Free at last

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 8:26 pm

After quite a long winter

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 6:19 am

Looking at your palm you would never know there was winter.

chadec · Post by **chadec** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:49 am

Like Jim said, what winter? Not even the fronds are bent out of shape.

chadec · Post by **chadec** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:49 am

Like Jim said, what winter? Not even the fronds are bent out of shape.

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 7:49 pm

Your palm looks amazing!

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:26 am

this winter I had three different systems in the box:
1. Christmas lights on a TC3 (35F/45F -2c/7c). They were mostly on the ground. Very unreliable, I think there were only 2-3 bulbs working when I opened the box. I will use roof deicing cables next year.
2. A pipe cable with it's own thermostat. The palm was covered in arbotex with heat cable wrapped around.
3. A small (200W) heater on a TC2 (20F/30F - -7C/-1C). The heater was on the ground.
I don't know if the heater was ever activated, as the temperature was alwasy around 5C inside.

Tavi

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:29 am

If I replace the Christmas lights, I will probably add a bulb of some kind just to see when it's on.

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 6:42 pm

Next year I am looking at a 200watt heat lamp in a socket on a spike to stick in the ground and face upward in my barrel housings I'll be building. I've found I have no issues with freezing ground or the trunks getting damaged and it's all about keeping my foliage green and not letting those freeze. I figure a good heat lamp will warm things up quite nicely. Of course I'm looking at two lamps per box for redundancy.

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 7:27 am

I used this heater on a tc2:
www.homedepot.com/p/Lasko-MyHeat-200-Wa ... /202363459

The advantage is that it has a little fan to move the air around. I used them for the last 2-3 winters, and they are still working fine.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 4:34 am

These cheaply "made in china" christmas lights and light bulbs now a days are totally unreliable. I like the tiny heater idea but would worry it would dry the air too much..and the fronds.

905palms · Post by **905palms** » Sun Apr 26, 2015 5:54 am

Nice job Tavi! Flawless... Things do grow better in Ontario! I agree about the xmas lights, half of mine were toast when i opened mine. All alive but 50% damage on my Palmetto.

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Thu May 14, 2015 8:38 pm

and for the second year in a row it has flowers:

JorgeRom · Post by **JorgeRom** » Thu May 14, 2015 10:36 pm

Just beautiful!

905palms · Post by **905palms** » Sun Jan 10, 2016 7:53 am

Hey Tavi,
Did you go back with the same method for this year (C9s), or did you go with the cable?
Cheers
Dan

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:29 am

I went with the cables, but I added one regular bulb on the ground. It's hard to find those old Christmas lights.

Tavi

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 6:19 pm

Are you not using that little heater fan? I'm thinking I'll pick some of those up for next year. This past year I was using a couple spot lights and I'm noticing that my drums aren't warming up as much as I'd like. I think the crowns will be fine, and I may have some leaf burn but I've been looking at an efficient heater for a while. Then I'll just need the heater and a small low watt led to light up so I know the heaters are going on and off.

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Wed Jan 27, 2016 7:34 am

I still have that little fan, I'm just not sure if it ever kicks in as it's on a tc2, on at 20F (-7C). I don't have a thermometer this year, but last year I never seen the temperature going under 0C. And this year was not that cold anyway.

It's more of an insurance.

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:52 am

https://goo.gl/photos/2yj4UJompvpQqnqm6

2016 edition; I used only heat cables and I forgot to put inside the wireless thermometer, so I was not sure if it was working or not. I would say It came out OK. Just a few burnt leaves that were touching the box. I may have to move to the mummy method next year, it's getting big.

Tavi

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:12 pm