safe protection ideas

Cowtown Palm Society · Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:44 am

Hi All,

I'm looking for ideas to protect a couple of yuccas in my newly planted desert rock garden in Calgary, AB. I'm looking to, for sure, protect my yucca rostrata and bacatta and, possibly, a med. fan palm (I'll probably just see how long this one will last though, sans protection-ie not much longer). I'm going with a never below 0f approach with the rostrata and bacatta, which I think should be fairly reasonable. I have thermo cubes that will turn some heating device on at 0f, -18C and go off at 10f, -10ishC (I realize I'll need more warmth for the Med. Fan., maybe a thermo cube that comes on at 20f / off at 30f). My main question is-what kind of heating device? Mainly, I want safe, i.e. no fires. What's a good basic light/lighting setup for this purpose? How about space heaters? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Here's some pics from my garden from two days ago (Oct. 14, 2010)-the plants enjoying 24C! But -4.5C this morning, by far our coldest this fall. We'd only had -1C up to that point. It's been a lovely last 3-4 weeks, so I'm hopeful this will help harden off the plants as they've has virtually no water. Take a look if you get a chance. Thanks!

http://s1131.photobucket.com/albums/m55 ... %20Garden/

Duncan

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:47 am

I like c-7 or c-9 X-mas lights.

They use 125-175 wts and provide plenty of safe heat-
if you have enough insulation and keep them away from the plastic,etc.

Cowtown Palm Society · Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:55 am

Thanks Jim!

Are you talking wrapped around the plant itself (which I think will be in burlap, or such) or around the outside of my enclosure-or both? Thanks again!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 11:45 am

Duncan, love your landscape layout, looks professionally designed.
Everything's grown well this summer.

For the med fan palm, why not wrap it in burlap, then overlay that fairly tightly with OUTDOOR water pipe heater (attached to GFI) including the soil at the base of palm. Then enclose all that in pink insulation with a huge bucket or two inverted over it. I'm guessing leaf cages won't be enough in Calgary.

Re your photos, your yucca rostrata has done very well this summer, I'm digging my other 4 planted y.rostratas up because I don't know how to protect them.
Y.brevifolia? looks very good too.

Your fescue grass...I have one that looks its twin. Label said Mexican Feather Grass, fabulous this summer.
Assumed it wouldn't be too hardy here if it's from Mexico, so I dug that up too and put it in the cold building.

Please take photos of the winter protection you decide on.
Our nights are cool now too -2 or -3C, but only for a few days, then warming up again to 6C overnight.

Barb

Cowtown Palm Society · Sat Oct 16, 2010 2:00 pm

Thanks Barb!

Your Trachy looks great this fall! Thanks for the advice and nice compliments too! When you say "attached to GFI" do you mean no extension cord, i.e. heat tape plugged directly into GFI. This could be a problem unless I install a closer GFI real fast.

BTW, I really think rostrata should be near hardy to the Okanagan, although I know you lost (or almost lost) one last year. I guess it depends on the lineage amongst other factors, doesn't it . When's the hut going up? Thanks again. I like your protection idea. Off to Rona or Home Depot this week.

Take Care!

Duncan

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:55 pm

Duncan
I didn't phrase that very well

YUP, sure use an extension cord but it's got to be plugged into a GFI (proper outdoor connection).

And the extension cord I use outside for the space heater in the palm hut is (I think) a 14 or 12 gauge (can't remember the number).
But it's thicker than your regular everyday outdoor extension cord.
Heat tape doesn't draw as much as a space heater but better safe than sorry when using outdoors.

rostrata should be near hardy to the Okanagan,

I think its survival here would be only about a 30% chance.
-23C is really pushing it, but a microclimate (maybe in town) I'm sure could be found.

Sure wish I had been "into" yuccas when I lived in Vancouver.

Thanks for the Trachy comment...carpenter is away so palm hut will wait for another week or so.
H and I would never be able to figure out which panel goes where so we won't even try to reassemble it without the carpenter.

Off to Rona or Home Depot this week

And naturally, you'll have to pass right by the discounted plant section.

Barb

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 4:59 pm

I second the fact that your garden looks great! Thermo cubes are the way to go, it takes out all the guess work. I think you'll be very happy with them and the c7 or c9 bulbs, I've used them for years. Like Jim said don't let them touch anything or they will damage the plant.

Bill

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sat Oct 16, 2010 8:15 pm

You're getting good advice here from experts.
I am a fan of the plumber's heat tape. It has a built-in thermostat. I wrap it around the trunk of my med. fan palm and then wrap with burlap and then cover. I also laid a 5 litre water bag (from a wine box) on the ground to buffer temp. fluctuations; you can see the tap in this photo. The bucket to the right is put over for wind/precipitation/extreme cold.
Here is a photo from last year. I don't have a recent picture, but this palm has done very well this year.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/O5 ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_r-MvN4jW1sE/S1EhY ... GP1065.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm/ ... ite">Palms in January 2010</a></td></tr></table>

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:50 am

I place mine in a ring(usually) around the palm set on 4-6"+
of mulch,you don't want them laying on the soil as they can dry it out
and burn up the feeder roots.

Are you covering with something besides/in addition to burlap?

Here's a picture of a Waggie with minimal protection-an umbrella g-house.

I am going with more insulation this year so I can cut back on energy use.

I use the Thermocube for my Washy's(on 35f off 45f) and will also use them for my
T.ferns this year.

Cowtown Palm Society · Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:10 pm

Hi Guys,

Thank you all for the great advice and compliments!

Quick, quick guys, please look at this post fast. I'm warmer than Oklahoma, Okanagan and Iowa! Damn, just jinxed myself. My plants will pay for this soon!

And naturally, you'll have to pass right by the discounted plant section

Barb, I couldn't resist buying a cute little 1 gallon Trachy at Rona for $11.99. Says grown in Canada-must be from B.C.

Thanks again guys!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:27 pm

Did it! You are 1 oF above me right now.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:08 pm

Yippeeee, Calgary!
And you'll be warmer yet for the next couple of days, Duncan.
We were 22C 71.6F at 3 p.m. today, virtually unheard of in the Okanagan past middle of October.

Grass is so dry it's cracklin beneath my feet...brown hills are getting browner, if that's possible.
Barb

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:33 pm

Wow! I'm still wearing shorts, but you folks are making me feel under dressed.
My only consolation is that we got 1" (2.5 cm) of much needed rain today--our first good rain since TS Hermine five weeks ago.