 6 - 10 inchs of snow tonight

guess I will see how well those bags work now with lows in the single digits

What type of Yucca are those you have Barb..they remind me of dasylirion wheeleri or untrunked rostrata, Id like to find a couple if I can get a name.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:12 am

10-12F + range
right now over outside temps-I need at least 20F to start.

A good snow cover would provide some more cover at the bottom.
I don't have that either, the rocks holding the tarp down in the wind are showing thru 1" of snow.

type of Yucca are those you have Barb.

Mike, those are Y.rostrata "Sapphire Skies", got 'em from Plant Delights Nursery in the Carolinas.
Supposed to be trunking, eventually

This winter may do them in though...no heat.

And you had 73 yesterday? Sheesh, you ARE in a warmer zone

We're at 7 F :verycold:

Barb

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 3:07 pm

I like the look of rostrata without a trunk but there nice with them as well and fully hardy here. My buddys nursery just got in about 50 of them with 2 ft of trunk he says I can have one for 100 so I think I'm going to jump on that and at that size no protection needed. I think there calling for single digits here and I have some fatsia out with just straw and a bag over them..we will see how that goes.

InsanePalmNinja · Post by **InsanePalmNinja** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:00 pm

Here is how am doing This year I have't been on buying Bass Gurtars and trading some. But here is this years protection.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... 561ae7.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... 31d4bf.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... a78c5f.jpg

I plan to do a better job of protecting them in the next warm up for this winter. Also bass on short nortve Ice storm is doing it worst right now. Here are the Palms in the new GreenHouse...
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... a78c5f.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... a78c5f.jpg

With the Christmas lights
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... a78c5f.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... a78c5f.jpg

PalmsNorth.com

New Palm protection for zone 5 --35 experiments

New Palm protection for zone 5 --35 experiments

Yes

Needle palms

Tipis

Hey Barb BTW

NICE!!!!

Palms

Native American