When should I uncover all this stuff?
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When should I uncover all this stuff?
Hello. I'm located in zone 6a southern Indiana, and I have 1 needle palm, 2 trachy's, a few basjoo clumps, a chinese fan palm, and 2 hardy crape myrtles that are all planted within 5 feet of the east and south sides of my house. All plants were sprayed with fungicide and covered with leaf piles/cages in late November. I'm wondering when I should uncover these. Besides the basjoo's, everything else was planted last season. Right now, the forcast is showing lows in the mid 20's and highs in the low 40's. Could anyone provide any insight on when and how I should start to uncover my plants? Thanks in advance!
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TerdalFarm
- Palm Grove
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Jova,
I am asking myself the same question right now. I am trying to balance cold protection with rot avoidance. As Winter moves to Spring, I worry less about cold and more about moisture.
I am working my way to uncovering. For the past week, my Chamearops, Butia and Trachy have been uncovered by day and covered by night. My large Butia is in a plastic "hut" with the south side open by day. I am considering leaving them all open tonight and for the next week as forecast lows are in the upper 20s with daytime highs in the upper 40s/low 50s oF.
I never covered my Crape Myrtles as in normal winters they don't need it. All three were new in May, so it hindsight I should have.
Musa basjoo (3 clumps) did get great winter protection. I'll leave them covered for another month.
My plan as of now, as I am getting ready to check the horses and then go to bed, is to leave everything open for the first time all winter. Let them greet March by the dawn sunlight!
Forecasts range from a low of 27oF to 32oF, depending on unpredictable overnight cloud cover.
--Erik
I am asking myself the same question right now. I am trying to balance cold protection with rot avoidance. As Winter moves to Spring, I worry less about cold and more about moisture.
I am working my way to uncovering. For the past week, my Chamearops, Butia and Trachy have been uncovered by day and covered by night. My large Butia is in a plastic "hut" with the south side open by day. I am considering leaving them all open tonight and for the next week as forecast lows are in the upper 20s with daytime highs in the upper 40s/low 50s oF.
I never covered my Crape Myrtles as in normal winters they don't need it. All three were new in May, so it hindsight I should have.
Musa basjoo (3 clumps) did get great winter protection. I'll leave them covered for another month.
My plan as of now, as I am getting ready to check the horses and then go to bed, is to leave everything open for the first time all winter. Let them greet March by the dawn sunlight!
Forecasts range from a low of 27oF to 32oF, depending on unpredictable overnight cloud cover.
--Erik
Jova,
I guess it depends on a few things.
1. How big your stuff is?
2. How much scrambling do you want to do if the weather gets crappy again?
3. Can you partially remove some protection without losing moisture protection?
Rain freeze events can really have a toll on things if your not careful. It takes
along time for the crowns to dry out when temps are only in the mid 40's.
I personally am going to wait until around the 15th to reevaluate the weather, most likely
things would be fine to uncover but what's another 2 weeks at this point.
This is just one of those judgment call things, when you feel it's time do it.
Sorry I wasn't more help!
Bill
I guess it depends on a few things.
1. How big your stuff is?
2. How much scrambling do you want to do if the weather gets crappy again?
3. Can you partially remove some protection without losing moisture protection?
Rain freeze events can really have a toll on things if your not careful. It takes
along time for the crowns to dry out when temps are only in the mid 40's.
I personally am going to wait until around the 15th to reevaluate the weather, most likely
things would be fine to uncover but what's another 2 weeks at this point.
This is just one of those judgment call things, when you feel it's time do it.
Sorry I wasn't more help!
Bill
Thanks for the replies guys...
Bill, to answer your questions, all of my plants, except the basjoos, were planted last season. The 2 trachy's are about 18" tall, the needle and the crape myrtles are about 1 foot tall, and the chinese fan palm I cut back to the ground. So everything is rather small. As far as how much scrambling I'm willing to do if a cold snap comes in, due to my work schedule, I can't really do any scrambling at all, so when I uncover something, it's gonna have to stay uncovered. Everything is covered with leaf piles, so I suppose I could just slowly take the piles down over a period of time. The thing that's on my mind is weighing the benefits of cold protection against rot from these things being buried in a pile of leaves for 3 months now. But I'm kinda with you there about waiting a couple more weeks... It's just a pain when you use leaf piles, because you can't see what's going on under there... We'll see how it goes.
Oh, and btw, I've really enjoyed following your posts Bill... you've got an amazing garden going up there, hope it all makes it through!
Bill, to answer your questions, all of my plants, except the basjoos, were planted last season. The 2 trachy's are about 18" tall, the needle and the crape myrtles are about 1 foot tall, and the chinese fan palm I cut back to the ground. So everything is rather small. As far as how much scrambling I'm willing to do if a cold snap comes in, due to my work schedule, I can't really do any scrambling at all, so when I uncover something, it's gonna have to stay uncovered. Everything is covered with leaf piles, so I suppose I could just slowly take the piles down over a period of time. The thing that's on my mind is weighing the benefits of cold protection against rot from these things being buried in a pile of leaves for 3 months now. But I'm kinda with you there about waiting a couple more weeks... It's just a pain when you use leaf piles, because you can't see what's going on under there... We'll see how it goes.
Oh, and btw, I've really enjoyed following your posts Bill... you've got an amazing garden going up there, hope it all makes it through!
Jova,
Thank you so much for the compliment! I work pretty hard at keeping everything going, very minimal loses this year I think.
Here's another option for you. If you have three extra trash barrels you could take everything off to check on them. Spray with fungicide if they look like they need it, tug the spears very genitally and if they look funky at all dump some peroxide into the spears. I would uncover the chinese fan palm treat with the peroxide and cover back up with about 6-8" inches of dried leaves then take a black trash bag and put it over the top weighed down with rocks or something. That one will need heat to start doing something again if it's going to.
The crepe myrtle should be fine and would most likely benefit from coming out of hiding. I have two Tuscaroras and a Natchez that where left out with no protection that are totally fine, they are good sized though.
Bill
Thank you so much for the compliment! I work pretty hard at keeping everything going, very minimal loses this year I think.
Here's another option for you. If you have three extra trash barrels you could take everything off to check on them. Spray with fungicide if they look like they need it, tug the spears very genitally and if they look funky at all dump some peroxide into the spears. I would uncover the chinese fan palm treat with the peroxide and cover back up with about 6-8" inches of dried leaves then take a black trash bag and put it over the top weighed down with rocks or something. That one will need heat to start doing something again if it's going to.
The crepe myrtle should be fine and would most likely benefit from coming out of hiding. I have two Tuscaroras and a Natchez that where left out with no protection that are totally fine, they are good sized though.
Bill
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DesertZone
- Palm Grove
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I would do something like Bill said. I slowly uncover them alittle at a time every day.BILL MA wrote: Can you partially remove some protection without losing moisture protection?
Rain freeze events can really have a toll on things if your not careful. It takes
along time for the crowns to dry out when temps are only in the mid 40's.
Bill
Last edited by DesertZone on Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Here's to all the global warming pushers, may your winters be -30 below and four feet of snow in your driveway. Because I want you happy.
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Here's to all the global warming pushers, may your winters be -30 below and four feet of snow in your driveway. Because I want you happy.
-Aaron-
I agree,I think Bill's answers to your questions are perfect-because I would have said the same thing 
If you are not willing to cover again to keep rain out,don't mess with them.
As Bill said rain and then cold will do some damage this time of year with plants in cold
soil and without their defense up yet.
That said I shoveled the snow off from around mine a few days ago so I could lift the protection
to look at them,some I hadn't seen in a month and a half.
I am now breaking them in slowly,esp on cloudier days where they can get some sun.
I pulled part of the cover down on the cactus cover to so I can get the moisture out.
Everything that's in there has seen worse than we are going to get from here on out,time for a reward of some fresh air.
It also gets tough to keep the temp down in there,better cool than to warm at this point!
If you are not willing to cover again to keep rain out,don't mess with them.
As Bill said rain and then cold will do some damage this time of year with plants in cold
soil and without their defense up yet.
That said I shoveled the snow off from around mine a few days ago so I could lift the protection
to look at them,some I hadn't seen in a month and a half.
I am now breaking them in slowly,esp on cloudier days where they can get some sun.
I pulled part of the cover down on the cactus cover to so I can get the moisture out.
Everything that's in there has seen worse than we are going to get from here on out,time for a reward of some fresh air.
It also gets tough to keep the temp down in there,better cool than to warm at this point!
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... rfield.gif" alt="Click for Fairfield, Iowa Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />
I opened the door today on the big trachy's shelter to air it out and let it get a little sun. Looks ok except for one burnt frond that was touching the side of the shelter all winter. The small trachy did great as well with no damage and two new fronds. I think I'll leave the shelters overhead for the next week or two. Temps are pretty mild during the day here but dip down to around 25-30 at night.
-Ryan
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TerdalFarm
- Palm Grove
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Ryan,
We had it pretty easy in our neck of the woods this winter all things considered. Glad everything is looking good for you
I took the covers totally off my trachys this weekend, I just couldn't wait I guess. It is really nice seeing them again, all
the people driving by look at them, I can just imagine what's going through there minds. LOL!!!!
Bill
We had it pretty easy in our neck of the woods this winter all things considered. Glad everything is looking good for you
I took the covers totally off my trachys this weekend, I just couldn't wait I guess. It is really nice seeing them again, all
the people driving by look at them, I can just imagine what's going through there minds. LOL!!!!
Bill
Erik,
I'll take a couple pictures to post here tomorrow.
Bill,
I'm sure they can't believe there eyes when they see a bunch of palm trees doing well in Massachusetts, and in March at that! The winter wasn't to bad at all atleast for snow wise for us here in the western part of the state. Lowest temp here was 1F at the end of January. Had a bunch of cold 10-15F nights though.
I'll take a couple pictures to post here tomorrow.
Bill,
I'm sure they can't believe there eyes when they see a bunch of palm trees doing well in Massachusetts, and in March at that! The winter wasn't to bad at all atleast for snow wise for us here in the western part of the state. Lowest temp here was 1F at the end of January. Had a bunch of cold 10-15F nights though.
-Ryan
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lucky1
- Arctic Palm Plantation
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Above freezing, give 'em fresh air.
Minimal night protection now...even a cardboard box helps with a few degrees.
The door to palm hut has been propped wide open for weeks, but I'm not packing the heater away just yet.
Barb
Minimal night protection now...even a cardboard box helps with a few degrees.
The door to palm hut has been propped wide open for weeks, but I'm not packing the heater away just yet.
Barb
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TerdalFarm
- Palm Grove
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I am still burned by last year when I killed my Washies by "protecting" them too long. I'm going the other way this year.
My Trachy, Chamearops and small Butia are completely out in the open with no protection other than copper spray. The large Butia is in the palm hut still but with the south side open. I took the heat tape off, and gave it some water.
The three open palms got a good soaking Monday from a big rain. Today was windy and warm (~60soF). The longest-term forecasts I can find don't call for anything lower than the upper 30soF for the next week or so.
I uncovered my oldest Musa basjoo ("thin red line" in case anyone follows banana varieties). Looks good. I left the other two M. basjoo clumps as is.
Wish me luck!
--Erik
My Trachy, Chamearops and small Butia are completely out in the open with no protection other than copper spray. The large Butia is in the palm hut still but with the south side open. I took the heat tape off, and gave it some water.
The three open palms got a good soaking Monday from a big rain. Today was windy and warm (~60soF). The longest-term forecasts I can find don't call for anything lower than the upper 30soF for the next week or so.
I uncovered my oldest Musa basjoo ("thin red line" in case anyone follows banana varieties). Looks good. I left the other two M. basjoo clumps as is.
Wish me luck!
--Erik
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lucky1
- Arctic Palm Plantation
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Erik, you think protecting them "too long" was what did in the Washies?
Maybe the jury's still out on that.
Completely agree that everything should be out with your current temperatures.
You might even want to open up another side of the "dog house".
Enjoy your fine weather.
Barb
Maybe the jury's still out on that.
Completely agree that everything should be out with your current temperatures.
You might even want to open up another side of the "dog house".
Enjoy your fine weather.
Barb
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If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
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TerdalFarm
- Palm Grove
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Qther
Thanks for the upport on my decision.
weather: I am enjoying it very much.
I flew to Belize today and am under a coconut palm drinking rum
right now. Should hit 90oF tomorrow
weather: I am enjoying it very much.
I flew to Belize today and am under a coconut palm drinking rum
right now. Should hit 90oF tomorrow
It's been in the 60's here the past few days, with lows in the 5 day forecast not dropping below the high 30's, so I went ahead and uncovered the needle palm, crapemyrtles, and one small cactus (unsure of the species). Everything looked just as good as it did before I covered them up. Only thing left are the trachys (checked on those today, burnt tips all over, but other than that they look fine) my basjoo clumps and the livistonia. I'll probably go ahead and uncover the trachy's tomorrow, but I'm going to leave the livistonia and basjoo's covered for a while longer. But it's looking great, and zero losses this far! Thanks for all the replies folks! BTW, current project is a 12'x12' raised cactus/desert garden, I'll keep yall posted on how that goes:)