32 year old Trachy finally in the ground

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:24 pm

How many times have you seen me do this, only to dig it out again late Fall.
(don't answer that, ha ha)
Not this time, though.

She's finally got a home.

Gave it a good drink and piled lots of leaves around the base.
Looks kinda small in the ground!

Barb

Okanagan desert-palms · Post by **Okanagan desert-palms** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:32 pm

Barb finally you did it!!!! That palm has waited a long time to have it`s feet in the ground. You are officially the most northern planted T. fortunei zone 5b 6a in Canada. Great job!

John

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:09 pm

Good luck Barb,look forward to seeing pics of it's growth this fall,also, if it gets sun in that location it's better if the ground is clear so the soil warms up faster. Nice trachy-

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:46 am

officially the most northern planted T. fortunei zone 5b 6a in Canada.

Yippeeeeeee! I probably won't be this excited come Fall, especially with the return of our mini-Ice Age.

if it gets sun in that location it's better if the ground is clear so the soil warms up faster.

Good point...will remove the leaf mulch today and give it another big drink with some epsom salts.
The trachy gets only morning sun where it's planted; it used to fry in the other spot.

Thanks!
Barb

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:15 am

Good for you Barb. 32 years? It should grow much quicker now that it's in-ground.

Cheers, Barrie.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:53 am

Yea Barb,I think your trachy will really take off!
One thing about moving the leaves back is that,I usually remove my mulch if its warm out and pile it back if its cold/cool and/or lots of rains expected.I bet you get 5-6 nice leaves this year,at least

oppalm · Post by **oppalm** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:15 pm

congratulations. you did a good thing. She'll be very happy. Good luck, remember all you have learned on this forum over the past few years and you both will do fine. Of course, ask question next fall as you get ready for winter.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:42 pm

Everybody's comments are really getting me excited!

The trachy looks even better today than yesterday; obviously needed the drink.

Thanks folks!
Barb

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:52 pm

Looks good Barb. Should grow quick in the ground.

Alchris · Post by **Alchris** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:04 am

Congrats Barb;

I hope that you have success with it outside.

Allen

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:29 am

Thanks folks...it's been a tad cool overnight lately.
Its first night outdoors -2.6C, second night -3.3C.

Poor thing.
Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:00 am

Poor thing? No way! It's going to thank you for giving its roots some room!!! Please keep updatng the progress through the summer.

The only place that 'might' be a zone 5b or 6a that is as far north as you, in NA at least, is Newfoundland. And, though I've seen pics of bamboo in Newfoundland, I'm not sure if anyone there is growing palms! I don't know if there'd be a palm in Eastern Europe or Asia plants that far north is that tough of a climate! I'm going to declare it MOST NORTHERLY permanently planted palm in the world (not physically, but in terms of climate anyway). Until someone proves otherwise (coastal zone 7/8's don't count, they take away the challenge!)

Cheers,
P

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:14 pm

Barb,where did you have it before you planted it?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:18 pm

Paul, thanks, I'm at 52 N latitude, so it'll be a challenge.
But I do agree it'll love spreading its feet this summer.

Jim, well...it's been living in a giant garbage can for a couple of years.
Successively larger pots were hard to come by, but the garbage can with drainage holes drilled, worked great.
Darn heavy though.

It spent winters in the cold (barely-heated) building.

If everybody opens their windows, you'll hear it cheering it's so happy

Barb

PS--and you can all come over in mid-October and help me build an enclosure

Okanagan desert-palms · Post by **Okanagan desert-palms** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:34 pm

Barb I`ll help with the palm hut cold frame. -3c 27f will do no harm even though it hasn`t seen below zero temps ever. Trachy`s I`ve got planted in early spring have seen those temps and shrugged them off without missing a beat. The size of yours will do the same.

John

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:56 am

Great, John, thanks!
I'll stock up on cold beer (good fertilizer)!

BTW, I goofed.
I'm at FIFTY-POINT-TWO lat N, not 52.

Far enough north without making it worse

Barb

PS--also planted out the Naini Tal yesterday. It looks good despite the long winter indoors.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:56 pm

Barb,are these two Trachys ajusted to sun and wind already?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 2:32 pm

Quasi-adjusted ... had them outside for a while now, under a roof.
The big Trachy gets only morning sun, as it has for each summer outdoors.
The Naini Tal isn't very old, so it's in a morning sun spot only too.

Barb

PALMETTOMAN · Post by **PALMETTOMAN** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:25 am

All right Barb!..you'and your trachy have officially joined the band...

Palmettoman Z6-Ajax, On

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:24 am

...even if it's a band of loonies?

especially with western north america beginning a 30-year period of cooling...aaaargh!

Barb

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:15 am

Another taste of crappy weather

At least it's mild again.

Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:59 am

Barb. It doesn't look too unhappy about the snow!
We might get a shot of snow next week, but we'll have to see. If it comes it could be disasterous for the swollen buds on the magnolias! Slightly off topic, but the daffs and early tulips have just begun here!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:07 am

Paul,
More of a shock to me than the Trachy...

daffs and early tulips have just begun here!

here too, but my star magnolia isn't budging yet. Smart!

Guess I'll have to get a new avatar now that the Trachy is in the ground.

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:42 am

Barb,we had the same thing here last Sunday morning,it was gone later that day! (We got about 5",it melted in 9 hrs)
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes004.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes004.jpg" border="0" alt="T.fort 3-29-09"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes005.jpg" border="0" alt="Front of house showing protection"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes007.jpg" border="0" alt="Front of house 9 hrs later"></a>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:43 am

Jim, your plants look great.
Must be wonderful "releasing" them from their winter protection.

Snow...if you pay as much for water as we Canadians do...snow means FREE water.
Yippeee (sort of).
Rain would be better.

PhilMusa · Post by **PhilMusa** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:29 pm

Very nice especially at 52 degree north!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:35 pm

Thanks Phil.

Not that it makes a lot of difference, but I'm at 50-point-2 Latitude N (I goofed earlier).

Hope it looks that good this time next year.

Barb

Laaz · Post by **Laaz** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:30 am

Great job Barb. Now watch it take off.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:03 pm

Barb,I am putting some large rubber trash "cans" under the downspouts to collect water for some of the stuff that will need more frequent watering like the banana plants,better water!

Okanagan desert-palms · Post by **Okanagan desert-palms** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 2:44 pm

I wish we could collect rain water here but we only get 11 inches per year.

John

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:30 pm

I got about 50+ gallons from 23' of gutter and .20" of rain

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:01 pm

At the ratio of roughly a ¼" of rain for every 25' of rain gutter = 50 gallons ... I should get some big holding tanks. We get an average of 36" per year and that would amount to some serious water savings. The vast majority of rain fall is in the winter months, so summer usage is high on the district system.

Cheers, Barrie.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:05 am

Where does one go about getting some barrells to collect rain water in??? I was thinking of doing this, but putting a tap at the bottom of the barrells and a screen over the entry to the barrel to keep the leaves etc. from gunking up the barrell!!!

Thoughts?

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:59 pm

Good ideas! I would imagine any major hardware store would have them,for putting a valve at the bottom you would definitely want something a little thicker than a rubber t-can like I use. One other thing I may try is putting the first t-can a little higher so I can install a overflow tube and have another next to it(slightly lower)and fill both.My neighbors have taken it a little further and have their gutters connected so they mostly run into at least one very big(probably 500g)tank! so much better than using "city"water,even though it is only 5 cents per 20 gallons,roughly,there is a set monthly minimum charge of $25ish-I guess the whole point for me at least is,you can't beat rainwater!!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:44 pm

We're in a rainshadow here too and don't get much.

I like that idea too Jim.

Some good pics here:
http://www.rainwaterconnection.com/prod ... oducts.htm

Paul, many cities/communities/regional districts have programs where you can buy some of this stuff at a more reasonable price (to promote their use in the community). Stuff like composters, rain-collection plastic barrels with screen and bottom spout, etc. Maybe phone your city's environmental dept.

Barb

PhilMusa · Post by **PhilMusa** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:14 pm

Hey Paul,

FYI, Costco is selling rain barrels for about $125.00.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:42 am

$125.that better be a hell of a rain barrel ! What size are they? You can buy a rubber trash can for $10

ginger · Post by **ginger** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:41 pm

OMG !! I can only wish my babies are still around in 30 years !! I planted 2 , they are Trachy/Butia I believe. I purchased them from a "grower" in South Jersey a year ago. This lady had been growing them from seed for quite a few years. I did the stakes with the burlap and the area filled with leaves, with a plastic cover that I would roll back on the best days . Removed protection little by little for a month and now they are out on there own !! No spear pull ever . I am new at this and I remember this is a bad sign (right?). I will post pictures in the next day or so . I think they are doing OK. Definetly more happy with the warmer sunshine and water (and a little epson salts).. Some brown/yellow on a few of the higher leaf tips , about 1/3 of the approx 12 " leaf. I wonder if I should trim the brown/yellow fronds off at the color change. I was told the trees are 4/5 years old before planting one year ago. Trimming would be a good cosmetic thing ,,, Would it harm or help my babies ? So far I have been advised by my "palm tree lady" to only trim the branches when they are completely brown/dead. Can any of you more experienced palm growers advise me ? I am on the coast of central NJ. they are on the east side of the house, gets sun from sun up til 12-1 o'clock. When it is gonna be real windy (nor easter) I have been putting a few heavy lawn chairs in front of them as a wind block. I think they look good for being under cover for months. I need some written advice and hopefully encouragement ! thank you all so much for your patience to a palm tree virgin !! I will get some photos tomorrow,

you can email me at gfish51@comast.net. ginger

these palm trees growing in my back yard are "my dream" !

hilashes · Post by **hilashes** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:15 am

Yay for your Trachy Barb! It's so beautiful. How does it like it's new home?
I just planted a 4 1/2 ft. Trachy yesterday (I replaced it with the little guy that didn't make it over winter

). Planting another one just like it next week. I also bought a Musa Basjoo and planted behind it up on our retaining wall. (I had a Musa in our front yard and with protection over winter it still flopped. It's just a wait-and-see now whether or not pups will come up).
Here's a pic (my 4 yr. old loves to help!)

Hope all is well in the OK!
Heidi

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:50 pm

Ginger, welcome aboard. Looking forward to see your pictures.
Sounds like you've done everything as well as you could have, using good techniques. Well done!
Your palm lady gave you good advice...only cut the fronds when they're completely brown and dried.
Mine is also planted on the east, receiving sun until about noon.
Trachies don't like hot hot conditions and they look better in a less windy site. High winds really damage their leaves.
Morning sun should be perfect!

Heidi, sorry the little Trachy didn't make it...winter was so darn cold and long everywhere this year.
My trachy looks happy outdoors; waiting for some warm sunshine to give it a second heavy watering in its new soil.
Nice new Musa, and I bet that musa out front (that you covered so well) will shoot up some pups. Let us know.

Barb

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32 year old Trachy finally in the ground

32 year old Trachy finally in the ground

barb's in ground trachy

Costco Sells Rain barrels

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