This Hobby is Killing Me

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 5:27 pm

The Canadians and Midwesterners have inspired me.

I uncovered two Trachys today. Condition....perfect. They look like they did last November. Putting the tarp over the cages makes a huge difference.

Also went to the nursery and procured: 1) Huge Yucca; 2) Fig tree; 3) Another Camellia; and <drum roll> 4) a Hardy Pomegranate tree. Time to broaden my horizons.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:23 pm

Hows that for variety... palms, pomm, yucca, fig.... Do you grow Camellia Sinensis ( as in tea?)

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:35 pm

Attaboy, JackLord

Glad your Trachies look like last Fall.
With a tarp over, they got no sun at all right?
There's a discussion somewhere here about Trachies needing sun in winter.
Not here they don't.

Oooooh, a pomegranate tree.
What kind of yucca? fig?
(labels probably say Tropical plant)

You are going to have to find an 8 year old (they're all techies), give him your camera, so we can see pics of everything you bought.
And where they'll be planted.
And snap some pics of the trachies.

Gotta go cover my Waggies now...
Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:45 pm

Hi Jack,

what Y. species did you get?

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:26 am

Tim-- Angel Red Pomegranate, Brown Turkey Fig, April Joy Camellia (these names sound like 1970s labels for narcotics), and the Yucca is a soft leaf- Yucca Recurvifolia. All are cold hardy, at least in Zone 7.

Camellia is already in the ground. Fig will probably be potted. Pom will go in the ground in a week or so. I am going to plant the Yucca and another I have next to a Needle palm and create a triumvirate.

Barb-- no sun and no worse for it. Usually I do not cover the leaf cages and pay the price for moisture. Following everyone's lead, especially HardyJim, I covered them and kept them mostly dry. It paid dividends. I am going to move on the photo thing.

Jesse-- so far, just two Camellia Japonicas.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:19 am

no sun and no worse for it

Yup, more proof that Trachies don't need sun/light in winter.
Agree!

It'll be good to see pics of your new plantings.

Barb

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:30 am

Jack,
very glad about the Trachies. My unheated ones look terrible but I think there is a tiny smidgen of spear movement on one--time to let them grow!
I planted a dwarf pomegranate in 2009 which was killed to the mulch line now for the second winter. Yuck. I planted another in 2010 and also killed to mulch line. They are supposed to be hardy here but I suggest a good mulch at least.
I planted two Celeste figs in 2010 and they too were killed to below the mulch line but at least they are started to come back with our warm weather lately. My Camellia japonica was killed last year. I meant to try again but did not get around to it and after this winter am glad. My insane zone pushing for BLE is going to be an Osmanthus. Wish it luck

--Erik

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:34 am

TerdalFarm wrote:Jack,
very glad about the Trachies. My unheated ones look terrible but I think there is a tiny smidgen of spear movement on one--time to let them grow!
I planted a dwarf pomegranate in 2009 which was killed to the mulch line now for the second winter. Yuck. I planted another in 2010 and also killed to mulch line. They are supposed to be hardy here but I suggest a good mulch at least.
I planted two Celeste figs in 2010 and they too were killed to below the mulch line but at least they are started to come back with our warm weather lately. My Camellia japonica was killed last year. I meant to try again but did not get around to it and after this winter am glad. My insane zone pushing for BLE is going to be an Osmanthus. Wish it luck
--Erik

Did you try one of the Ackerman hybrid Camellias? They are very cold hardy. I planted my first last November and it sailed right on through the winter.

Which Pom did you try?

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:47 am

Yes, it was an Ackerman. It was nibbled on my goats so it went into winter in rough shape. Also, when I dig up the remnants I saw that is had almost no roots--just the original little ball that came out of the pot.

The poms are dwarf pomegranate. The local Zoo has them and they do great there.

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 1:38 pm

TerdalFarm wrote:Yes, it was an Ackerman. It was nibbled on my goats so it went into winter in rough shape. Also, when I dig up the remnants I saw that is had almost no roots--just the original little ball that came out of the pot.

The poms are dwarf pomegranate. The local Zoo has them and they do great there.

I spray my boys with anti deer stuff as they are the local menace. No goats.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 5:40 pm

Deer? I have to swap my goat meat for venison. Most of my neighbors are gun nuts so I never see any.
I might try the spray-on deer repellent as a back-up to the electric fence for goats, but I am also tempted to try "craigslist" once they knock down my Spring weeds in the pasture.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:21 am

Why dont you put a low border of edible plants around that bed., that they can eat instead of the camellia? Im not sure if the goats are stubborn enough to just walk over them, but ive read quite a few articles, and a few books that have mentioned its effectivness for deer. Lots of animals dont go near daffoldils either ( usualy moles, rabbits mice etc, not sure if it will work for goats, concidering they eat everything)

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 2:51 pm

Uncovered all the rest of the palms today except the Butia, which resides in a temp greenhouse. Good grief, how did I stuff that many leaves in the cages last Fall? Now I had to bag them all over again to dispose. This hobby is killing me...

Anyway, all Trachys look pretty good. The meds look a bit shell shocked but fine otherwise. Needles and Sabal Minors have some leaf burn, but will pull through. The Butia spent the winter in virtual luxury.

I have 4 new arrivals from Chilly Palms and one is already in the ground. Its an illness.....

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 2:55 pm

had to bag them all over again to dispose

Shop vac (until it blows up).
Works great for small leaves.

Good to hear your stuff did well.
Why the shell shock on the med fan palms?

What species did you buy from Chilly?

Find some 6 year old to take some pics and post them

Barb

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 3:38 pm

lucky1 wrote:
had to bag them all over again to dispose
Shop vac (until it blows up).
Works great for small leaves.

Good to hear your stuff did well.
Why the shell shock on the med fan palms?

What species did you buy from Chilly?

Find some 6 year old to take some pics and post them

Barb

Not sure about the two Meds I protected. One was a bit shaky beforehand as it was a mail order purchase and being shipped bare-rooted is asking for it. They will do fine. A third Med has been unprotected and has taken a shellacking. I think its unprotected winters are at an end. Meds cannot flourish without protection here.

I grabbed two Saw Palmettos and three Citrumelos from Chilly Palm. As he had extras in the truck, I also grabbed two small Sabal Minors. Hey, if you can get pizza delivered, why not Palms?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 3:50 pm

I'm still surprised that zone 7A produces so much damage on your Meds.
Heard they do really well in Vancouver, same zone.
Maybe a more protected location against south or southeast of house?

Good that you got saw palmettos and sabal minors!

Barb

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:24 pm

I'm with Jack on the Meds. I think of them as Zone 8. In normal winters, with protection but no heat, mine was nearly defoliated. Very glad I used heat this winter and last--they were unusually cold. I'm sure it would have died if merely covered.
--Erik

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:40 am

They need protection here, no doubt. I also wonder if our wet weather is not detrimental. They come from Southern Europe and North Africa, two regions that are very dry.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:14 am

C.cerifera has proved the most dependable.

InsanePalmNinja · Post by **InsanePalmNinja** » Tue May 03, 2011 12:02 pm

sidpook wrote:Love stealing bags of leaves form the neighbors...thank god I'm not the only freak...LOL

If you think about it... Your not stealing. Since they were going to throw them out anyways. Your just taking them off there hands without telling them. Am going to have to do this at night time steal Leaves also.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue May 03, 2011 1:36 pm

Hi InsanePalmNinja! (whew...typing!)

Welcome to PN.
Looking forward to getting to know you and your palms etc.
We love photos...how can you tell?

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue May 03, 2011 2:05 pm

Insane.... welcome.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue May 03, 2011 6:32 pm

Yes, welcome! Let us know more about where you live and with what palms.
--Erik

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Thu May 05, 2011 6:00 am

Welcome Insane