Search found 31 matches

by Brooklands
Sat May 09, 2015 8:21 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Help ..........please
Replies: 7
Views: 5444

They tend to grow thicker rather than higher in the first few years. Once they hit their max base diameter, up they go. Yours looks nice and wide at ground level so up she will go. With adequate water, you will soon see a foot of trunk growth a year. It's a nice looking Palm.
by Brooklands
Tue Mar 31, 2015 12:17 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Uncovered Trachy
Replies: 6
Views: 8365

Nice job holding back winter on that palm....looks flawless!!!
by Brooklands
Fri Mar 20, 2015 4:26 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: 2015 sudden jump(here)from winter to spring
Replies: 6
Views: 3859

Oh no Jim...sad to lose some after so many years.

Which palms did you lose?

.....Phil
by Brooklands
Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:45 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Big Boy Trachy not doin' well
Replies: 11
Views: 13308

I think it will be fine Barb, The spear doesn't look too bad, the top of the spear isn't great looking where it touched the roof, but it's the bottom of the spear that's critical. I have had many pull over the years with the palm surviving, and all looked far worse at the bottom than yours. I would ...
by Brooklands
Sat Mar 14, 2015 6:05 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Some palms and cactus
Replies: 15
Views: 13034

Amazing job on the Agaves!!! Not even one mushy leaf to cut away...you sure have the magic touch.
by Brooklands
Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:27 pm
Forum: Photo Gallery
Topic: Subtropical garden from NY
Replies: 6
Views: 4435

Really nice and tropical looking. Thanks for sharing.
........Phil
by Brooklands
Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:19 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Uncovered Everything Today
Replies: 57
Views: 35115

Good luck with nursing your Phoenix back to health. Hope it's a good spring for you so that it sees some early warmth to grow out the damage.
by Brooklands
Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:13 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Uncovered Everything Today
Replies: 57
Views: 35115

The 23 watt CFL's (100 watt equivalent) get fairly warm, but not too hot to touch. The cooler bulb temp means that they are less likely to overheat the box as has happened to many who put too many C9's in their protection, or have thermocubes fail in the "on" mode. The foam boards are expe...
by Brooklands
Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:32 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Uncovered Everything Today
Replies: 57
Views: 35115

Interestingly, CFL's actually produce quite a bit of heat. I switched to them after reading Arctictropical's posts from Z4 Utah on another forum a few years ago. He kept a med fan palm going for 20 years with 2 CFL's in a 4 ft box of 2" pink styrofoam in temps down to -25F. Also a 14' high Trac...
by Brooklands
Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:45 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Uncovered Everything Today
Replies: 57
Views: 35115

Yup, the two 23 watt CFL's did the trick. The min/max's showed -11c mins outside the box and +3c inside. No sign of overheating with warm weather and the bulbs on 24/7.
by Brooklands
Mon Feb 16, 2015 4:56 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Uncovered Everything Today
Replies: 57
Views: 35115

Hi Barb, Great to hear that your CIPD might be alive!!! I drove 2 hours east of Vancouver to the cottage on the weekend to check on the place and to peak at the palms. Looks like after 3 months in it's Styrofoam box the CIPD is fine. Not a mark on it despite being 5' tall and jammed in a 4' tall box...
by Brooklands
Sat Feb 14, 2015 8:05 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Uncovered Everything Today
Replies: 57
Views: 35115

Sorry to see your Phoenix is lost, especially since you have had that one such a long time.

Glad everything else looks so good.
.......Phil
by Brooklands
Sat Jan 24, 2015 10:41 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Canary Palm thriving in Nashville
Replies: 24
Views: 12447

Wow 905, that's truly a labour of love...very impressive.
by Brooklands
Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:12 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Canary Palm thriving in Nashville
Replies: 24
Views: 12447

NP, A picture of the protection would be great to see on a palm that big. There is a good sized CIDP in one of Vancouver's eastern suburbs that I drive past occasionally. It has a decent sized box built around it from Coreplast. Thing must be 15' tall, but the one in your picture looks even bigger. ...
by Brooklands
Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:00 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Time to take a peak
Replies: 15
Views: 8285

I haven't been able to peek directly, as mine are way out at the cottage, a long drive from here. But what I do have is a couple of web cameras monitoring the place for security. If I "take a peek" on the Drop Cam website at night, I can see my boxes glowing off in the distance, so I know ...
by Brooklands
Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:23 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Palms protection 2014-15
Replies: 41
Views: 54955

Hi 905, Interesting your comment on the warm water in spring. I was just reading a fellow on a UK forum doing the same thing. He gets 8 stems per season on his Jubaea when others over there get 4. Could the warm water or soil heat in spring really double the growth? I note some good with black plast...
by Brooklands
Sat Nov 22, 2014 9:12 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Palms protection 2014-15
Replies: 41
Views: 54955

Do you ever fire up the soil heat cable in the spring to speed up the early season growth?
by Brooklands
Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:58 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Palms protection 2014-15
Replies: 41
Views: 54955

Is there any brand of heat tape that performs better for you? I have tended to be energy wasteful, and just leave the CFL's burning all winter due to past losses with thermostats that failed, and stories of failed heat tapes and defective thermo cubes in the early 2000's, but perhaps that's all in t...
by Brooklands
Sat Nov 15, 2014 9:11 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Palms protection 2014-15
Replies: 41
Views: 54955

I wound up doing things a bit different yesterday when i got out here. The little newly planted Phoenix went from 3'6" to nearly 5' in one summer. I ran a drip irrigation line to it and had black painted stones around the base to heat the soil in spring and fall...guess it worked. So instead of...
by Brooklands
Fri Nov 14, 2014 3:00 pm
Forum: Greenhouse & Outside Protection
Topic: Best winter protection for SE Kansas (zone 7a)
Replies: 5
Views: 6428

Curious to know what you eventually went with. In answer to your questions, dark all winter is fine if you don't get too many extended warm spells. A couple of CFL daylight bulbs are better if it gets warm enough to grow a bit. Only minor watering is typically needed if it's really dry and warm, and...
by Brooklands
Fri Nov 14, 2014 2:07 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Palms protection 2014-15
Replies: 41
Views: 54955

It looks like it's going to hit -6c at my cottage in Harrison this weekend, so it's time for me to drive 1.5 hrs out from North Vancouver and screw my styrofoam shelters together to cover the CIDP and other tender stuff. When Trachys grow just fine unprotected at my house in North Vancouver, I have ...
by Brooklands
Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:21 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: The tale of unprotected young trachys
Replies: 11
Views: 6411

That's pretty amazing.
by Brooklands
Tue Jul 22, 2014 1:52 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: I got a canary island date palm for
Replies: 18
Views: 8606

As long as your garage is in the 30-45 degree range, the palm will be near dormant and doesn't need light, or much water. If your garage is often over 50, the palm will be trying to grow and will need light. When it warms up a bit in march, try moving to the front of the garage, and leave the door o...
by Brooklands
Thu Jun 12, 2014 11:14 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Very large Pindo Palm... Burlington, Ontario
Replies: 19
Views: 11294

One never knows what is behind some of those mansion walls, but if I had to guess, the biggest non trachy in Canada outside of the aurboretums is likely the one you mentioned, Brian's Cloverdale CIDP, biggest Jubaea are probably Jeff's in Victoria, and your's is likely the biggest Butia. You could p...
by Brooklands
Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:05 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Very large Pindo Palm... Burlington, Ontario
Replies: 19
Views: 11294

Wow, that's a truly impressive palm. It makes one a bit curious to know if there are any bigger Butia in Canada.

I am aware of one nearly as tall in the Vancouver area, but no where near the girth.

Your's look simply amazing in your yard. A traffic stopper for sure.
by Brooklands
Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:53 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: When to know if it's fully dead?
Replies: 5
Views: 3667

It really doesn't sound too likely that the sadder trachy will live, but the one pushing in the middle could possibly have a chance. It really depends on how prime the spot is in your garden. If you aren't in desperate need to have something nice there, then why not give it a chance. Unfortunately, ...
by Brooklands
Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:30 pm
Forum: Member Introduction
Topic: Hi from Vancouver
Replies: 3
Views: 4775

Hi from Vancouver

Hi Everyone,

I am really enjoying all the stories, photos, and knowledge displayed on this board.

I am inspired by all the folks who have so much success in some truly un-palmlike climates.

Cheers,
Phil
by Brooklands
Sun May 25, 2014 10:03 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Infant (SP) operations unit
Replies: 25
Views: 9115

Jim,

Curious to know more about the surgery. How do you know how far to cut without going too deep into the bud? I have tried the drilling thing before, but was always scared to go deep enough.

Did you just keep cutting till the mush was gone, or is it more of a planned operation.
........Phil
by Brooklands
Sun May 25, 2014 9:58 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Infant (SP) operations unit
Replies: 25
Views: 9115

The zone here (Harrison) is a bit worse than Vancouver, but has horrible arctic blasts for a few days every few years, so the full styrofoam box, C9 or CFL routine will be needed. If that works for more than a few years, I am going to have a big problem.
by Brooklands
Sat May 24, 2014 8:54 pm
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Infant (SP) operations unit
Replies: 25
Views: 9115

Thanks Barb, Just got in from planting a 4 ft CIDP at the Cottage at Harrison Hot Springs. With the wicked arctic outflows we get out here, I may just be trying Jim's surgery technique next spring. Kinda hilarious that it's hot and sunny, and I am already back to thinking about styrofoam...lol. Chee...
by Brooklands
Sat May 24, 2014 7:26 am
Forum: Cold Hardy Palms
Topic: Infant (SP) operations unit
Replies: 25
Views: 9115

I am glad to see the little guy growing out the damage. Did you spray it with copper fungicide or anything?