Opened up the Washies

[lucky1]

Not pretty, at first glance, but they'll be OK I think.
Not as much fungus as last year.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997325385/" title="003 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/1299 ... fb97_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="003"></a>

Other one looks better:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997333655/" title="002 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3380/1299 ... cced_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="002"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997262475/" title="011 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3258/1299 ... 48d1_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="011"></a>

Inside they look fine:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997446453/" title="004 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7388/1299 ... dbb2_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="004"></a>

With no heat at all, Furcraea is mushy toast:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997675044/" title="009 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2175/1299 ... 3ff7_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="009"></a>

Y.rostratas look mint:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997628294/" title="015 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2482/1299 ... ac00_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="015"></a>

The Y. (elata?) looks OK, still infested with scale despite vegetable oil treatment last Fall:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997684974/" title="007 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3585/1299 ... b2a2_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="007"></a>

Brahea armata growing:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997428743/" title="006 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3036/1299 ... 35d9_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="006"></a>

Little C.humilis cerifera looks OK...it had better grow this year, or else:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997334063/" title="008 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7443/1299 ... fddb_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="008"></a>

Ta Da...drumroll...Big Boy Trachy looks great

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/12997252345/" title="012 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/1299 ... 2d70_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="012"></a>

Yippeeeeee...maybe spring's here.

[andym]

Well considering the crap weather you've had this Winter....I'm impressed. The hardiest Furcraea will only do -8C so that was to be expected. BTW your Trachycarpus looks mint, mine looks like its been dragged through a hedge backwards with all the storms we've had.

[TimMAz6]

Hi Barb

I hope your Washy's bounce back.......all they need now is some heat and sun.

My Washy looks good too. Took this photo today. I'm sure it will take off real soon.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... yqzmtp.jpg>

Your Yucca rostratas are real beauties!!!! They are taking off now.

[KrisK]

Lots of green! That's good! Whatever you did, worked!

My trachies could've passed for braheas. Their fronds were this weird blue-green color when I pulled off their protection. It was cold induced of course. They have now developed into a lovely shade of blonde. Worst winter in 30 years (Supposed) and I went passive - no lites, no heat cables. They'll live, but look like crap for a few.

Again, I'm impressed, everything looks good (minus the furcrea)!

[chadec]

Your efforts really paid off. Everything looks great, especially the rostrata. Mine looks rough from an insect infestation last year. Hard to believe you didn't try kill the washies again.lol

[lucky1]

Oh, no, Tim.
Thought your Washy was in a box w lights

Thanks everybody!

Re Washies, somebody here (ages ago) said they thought Washies hated having their fronds tied up.
Think I agree.
It'd take a hell of a large teepee for next Fall but that might keep some air movement and prevent all that crap.

Somebody hit me for even saying the phrase "next Fall".

Man oh man, I think EVERYBODY deserves a hot and long summer this year.

Look forward to seeing everybody else's undressing.
Ahem.

Barb

[hasty22]

Looks great Barb!! Maybe I will check mine tomorrow!!
Keith

[lucky1]

Thought you would've done that today, Keith.
Or maybe you were at the beach suntanning?

[wxman]

Barb,

Everything looks great! Do you heat your rostratas or just tent them?

[TerdalFarm]

Super, Barb!

Very impressed with the Brahea!

[hasty22]

No Barb . Some of us have to work!!! lol
Keith

[lucky1]

heat your rostratas or just tent them?

only a tent covered in 6ml vapor barrier, open at ends.
You'll be taking your boxes off soon, Tim?

Thanks Erik, really surprised the Brahea didn't seem to mind the darkness.
That concerned me more than the temp because it had C-9s on a thermocube.
The "solar pool blanket" cover did allow some light through, albeit very short daylight hours with little sun this winter.

Some of us have to work!!

Barb

[wxman]

heat your rostratas or just tent them?

only a tent covered in 6ml vapor barrier, open at ends.
You'll be taking your boxes off soon, Tim?

Thanks Erik, really surprised the Brahea didn't seem to mind the darkness.
That concerned me more than the temp because it had C-9s on a thermocube.
The "solar pool blanket" cover did allow some light through, albeit very short daylight hours with little sun this winter.

Some of us have to work!!

Barb

Yes, I hope to take them down in the next week or two. I want to get a few large rostratas to plant at work this year... we're moving to a new building and I'm going nuts on a tropical garden... my budget is $10K.

[lucky1]

I'm going nuts on a tropical garden... my budget is $10K.

Holy Toledo, nice coin!

Have fun planning the layout.
And buy new batteries for your camera so we can see it develop.

Barb

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

Great work, Barb!

[lucky1]

Thanks Cameron.

Dragged EVERYTHING out of the cold building today.
On the patio under the roof, and there they will stay.

Took me an hour to clean all the fallen leaves indoors...mulching the floor.
Lots of plants lost their leaves this winter indoors...strange.


Barb

[marceli]

Barb, those rostratas are awesome!

[lucky1]

Thanks marceli
They ought to really take off this summer.

Man oh man, look at your temperature!
Makes for a super long growing season for you.

Barb

[marceli]

Man oh man, look at your temperature!
Makes for a super long growing season for you.

Barb

Our real winter lasted for 3 weeks this year. Me and my yuccas are very happy

[DesertZone]

WOW...your plants look great! Sorry your yucca is still infested. Mealy bugs did many of my cactus in this winter. The oil will work,but needs to cover the bugs, and can hurt the plant also. I pulled up a few of my dead cactus and down where I could not treat the plant around the roots where tons of mealy bugs.
This is not the first time they have killed a cactus in the winter, but this winter they have killed the most cactus. Next cactus I get I'm going to remove the soil and kill any mealy bugs I find. And I think I wont plant ball cactus next to each other anymore. One area of the garden every cactus there was dead this spring with a infest of mealies around the roots.
I have seen scale bugs on yuccas before, but I have never seen them hurt one before. I wonder if that yucca is a bit sick or if the roots are exposed to air. You can also scrape them off or smash them (if you can see them) I bet if that yucca gets bigger they wont be a problem.
Best of luck.

[lucky1]

Aaron, thanks!

Strange that mealybugs are such an issue, especially in one area of your garden.
And to lose cactus after all your work!
Wonder if Jim--in his bicycle travels over the desert--sees any mealy bugs infecting cactus.
Removing all soil is probably a good idea, but it'd be tough to find their eggs in the soil.
Sterilizing soil is such a stinky job.
I'm not fond of pure sand for soil, but have you tried that?

My yucca has always had that woody root sticking up, forming a pseudo trunk, right from day one.
But you may be right that it's sick.
The most scale is found close to where the leaves attach to the trunk, can't get in there even with a Qtip.

I'm gonna try and water-starve it for the first few months.
Maybe the buggers will go away if it really heats up.

Barb

[905palms]

Oh, no, Tim.
Thought your Washy was in a box w lights

Thanks everybody!

Re Washies, somebody here (ages ago) said they thought Washies hated having their fronds tied up.
Think I agree.
It'd take a hell of a large teepee for next Fall but that might keep some air movement and prevent all that crap.

Somebody hit me for even saying the phrase "next Fall".

Man oh man, I think EVERYBODY deserves a hot and long summer this year.

Look forward to seeing everybody else's undressing.
Ahem.

Barb

Curious however if to undress it in one shot, or simply introduce it slowly to a few hours of daylight at a time...

[lucky1]

My experience is straight out into the sun for Washies, no problem at all.
Same with old Trachy and old Phoenix.

I'd look at the next 2 weeks of weather forecasts though.

Barb

[sashaeffer]

Here is one that I just opened up today. Will have covering on standby with cold fronts still hitting us every so often. This Mexican Fan Palm was just planted last year on SE corner of house and did really well. Got damaged from 9F dip in temps when it was partially protected last fall and all big fronds took a hit and died. Luckily there was some Christmas lights that kicked on that kept me from loosing entire palm, although with the sever cold we had this winter I added a second string to the first. This palm also has root heat. Looks like it will come back nicely!

[lucky1]

Looks like you have the same philosophy as me...the more lights, the better.

Hope it comes back gangbusters, Scott.

Barb

[905palms]

Looks great Scott! Should come back nicely, give it a shot of Copper with these fluctuating temps.