Joining the club - up go the boxes

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:21 pm

Here's some photos of my windmill palm boxes for this winter. No real change from last year other than putting 2 x 4 base around the bottom so my doors aren't forming the base. We'll see how it goes. I'll post more photos as things progress, I plan on keeping them open as long as I can to mitigate mold that I experienced last year on my cardboard panel insulation and doors. I'm wondering if now that I'm based on top of rocks that I'll get a little bit more air exchange over the winter. We will see what happens. I put lights in tonight but didn't take any photos.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:47 am

yup......it's that time of year!

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 12:45 pm

Bummer! The only thing I like about this time of year is too see how everything does over the winter. That and "I must live through winter for spring weather" Ok, and it is also a good time too read and start seeds.

Looking good wheelman! Love the gazebo!

andym · Post by **andym** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 4:57 pm

Luckily I don't have to cover my Trachycarpus Fortunei

But I do have cover my Butias

and they still get trashed !
Wheelman... is that your own personal lake in the background or is it used for land irrigation ?

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:18 pm

It's a pond that runs along the back of 10 houses in my subdivision. I'm the last guy touching it on the east side and I own a thin strip of land around the back side of it to the halfway point of the the pond while the owner on the west end owns around the other back half. It's nice having that strip of land because I have a place to throw all my dead vegetation.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:13 pm

I like the idea for protection,I think I may even be able to do that

Not there yet though-long season continues...

wxman · Post by **wxman** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:43 am

Looks good. Mine are still out playing in the breeze. Have been uncovered since Feb 28th. Might make it to December looking at the weather models!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 7:02 am

wxman wrote:Looks good. Mine are still out playing in the breeze. Have been uncovered since Feb 28th. Might make it to December looking at the weather models!

http://palmsnorth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4211

wxman · Post by **wxman** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:07 am

hardyjim wrote:
wxman wrote:Looks good. Mine are still out playing in the breeze. Have been uncovered since Feb 28th. Might make it to December looking at the weather models!
http://palmsnorth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4211

LOL. I took the fronts off 2/28.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:45 am

Does your downspout fly around because it rains so hard there

wxman · Post by **wxman** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 4:55 pm

hardyjim wrote:Does your downspout fly around because it rains so hard there

Nope, and I'm amazed I never have issues with root rot. That spout drains that entire side of the roof. It drips for about 2 weeks straight every spring when the snow melts off!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:54 am

If you ever notice a decline in growth -you will know why.

I think your snow cover helps out a lot-if there is a winter
with severe Arctic cold and no snow-might be a little tough on them.

This scenario took out my Sequoia....mulch was a solid block in spring

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 11:56 am

Well snow if flying and blowing something fierce. It was time to enclose them a little more. I call this stage 2. Stage 3 is full boxing and plastic wrap.

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:36 pm

Wow keep that white stuff up there!

That's a neat scene you have there. I like that pergola on the water. You ought to under plant those windmills with sabal minors and variegated alpinia. You're already protecting the area...
That stone bordering the boardwalk would look nice with yucca filamentosa variagata every few feet as well. Very hardy, very underused, and very well behaved IMO. I bet it would live in your area. Winter precip would be my only concern.

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:15 pm

KrisK wrote:Wow keep that white stuff up there!

That's a neat scene you have there. I like that pergola on the water. You ought to under plant those windmills with sabal minors and variegated alpinia. You're already protecting the area...
That stone bordering the boardwalk would look nice with yucca filamentosa variagata every few feet as well. Very hardy, very underused, and very well behaved IMO. I bet it would live in your area. Winter precip would be my only concern.

One thing at a time.... I'm more focused on my larger banana patch that I'll be putting in next spring assuming my 35 dwarf red and brazilians make it through in my garage. I also have my eye on hopefully at least one larger specimen windmill palm as well.

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:52 pm

Yea I hear ya! Just thinking out loud lol! I saw the nanners you had they will look awesome in a big mass planting!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 5:22 pm

I do the same thing,starts with a cover,then more of a cover and then some insulation and heat and a temp sensor.

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 6:45 pm

Saw some sleet and a bit of snow today. Still don't have them fully closed up. Temp sensor is still showing things staying in the 30-45 range. My ten day is showing the lowest low being 28. I'm wondering if I'll get to Christmas at this rate.

On a side note I'm seeing the bananas I dug up and keep in the garage withering quite a bit. Really hopping that I'll have something substantial to put in the ground come spring. I think I'm also seeing a little bit of mold form on some areas that were cut, I think this is due to the humidity in this basement garage. It's all concrete with no ventilation. What are some peoples thoughts on a dehumidifier? Good? Bad?

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:25 am

So,how much of a bump over the outside temp do you get with your set up?

Is that one strand of lights in each enclosure?

Tested mine for the first time last night.

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:56 pm

With how they are right now (three and a half sides up) I can get temps around 45 degrees in the crown area. Later this week my highs are looking like low to mid 40's so the covers aren't going on yet.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:37 am

Looks good. How low do you let it get before putting the covers up for good?? We still havent had a freeze here yet. I havent touched mine yet, maybe this weekend????

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:52 pm

I kind of play it by ear, if there's a snow storm coming I'll put the final panel up. So far the highs are still in the mid to upper 30's. If the lows get below 23 I figure that's when I'll close them up for good. You have to remember, I have the lights going on and off keeping things in the area up there in temps. The opening faces east so winds from the west I don't think have much of an effect.

Jim, there's two strands in each one.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 5:02 pm

wheelman1976 wrote:I kind of play it by ear, if there's a snow storm coming I'll put the final panel up. So far the highs are still in the mid to upper 30's. If the lows get below 23 I figure that's when I'll close them up for good. You have to remember, I have the lights going on and off keeping things in the area up there in temps. The opening faces east so winds from the west I don't think have much of an effect.

Jim, there's two strands in each one.

Thanks for responding; Good luck this winter!!!!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 1:05 am

the protection looks good.

I finally got around to protect my Yucca linearifolia and Yucca carnerosana/faxoniana. I'm more concerned with moisture but I can turn on a string of small xmas lights if temps drop too much.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... B1FDB3.jpg>

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:21 am

Your yuccas look great! The ones you sent me are faring well, One year 4 months inthe ground, they are growing slowly. I bet they wil do wellafter this winter too.....that is if my Doberman stops pissing on them: his new favorite spot! Grrrrr!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:30 am

Nice and neat, good work Tim.
Man, have they all grown a lot!

Doberman stops pissing on them:

A wire cage around yuccas might serve to "catch" some of it.
Or plant something cheap and ugly ahead of yuccas.

Barb

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:50 pm

lucky1 wrote:Nice and neat, good work Tim.
Man, have they all grown a lot!

Doberman stops pissing on them:

A wire cage around yuccas might serve to "catch" some of it.
Or plant something cheap and ugly ahead of yuccas.

Barb

Problem is, they are just off the step of the hot tub deck and he suns himself up there even in winter...UGH!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:30 pm

Smart Dobie...but no hope for the yucca then.

What a cool photo that would be...sunning himself on the tub cover.
Might want to rinse that off...

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 6:08 pm

lucky1 wrote:Smart Dobie...but no hope for the yucca then.

What a cool photo that would be...sunning himself on the tub cover.
Might want to rinse that off...

snort giggle, snort giggle

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:42 pm

Is it a huge pool or just a little Dobie...?

He's a min pin and loves to run on the winter cover. Luckily he only weighs a few pounds. Anything to cause a ruckus LOL!

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:09 am

KrisK wrote:Is it a huge pool or just a little Dobie...?

He's a min pin and loves to run on the winter cover. Luckily he only weighs a few pounds. Anything to cause a ruckus LOL!

that's great, how cute!!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:34 am

Adorable!

Good luck keeping him out of the pool in summer

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:52 pm

Closed up the boxes tonight. Not the most ideal weather... had heavy rain all day but I don't have much choice as they're talking snow storm. I covered the top roofs with plastic and then shrink wrapped as best I could considering my deck in the way. I'm not going full blown on the plastic cover in an effort to allow things to dry out. Also I decided against the cardboard panels this year as last year with them getting wet lead to mold issues, and it's bad enough with the wood being wet, I don't need soggy cardboard.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:39 pm

Doug, yeah, good idea to not use cardboard again.

And with all the moisture/wet wood, probably a good idea to leave a tiny hole here and there near the top to let moisture out.
They're Trachies after all!

Good luck with the storm.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:53 am

Good luck. That is a lot of work. It has been another warm wet winter so far here too. I have done nothing to my trachies yet. The low has only gotten to 30 degrees one night so far and this whole week's lows have been in the 50s and 40's...should get back down to 30 one or two nights this coming week....Gonna cover mine with big trash cans and outdoor furniture pillows so I can remove during the days like last year.

Jeff_Ajax · Post by **Jeff_Ajax** » Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:54 am

Here is my Chinese Windmill Palm just before Christmas getting ready to be buttoned up for the winter. It has a thermostat set for 5c with 3 sets of Fluorescent lighting, two at the top and one at the bottom.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:07 am

All you need is a face on that and a sign that says-Take me to your leader!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:15 am

Good work, Jeff.
That'd make it in Alaska.

Barb

Jeff_Ajax · Post by **Jeff_Ajax** » Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:30 am

LOL.

It should do ok lol. I'll take pictures of my other two boxes. I have a waggie in a box and a pindo in a box. Each has one fluorescent light fixture.

Jeff_Ajax · Post by **Jeff_Ajax** » Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:49 am

Here are some pics of the Garden this winter.

This is the Windmill all boxed up, you can just make out the white rose cone for the Dwarf Palmetto. The Japanese Maple never gets protected.

Another look at the front along with the Musa Bajoo's protected for the winter.

This is my temporary greenhouse. First year I've tried one so let's see how it goes. Also my boxed Pindo.

Buddy, a boxed Waggie, a blanketed Needle and a protected Musa.

The rum shack, the Needle and Musa's.

I also have 2 Canary Island Date Palms and what Mike believes to be 4 Pygmy Date Palms that I salvaged from the GF's condo building planters. I have a sago I dug up, lost 2 during the summer, my Red Banana's that I dug up, all 10ft of them, Hibiscus and other assorted plants in my greenhouse.

PalmsNorth.com

Joining the club - up go the boxes

Joining the club - up go the boxes

The Garden in the Winter.