Hello from Maryland

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MDPalm
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Hello from Maryland

Post by MDPalm » Wed May 22, 2013 8:01 am

HI!

Just found this site. I am on the Eastern Shore of MD. I have had many palms and bananas over the past 10 years or so but typically have not kept them over the winter. Last summer I purchased a Phoenix Robellini and managed to bring it inside over the winter. It got pretty dry because I could only water it so much because the saucer underneath would only hold so much water before spilling onto the floor. There were a few warm days when it hit the 50's when I took it outside and gave it a good watering and misting. It seemed to liven up after that. Even though I took it out a few times I never changed to a bigger saucer, go figure. Including the pot its about 5' tall so it's not a huge pain to move but the pot does make it pretty heavy.

Last year I also bought 2 windmills which I put into some pots and they stayed outside all winter. I know they should be in the ground but I don't exactly know where to put them where they would look good and survive. They are in clay pots and are sort of protected from rain/snow and wind. And I could have always moved them to the garage if it got too cold. That said we had a fairly mild winter, not too much snow and I think it only dipped into the teens a few times. I have not done a thing to them and they look pretty good. I bought them at Home Depot (I think) they were the ones in the blue pots that everyone is probably familiar with. I think they were the 2 gallon, the ones that are around $20. Now they look like the larger $40+ size.

This year I got a couple Musa Basjoo Banana plants which I have put in a pot. I also got a dwarf cavendish which had a pup that was over a foot so I removed it and put them both in the ground. I might move the basjoo to the gound too. Not sure yet.

In addition on my way home one day a small place that sells bananas had a pineapple with a 5" pineapple growing. So I had to stop and get it. And earlier this week I got what I really wanted, a 10'+ Christmas Palm. It's got 4 trunks and was $150 which seemed like a deal after I saw that the same thing was selling at Home Depot for $300. Then yesterday I saw that Home Depot had all the blue pots back so I got a medium sized Pindo and a small Canery Island Date.

This weekend is going to be re-potting weekend. I still have no idea what to do with some of these over the winter. I would like to build a greenhouse but am afraid of how much it would cost to heat it. I was also thinking of moving them to the garage and using grow lights but again that would probably be an expensive electric bill. I do know someone with commercial greenhouses and perhaps I will see if he would let me rent a few square feet over the winter but I would have to find out if he keeps them heated all winter.

So again, HI. :D



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TimMAz6
Palm Grove
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Location: Massachusetts USDA 6b

Post by TimMAz6 » Wed May 22, 2013 7:35 pm

welcome aboard! Please post photos of your plants. :D
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canadianplant
Clumping Palm
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Post by canadianplant » Fri May 24, 2013 6:16 am

It starts with palms.... then banana... then "not so hardy" fruit trees, then desert plants............ Palms are the gateway drug of the plant hobby!

Welcome aboard.
"The definition of insanity, is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results" - einstien

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hardyjim
Palm Grove
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Location: Fairfield Iowa 5b

Post by hardyjim » Fri May 24, 2013 7:24 am

Welcome MDP :happy4:
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lucky1
Arctic Palm Plantation
Posts: 11325
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:31 pm
Location: Vernon BC, Zone 5a or 5b (close to 6A!)

Post by lucky1 » Sat May 25, 2013 1:40 pm

Welcome aboard PN, Rick.
Glad to have you with us.

I chuckled reading your post...that's the way we all start.
And one day we look around and have 50 palms. :lol: :lol:

Glad you had a mild winter and that your windmills are fine.
Clay pots are a bit unusual for Trachies; clay is often better suited for succulents.

Would love to see some photos of your plants.
A nice collection already! :D

Barb
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BrugsBunny
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Location: London, Ontario, Canada

Post by BrugsBunny » Sat May 25, 2013 2:30 pm

canadianplant wrote:It starts with palms.... then banana... then "not so hardy" fruit trees, then desert plants............ Palms are the gateway drug of the plant hobby!

Welcome aboard.
Love that gateway drug comment, Canadianplant. LOL

But welcome aboard.

MDPalm
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Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:09 am

Post by MDPalm » Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:45 am

Thanks. I will try and get some pictures taken. I have been trying to get everything re-potted while trying to grow grass and haven't had time to take any pictures yet. I have't bought much since my initial post. Just another Windmill bluepot and a grand nain banana that was at Lowes.

I am still trying to figure out what do do with the Christmas palm over the winter. Would something like that survive with florescent grow lights for the winter?

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