my Calgary, Alberta, Canada desert-winter 2011/12

Cold hardy desert plants etc.

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Cowtown Palm Society
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my Calgary, Alberta, Canada desert-winter 2011/12

Post by Cowtown Palm Society » Sun Mar 11, 2012 4:24 pm

Hi All,

Haven't been posting much the last little while. I still check in on the site to see everyone's cool plants though. Just wanted to give you guys a quick look at what I've been up to and how my plants are faring this winter.

Firstly, we've had a tropical winter by our standards, failing to reach the freezing point only 36 times from Nov.1 till today (7 in Nov, 4 in Dec!!, 11 Jan, 11 Feb, and 3 times this month). Many very warm days over 10C (50F) + a one week blast in January that produced our usual -30ish C winter minimum. I got down to business with my table saw this fall and framed a nice little yucca hut for my y. brevifolia (1st winter) and baccata (2nd winter). My heat source is solar and pipe-tape (for serious cold). The method seems to be working great. I wanted to keep the plants dry and protected, yet still getting light. I did a wrap method on my y. rostrata (that died) last year and it caused a lot of fungal development. This year my pipe tape is at the base of the plant on the soil. I've got two sunroof configurations for the day time heat up (which need to used on any sunny day above about -3 C-which has been most days this winter). I hope to add another J-tree and hopefully a agave utahenis this spring. (I'll also be adding some beautiful elata hybrids, generously donated by Tim, the yucca king!) It's been awesome, so far, except the brevifolia has taken quite a slanted angle chasing our low winter sun. Should straighten up this spring/summer. The brevifolia seems to have continued growth this winter! I just watered them both for the first time since late October.

Please check out my gallery, if you have a chance (link below). I've included some hiking shots from Southern California (Joshua Tree National Park) and Nevada (Red Rock Canyon) from January and February, respectively. Plants in the gallery:

yucca rostrata
-unprotected experiment. Looked great into even Feb.-but starting to show winter damage now. I might have lost this one. Theoretically probably should have!

yucca filimentosa (variegated and regular) Variegated is 1st winter. Regular fil. died to the ground last winter-regenerated no problem last spring. So bullet-proof, it's almost boring-but I still love the look of them.

yucca glauca endemic to Alberta-just love 'em!- green all winter. The palm tree of Alberta! So many beautiful mature specimens around our city. My next project is to compile a photo album of some of the best. I have two in my garden.

Trachy fortunei
mild winter burn, unprotected...lol. Dead and deader. Didn't get around to this little guy in the fall. I think I'm calling up Coconut Mike for a serious specimen this spring. I think I've got a good protection method figured out.

Anyhow, that's it for now. Take care y'all!

Duncan

http://s1160.photobucket.com/albums/q48 ... %20Update/


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DesertZone
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Post by DesertZone » Sun Mar 11, 2012 4:56 pm

That is one good looking garden! I see you went by Vegas. :D Love the agave shots. 8)

Keep us posted on your yuccas!
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TimMAz6
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Post by TimMAz6 » Sun Mar 11, 2012 5:50 pm

thanks for the update Duncan!

Please keep us updated on your Y. rostrata......it would be great if it pulls through.

Your baccata and brevifolia look great. They will likely take off now.

Your Y. glaucas look mint.....I'm sure they are the hardiest for your area.
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Cowtown Palm Society
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Post by Cowtown Palm Society » Sun Mar 11, 2012 7:15 pm

DesertZone wrote:That is one good looking garden! I see you went by Vegas. :D Love the agave shots. 8)

Keep us posted on your yuccas!
Thanks Aaron! Yeah those agave nevadaenis/utahenis grow high up and they're so beautiful! Glad to see you've had a far more normal winter. Soon the blaze will be on-with your plants loving it!
Please keep us updated on your Y. rostrata......it would be great if it pulls through.

Your baccata and brevifolia look great. They will likely take off now.

Your Y. glaucas look mint.....I'm sure they are the hardiest for your area.
Thanks Tim! Your elata/filimentosa crosses are looking great-ready to see how they fare outside. Yes, filimentosa and glauca are great here. That's why I'm dying to try any hybrid of these. Tim, have you ever heard of rostrata x glauca or filimentosa-would love to try that in my area? Your garden looks crazy good for just coming out of winter :shock: . Yeah, I'd be really pumped if that rostrata pulls through, unprotected-but I'm not getting too excited.

Duncan
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lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:43 pm

Hi Duncan,

Your two rostratas both look better than mine...and mine were heated/protected since October :shock:

Good size desert garden, with room for the hybrid additions.

Curious how much snow you had this winter; we had very little so my y.filamentosas look worse than they ever have.
I should rip 'em out and replace with glauca.

Great carpentry job.
How difficult is it for a non-electrical person to figure out solar components/wiring?

Hope you found some seeds on your desert trip...

Barb
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canadianplant
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Post by canadianplant » Mon Mar 12, 2012 5:44 am

Duncan! I was wondering where you went!

First, I have 3 agave utahensis var utahensis seedlings ( no more then a few months old). Id gladly send you one if you dont mind a seedling.

Second. Im glad the winter there was so forgiving. Much better then last year eh! Everything looks really good. Cant wait to see some summer pics !
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TimMAz6
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Post by TimMAz6 » Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:29 pm

Duncan,

I have some Yucca filamentosa x rostrata plants in the garden. All 4 survived this past winter....not much of a test......nearly a zone 7b winter for us this year. Only time will tell how hardy they are.......I would imagine they are hardy in my zone 6b. If they ever sucker I'll be sending them to everyone!

Barb,

try many different 'filamentosas'. The hardiest types are really Y. flaccida (looks like filamentosa). Perhaps some people in ON can send you some seed from their plants?? I have some older Y. flaccida x reverchonii-thompsoniana seed from my garden. If you want it let me know. One of these hybrid seedlings is drop dead gorgeous. Look at the color on that baby!!
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lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:09 pm

That Y. flaccida is a super colour, Tim.
Aptly named.

Next time I'm through town, I'm going to see if there are any seeds under those Y.glauca near the police station (posted pics early summer) .
Doubt anybody's maintaining that median.
Will wear gloves to get through all the dog pee residue...fire hydrant right beside it. :lol: :lol:

Barb
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Cowtown Palm Society
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Post by Cowtown Palm Society » Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:31 am

Curious how much snow you had this winter; we had very little so my y.filamentosas look worse than they ever have.
I should rip 'em out and replace with glauca.

Great carpentry job.
How difficult is it for a non-electrical person to figure out solar components/wiring?
Hi Barb! When I say 'solar', I meant literally: the sun through a pane of glass 8) . Actual photovoltaic panels would be a cool way to plug in my pipe-tape. Not sure if I'd get enough juice though? Yeah, happy with the hut design-thanks! Very little snow for us, and gone quickly, when we've had it. You find your filamentosas do better with a snow blanket?
First, I have 3 agave utahensis var utahensis seedlings ( no more then a few months old). Id gladly send you one if you dont mind a seedling.
Canadian, I'll probably take you up on one of your agave utahenis-thanks man, that's awesome! I'll send you a PM. How's winter been in TBay?
try many different 'filamentosas'. The hardiest types are really Y. flaccida (looks like filamentosa). Perhaps some people in ON can send you some seed from their plants?? I have some older Y. flaccida x reverchonii-thompsoniana seed from my garden. If you want it let me know. One of these hybrid seedlings is drop dead gorgeous. Look at the color on that baby!!
Thanks Tim! That is a beauty-wow! Can't wait to try some of the filamentosa crosses you sent. Two that germinated were actually Y. flaccida x reverchonii-thompsoniana! Can't wait. I also have the following plants from your seeds: 1) fil x elata x flaccida golden sword, 2) fil. x elata x pallida and 3) fil. x flaccida x fil.x elata.

Duncan :D
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canadianplant
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Post by canadianplant » Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:17 am

EH duncan

My Y filamentosa survived last winter in a normal garden bed (not this one that just past, I havnt seen it). IT did really well, untill the snow melted, froze, thawed over a few days before the snow was gone. I lost half the leaves, but it came back pretty good. If it comes back this year, ill move the poor thing.

Also, PM me your addy, Ill send one in a few weeks to make sure the temps wont drop super low. And the winter? Well, the easiest way to explain it, is to say we had a toronto winter. A few night below -25C, but generally, nothing below -20C. We did manage to almost get our average amount of snow. 3 feet of snow = insulation, Plus the foot of leaves I had for mulch, plus the fact the winter was so mild. I think I may have some things i didnt expect to survive, survive.
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TimMAz6
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Post by TimMAz6 » Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:51 pm

Duncan,

I also have some newer hybrid seeds of a Y. filamentosa x elata 'big mama' from this past season. If you want some let me know.

Tim
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Okanagan desert-palms
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Post by Okanagan desert-palms » Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:52 pm

Thanks for the update Duncan. I`m thinking that Y.rostrata will pull through for you.


John
Okanagan Palms and Tropicals
6b-7a

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