I have Yet to Protect my Trachys

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:46 pm

Just some mulch. I have wrapped my Butia and Med, but not the Trachys.

I have been using nearly every weekend to paint my house. Solo. No help whatsoever. Consequently I have not had the energy to wrap them.

Am I out of my mind?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 2:21 pm

Yup, you are!

But if paint is drying, guess we don't have to ask how mild your weather is...

Buy a smaller house next time

Barb

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 2:27 pm

lucky1 wrote:Yup, you are!

But if paint is drying, guess we don't have to ask how mild your weather is...

Buy a smaller house next time

Barb

Tis small. I had to scrape the old paint off, sand, caulk, prime, and finally paint it.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:03 pm

I think were all getting lucky with a mild winter so far. Other than a bit of a cold stretch in early December...I've uncovered my Trachy's so they can get some fresh air. Heck, I could have left the stream running for my pond as well!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:32 pm

scrape the old paint off

and it landed on plastic that you laid down to protect your foundation plants (NAG, NAG)

But you've got lots of "points" with the MRS after that project.
Go out and buy some palms.

could have left the stream running for my pond

then it would've been 10F.

kcpalms · Post by **kcpalms** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:35 pm

Hopefully those trachy's will be fine! Im sure they will especially if they have been in the ground awhile. Our Midwest winter too has been really mild! I would definitely keep an eye on the forecast though and not be caught off guard. Im sure you do

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:45 pm

Yes, I am. Another great day tomorrow(tues) close to 60 again, but will cover them back up. VERY easy to put on/take off coverings although for my first year trying this I haven't been challenged much so far.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:10 pm

Giving them a drink before covering them back up. Weather turning colder, but still not bad at all for this zone.

I use a spare PVC tube to pour water right at base of palm so as I don't get any on crown by accident to possibly freeze.

Green house has helped baby Trachy's and Blue Beaked yucca, along with a Pindo Palm on the floor to grow over the winter as well.

Okanagan desert-palms · Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:13 pm

Scott nice pics. I believe in that the last photo of palms in your cold frame of the Pindo palm is actually a Butia eriospatha. You can tell because it has a hairy trunk and much more pinate fronds than Butia capitata. Great score. It is worth a lot more than a B. capitata. Where did you get it from?

John

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:20 pm

Large nursery here called mulhall's they had like 30 of them they must have bought somewhere. All were marked Pindo Palm for around $34.00 each.

Are they more hardy than the other? I know it really likes the greenhouse this winter. Seems to have shown more growth there than when I left it outside this summer when I got it!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:26 pm

Nice pics, Scott. Good idea with the PVC!

Agree with John that's not a B.capitata (Pindo).

Barb

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:56 am

I havent covered mine totally ether. Just a blanket/outdoor cushions wrapped in a large plastic trash can on the nights where we got down into the mid 20's. I havent watered either though and am covering it with plastic if it rains so it can't freeze after. Should I water? So confused????????? I think I will cover next week when i get back since they say temps will be more seasonable here by then.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:18 am

The only reason I make a point to water mine is that I buried heat tape in the ground around the root ball when I planted the palms. Read on here somewhere where another member did that but never watered and the heat tape over time "cooked" his palms because they got so dry. So I make a point of once a month giving them both a good drink, usually with a few drops of Superthrive vitamins in the water (3-5 drops per pitcher, and I use 1 pitcher for the bigger palm and about 1/2 for the seedling)

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:03 am

sidpook wrote:I havent covered mine totally ether. Just a blanket/outdoor cushions wrapped in a large plastic trash can on the nights where we got down into the mid 20's. I havent watered either though and am covering it with plastic if it rains so it can't freeze after. Should I water? So confused????????? I think I will cover next week when i get back since they say temps will be more seasonable here by then.

I will probably cover mine this weekend. I think they are ready to go it alone during Winter, but then there is that haunting vibe that makes you second guess lest you end up with a bunch of fried shrubs and smirks from the neighbors.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:51 am

Wow

Those palms look well loved and protected....

tlcivi · Post by **tlcivi** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:36 pm

Mine has been snowed on a few times. In indiana its been really mild. Only a few nights has it hit the teens. So your not crazy.if I were zone 7 would try to let them tough it out.if it falls below 20f then cover.

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:00 pm

tlcivi wrote:Mine has been snowed on a few times. In indiana its been really mild. Only a few nights has it hit the teens. So your not crazy.if I were zone 7 would try to let them tough it out.if it falls below 20f then cover.

They could probably hack it. My Trachys have an irregular history. I planted them 2002 in my parents' yard as I was an apartment dweller. I dug them 4 years ago when I bought a house. Before the move, they did do one winter unprotected and came though with minimal damage.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:59 pm

JackLord wrote:
tlcivi wrote:Mine has been snowed on a few times. In indiana its been really mild. Only a few nights has it hit the teens. So your not crazy.if I were zone 7 would try to let them tough it out.if it falls below 20f then cover.
They could probably hack it. My Trachys have an irregular history. I planted them 2002 in my parents' yard as I was an apartment dweller. I dug them 4 years ago when I bought a house. Before the move, they did do one winter unprotected and came though with minimal damage.

Nice!

Hey Mike

I wouldn't worry about watering unless it heats up in your coverage/protection..

It's been so cold the last few years that I had to plan a time to water around any warm-up....
this way I can open the enclosures and let the moisture out.

I will probably give all the palms a drink in early Feb if there is a mild stretch,otherwise...
if it is cold I leave them alone as their needs are less..

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:53 pm

hardyjim wrote:
JackLord wrote:
tlcivi wrote:Mine has been snowed on a few times. In indiana its been really mild. Only a few nights has it hit the teens. So your not crazy.if I were zone 7 would try to let them tough it out.if it falls below 20f then cover.
They could probably hack it. My Trachys have an irregular history. I planted them 2002 in my parents' yard as I was an apartment dweller. I dug them 4 years ago when I bought a house. Before the move, they did do one winter unprotected and came though with minimal damage.

Nice!

Hey Mike

I wouldn't worry about watering unless it heats up in your coverage/protection..

It's been so cold the last few years that I had to plan a time to water around any warm-up....
this way I can open the enclosures and let the moisture out.

I will probably give all the palms a drink in early Feb if there is a mild stretch,otherwise...
if it is cold I leave them alone as their needs are less..

Thanks Hardy Jim. I thought I shoudl do nothing (wrt watering since they are pretty much hibernating anyway even though it has been warm) I add no heat to the enclosures It will get cold next week so I will probably cover them when I get back. My bananas are all covered up , but i uncovered them and they are growing like mad under their enclosures...Crazy winter

Hope you fare well Jim.... chat soon