Coldest temps?

Okanagan desert-palms · Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:46 pm

What are the coldest temps for everyone this winter? I have recorded -15c 11f back in Dec.
Regards, John

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:59 am

Mine so far this winter is -3.9 F. But winter is not over, they have a forcast of below 0F temps.

banana joe · Post by **banana joe** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:02 am

My extreme min. temp. so far was -1.6 C. back in early Dec. It dropped down to -1 C. here this morning. The sun and blue sky sure is nice. Joe

Pazuzu · Post by **Pazuzu** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:47 am

I don't do "C" but ours was 24F

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:32 am

I don't do the "C" word either

When it come to temps I prefer the "F" word

banana joe · Post by **banana joe** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:14 pm

Lowest temp. here this morning was -1.4 C. or 29.4 F. In town where the Jubaea and Phoenix grow the low was -0.6 C. All the Daffs are in full bloom at Grace Point. I was there this morning looking at all the exotics. It is quite windy there because it is right on the ocean. Joe

desertdave · Post by **desertdave** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:17 pm

The low at my house in Boise so far this winter was 7 F in early December, during the major inversion that month. 2nd coldest was 8, about a week and a half after that. So far it has only been 16 here this cold spell (20 last night; I think clouds rolled in a bit).

PhilMusa · Post by **PhilMusa** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:32 pm

Here in Toronto the coldest night was in early Dec at -15.2C/+4.6F, since then we haven't even come close. However, the arctic Flow that had invaded the West earlier in the week has made its way to southern Ontario today and we may see temps of -15C/5F tonight. As someone alluded to earlier I'm also freaking ready for Spring!

Estiva · Post by **Estiva** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:20 pm

My record low this winter has been -14F/-26C

I have a R. Hystrix with about 50-60% leaf burn but it is ALIVE and had had no artificial heat, just mulch. This plant (about a two-year old) was put into the ground only last Spring. It has reinspired my confidence in their cold-hardiness.

My T. Takil and T. Fortunei have both lost their spears; the Takil still has green (albeit ragged) leaves, I trimmed off all the Fortunei's leaves except one, but it doesn't look good.

The only thing I had protected them with is a overturned, plastic, semi-opaque trash can with a 40w light bulb from dusk to dawn.

We'll see what happens by May.

Okanagan desert-palms · Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:39 pm

Estiva In your opinion do you think your T. takil survived your winter better than the T. fortunei? Those temps -14f -26 c how long of a duration was it that cold? I have many 3 1/2 year old T .takil, Sabal louisiana "Oklahoma form". I will plant 2 of each 1 with protection 1 without. Testing to see what will happen in my zone 6b. Good luck with your spear pull.
John

yuccaman · Post by **yuccaman** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:57 pm

I know a needle palm could take some -26C temps with some mulch. We had a record of -39C in 1901. But after that they never seen it again. just mild days.

Estiva · Post by **Estiva** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 9:19 am

Through my observations, the takil is a little hardier. I'm not sure what the low minimum temperature was inside the enclosure, but I can't imagine it stayed more than about 10F warmer, so it probably was exposed to -4F.

That -14F was only overnight. I think we only went below 0F a few times the whole winter.

The T. Fortunei pretty much looks dead. I will keep in in the ground until about July 1st, just to see if there is any sign of life.

Just a note: I bought a 3gal. R. Hystrix to keep my seedling company--bought it in South Carolina for $30. I figure if the 1-year-old made it through -14F this surely will.

Alchris · Post by **Alchris** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:30 am

The coldest that it got to last winter was in Late Novemeber/ Early December at about -31C. It was only below -25C for about a day and a half.

Allen

magick9642 · Post by **magick9642** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:32 pm

Here in Feeding Hills, MA we recorded -20F. I had a T. takil on a south wall, heavily mulched, covered with a garden stake and plastic (like a teepee). It has put on 2 new leaves already. There was about 30% leaf burn, but I think it was through my fault. We had a warm spell in February. I opened the enclosure to "air out". I believe the sudden change caused this. There was no leaf burn before I did this. Musa basjoo survived no probelm when cut down and heavily mulched.

mamol · Post by **mamol** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:08 pm

My palms (T. fortunei, takil, J.chilensis), yuccas (Y. rostrata, aloifolia, carnerosana, glauca, gloriosa, brevifolia...) and other exotics took -26C for 2 nights in January this year and another 16 nights with the temperaturs bellow -15C. Most of them survived without any problems, only older leaves burned. Bananas (E. glaucum) didn't have any chance even in good cover. Yucca brevifolia, glauca, gloriosa and rostrata weren't touched at all.

magick9642 · Post by **magick9642** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:13 am

Mamol,

For the bananas...cut the trunk to about 1 foot. Enclose it with chicken-wire, then fill the enclosure with leaves. This will protect it enought to come back the following year. Since we had temps 20 degrees colder than yours, it may be in poor soil. Make sure it is in constantly moist, well-drained soil in full sun.

ryan · Post by **ryan** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 9:25 am

The cage method of protecting bananas works excellent for M. basjoo, Musella lasiocarpa and maybe M. sikkimensis?, but not for Ensete glaucum even though it is called "Snow Banana", it does not stand a chance in below freezing conditions.

PhilMusa · Post by **PhilMusa** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 9:32 am

magick9642/mamol,

I would add to magick9642 proceedure by enclosing structure with a waterproof tarp. It's very important to keep your bananas dry through the winter. Also, it doesn't hurt to use a copper based fungicide before you wrap the whole thing up.

Phil

magick9642 · Post by **magick9642** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:36 pm

PhilMusa is correct...I forgot about the fungicide. I did use that before wrapping. If you tarp or "wrap", make sure it can breathe. Bananas will rot.

I planted M. sikkimensis, "orinoco", and M. lasiocarpa this year for trial up here in 6a. I will use same procedures and let ya' know how it works come springtime.

magick9642 · Post by **magick9642** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:42 pm

Mamol,

I am very interested in J. chilensis. What are your thoughts on the hardiness in a continental climate such as yours? Is humidity a problem?

Wes North Van · Post by **Wes North Van** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:03 am

Are a zone 8 palm at best. I have heard of spear pull at 15F but it did recover. If you are going to experiment with this palm which is very expensive and very slow growing I would protect it and add heat. They do not like extreme heat situations either.

PalmsNorth.com

Coldest temps?

Coldest temps?

Lowest temp. here

Temps. here this morning

Boise

Lowest temp

Jubaea Chilensis