Should I or shouldn't I?

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:07 pm

so here is my five day...never have been this cold in November as long as I can remember. My question is this
Should I or shouldn't I cover my trachies with a temporary covering for these few cold nights? they are near the house and do get sun all day long until 4 pm. The past few years I just put a blanket or pillow and a trash can on them on a few cold nights but that was in January, this is a bit early for us here. All comments appreciated...thanks ...pic below

<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/user/sidpoo ... 1.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r76/ ... 988321.png" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot2013-11-21at80135PM_zpscf988321.png"/></a>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:55 pm

Michael,

Yeah, it is early for you folks.

But I would protect for 22F, even for the 27F in case the forecast is wrong and it gets colder.
Especially with winds out of the north/NW.
Some of our forecasts have been wayyyyyy wrong.

What you've used before (blanket, trash can) would work again...do your trachies still fit inside a trash can?
Or maybe just a string of extra lights up the trunk?

Barb

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 3:47 am

lucky1 wrote:
What you've used before (blanket, trash can) would work again...do your trachies still fit inside a trash can?
Or maybe just a string of extra lights up the trunk?

Barb

I don't think they will fit in a trash can any more, they have gotten taller and too many fronds now would bea problem. Time to get creative.
Thanks Barb...
UGH, THE COLD IS ON THE WAY...

Although the good thing is that my fruit trees need cold. The peaches and grapes have sucked the past few years with no rest in the winter. Figs of course could care less.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:06 am

Depends on the size of them,Trachys with a couple feet of trunk can take a few days below freezing easily...

Once you get below about 12F you may see leaf damage...

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:40 am

hardyjim wrote:Depends on the size of them,Trachys with a couple feet of trunk can take a few days below freezing easily...

Once you get below about 12F you may see leaf damage...

we never uusually get below the low 20's and even that is just for a few short stints each january or february

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:43 am

my fruit trees need cold. The peaches and grapes have sucked the past few years

Yeah, being a former orchardist, I know apples and grapes need a cold winter.
Peaches not so much.

Just heard on the radio that all the Ice Wine growers here are happy.
They apparently start picking at 3 am. (ugh!)

Jeezz...minus 12C 10F

Barb

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:30 am

I'd cover the trachy for the 22'f. Call the local appliance stores or Lowes or Depot. Ask them for a cardboard box from a stove or fridge. Use that. saran/plastic wrap the top.
Quick fix that can fold up. Good timing for the cold. Appliances are a big commodity approaching Black Friday (As they set up their display models).

Good luck.

Beny · Post by **Beny** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:07 pm

Mike,
With my experience, my 5 foots and 8 foots tall Trachy was without protection a few consecutive days below freezing point and had no damage. Even at 0F for a night and warming up to the 10F. I tried that for one day last winter. Mine take easily 5-10 F.

Ben

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:29 pm

seedscanada wrote:I'd cover the trachy for the 22'f. Call the local appliance stores or Lowes or Depot. Ask them for a cardboard box from a stove or fridge. Use that. saran/plastic wrap the top.
Quick fix that can fold up. Good timing for the cold. Appliances are a big commodity approaching Black Friday (As they set up their display models).

Good luck.

very smart idea!!!!!!

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:44 pm

thanks for your help everyone, i am just panicking because i am not prepared for the cold, for us the F 20's is brutal, we do get to high 20's some nights in jan and feb, but never this early...ugh!!!! I havent even put a lid on the bananas yet....

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:07 pm

could be worse I got 2 nights one at 16F and another at 14F on the way..this is November right? I don;t see temps like that till jan-feb most of the time. good luck with them

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 7:46 am

miketropic wrote:could be worse I got 2 nights one at 16F and another at 14F on the way..this is November right? I don;t see temps like that till jan-feb most of the time. good luck with them

Good Luck to you too Mike Tropic....this is brutal! I'M MOVING

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 8:35 am

.this is brutal! I'M MOVING

Save a spot for me... minus 8C 17F here this a.m.
And barely hitting the plus mark for another week.

But the sunshine is welcome.
We usually don't get a lot of sun in winter.

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 9:26 am

Mike

I was looking at your averages...mostly because I thought you were full of ####

saying it rarely gets below 20F there..I was really shocked to see the coldest average
for Jan is 26F/40F! I can't believe you guys are that freaking mild in winter!!!!!

I think we are probably close to your low for an average high in January!

Anyway...I get it,I see why they call it the "Garden State" now-that is amazing!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 1:02 pm

Sid, take a deep breathe. Then make a pot of gluhwein.

Your Trachies will be fine. In city, planted close to house, facing East.
If it will make you feel better, toss an old bed sheet over them overnight, and place a gallon plastic jug of hot water under the sheet near the trunk.
Then have another mug of gluhwein.

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 3:33 pm

All my palms and bananas are wrapped or boxed except my large Sabal minor. We are at -4c this evening and going as low as -7c. I added a layer of foam board insulation to my newest planted (Sabal palmetto, June), youngest (Washingtonia filifera, 1.9 years old from seed) and my most irreplaceable (Brahea armata 8 years old from seed ).
Bananas already insulated, as well as the unheated T fortunei and Medjool date.

I will sleep well already knowing some of the thermocubed bulbs won't have to work as much or as long.

Have a good one, everyone.

Oh and throwing a thick sheet over a palm for a night or two is very effective in my experience. I used a large painters drop cloth of thick canvas-like material. Weighed down the edges with a few rocks, for the wind.

Cheers!

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:05 pm

hardyjim wrote:Mike

I was looking at your averages...mostly because I thought you were full of ####

saying it rarely gets below 20F there..I was really shocked to see the coldest average
for Jan is 26F/40F! I can't believe you guys are that freaking mild in winter!!!!!

I think we are probably close to your low for an average high in January!

Anyway...I get it,I see why they call it the "Garden State" now-that is amazing!

lmao, right see i don't friggin' lie...we don't friggin lie in new jersey, Fugheddabout it!

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:08 pm

TerdalFarm wrote:Sid, take a deep breathe. Then make a pot of gluhwein.
Your Trachies will be fine. In city, planted close to house, facing East.
If it will make you feel better, toss an old bed sheet over them overnight, and place a gallon plastic jug of hot water under the sheet near the trunk.
Then have another mug of gluhwein.

ah Gluhwein...I went to univeristy in Strasbourg France, plenty of Gluhwein!!!! i put a poncho on them and jumped in the hot tub...now I am drinking some red wine myself....the trachies will fare fine, i'm more concerned about ho wi am gettign out of the hot tub since my shorts blew away in the 20 mph sustained winds

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:09 pm

seedscanada wrote:All my palms and bananas are wrapped or boxed except my large Sabal minor. We are at -4c this evening and going as low as -7c. I added a layer of foam board insulation to my newest planted (Sabal palmetto, June), youngest (Washingtonia filifera, 1.9 years old from seed) and my most irreplaceable (Brahea armata 8 years old from seed ).
Bananas already insulated, as well as the unheated T fortunei and Medjool date.

I will sleep well already knowing some of the thermocubed bulbs won't have to work as much or as long.

Have a good one, everyone.

Oh and throwing a thick sheet over a palm for a night or two is very effective in my experience. I used a large painters drop cloth of thick canvas-like material. Weighed down the edges with a few rocks, for the wind.

Cheers!

Good luck Adam in Beamsville....hang tough dude

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:42 pm

Adam,
Can understand how relaxed you feel now that everything's protected.
Especially that B.armata

Yup, throwing a blanket/sheet/whatever over a plant has worked for me lots of times...until they get too large.

ho wi am gettign out of the hot tub since my shorts blew away in the 20 mph sustained winds

ho wi am?

good gluhwein!
You are soooo funny, Michael.

Barb

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:49 pm

lucky1 wrote:Adam,
Can understand how relaxed you feel now that everything's protected.
Especially that B.armata

Yup, throwing a blanket/sheet/whatever over a plant has worked for me lots of times...until they get too large.

ho wi am gettign out of the hot tub since my shorts blew away in the 20 mph sustained winds
ho wi am? good gluhwein!
You are soooo funny, Michael.

Barb

Ja, jaja es schmeckt mir sehr gut mein Gluhwein....xoxoxo Barb

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:54 pm

moi aussi

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:18 pm

lucky1 wrote:moi aussi

lol, stay warm Barb!

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 5:29 am

Heck, that isn't even cold! lol On a serious note I can speak from recent experience.

Had to go out of town a couple of weeks ago. Have two Windmills palms in the ground (2 and 3 years) no protection up at all at the time. Wasn't worried about them because forecast showed lows when gone only to around 20 F....well they were wrong, one night temp dropped to 9 F

BOTH windmills sailed through that cold, but both are protected now.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:05 am

sashaeffer wrote:Heck, that isn't even cold! lol On a serious note I can speak from recent experience.

Had to go out of town a couple of weeks ago. Have two Windmills palms in the ground (2 and 3 years) no protection up at all at the time. Wasn't worried about them because forecast showed lows when gone only to around 20 F....well they were wrong, one night temp dropped to 9 F

BOTH windmills sailed through that cold, but both are protected now.

We're babies about the cold here in NJ.....It's 26 F now and it feels like -100 F, especially with the 35 mph winds...ugh! We're beahch people!!!!! HELP supposed to go to 20 F tonight....that's insane!

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:10 am

Too funny! I wouldn't even buy a winter coat if it only got to 20 deg.

On a sad note. I also had left out my potted Mexican Fan Palms, (5) CIDP(2) and a European fan palm in that 9deg cold. May have lost the Mexicans, CIDP took a hit as well but I know they are tough and should come back. European sailed through just fine.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 7:30 am

Mike

You are fortunate to live in such a garden state!

Only problem is...you have no excuse not to grow almost everything-lol

Bill was telling me about all the huge bamboo and Trachys and what not down there-
makes me wish I would have tried a garden like this in St.Louis when I lived there....
even my dwarf Cavendish were getting 6-7' tall in a summer there.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 8:09 am

sashaeffer wrote:Too funny! I wouldn't even buy a winter coat if it only got to 20 deg.

On a sad note. I also had left out my potted Mexican Fan Palms, (5) CIDP(2) and a European fan palm in that 9deg cold. May have lost the Mexicans, CIDP took a hit as well but I know they are tough and should come back. European sailed through just fine.

i must say I really don't wear coats either and I still jog in shorts and a nice LL Bean fleece jacket. Good luck with all your stuff!

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 8:34 am

hardyjim wrote:Mike

You are fortunate to live in such a garden state!

Only problem is...you have no excuse not to grow almost everything-lol

Bill was telling me about all the huge bamboo and Trachys and what not down there-
makes me wish I would have tried a garden like this in St.Louis when I lived there....
even my dwarf Cavendish were getting 6-7' tall in a summer there.

we are fortunate to have a long growing season basically from march through november...even longer at our shore place in north cape may along the south jersey coast on the bayside...most people do not protect anything but their babnanas down there.....here are a few pics i just took (of neighboring gardens) this weekend at the shore house....We just bought the place last spring so we have a lot of growing to get started!!!!

<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/user/sidpoo ... c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r76/ ... 42611c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_7385_zps0142611c.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/user/sidpoo ... c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r76/ ... a49a8c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_7388_zps94a49a8c.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/user/sidpoo ... 0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r76/ ... 032070.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_7382_zps74032070.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/user/sidpoo ... d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r76/ ... dab41d.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 560847_10152511238295616_2120120258_n_zpsdfdab41d.jpg"/></a>

didn't know these Passiflora vines grew here and are root hardy. they are all over empty beach and lots

<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/user/sidpoo ... 9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r76/ ... 3aaab9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_7389_zps0d3aaab9.jpg"/></a>

Beny · Post by **Beny** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:55 am

Wow, that s a nice Washy Mike...

,,,

Ben

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 11:37 am

Lovely shots from around your neighborhood, Mike, thanks.
And a passiflora growing unprotected...heck, probably even neglected on empty beach lots.

Men wearing shorts in winter...sheesh...even here in Canada at -12C, teenage boys can be seen walking to school wearing shorts.

Just a different "furnace" than women, I suppose.

Barb

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 4:44 pm

lucky1 wrote:Lovely shots from around your neighborhood, Mike, thanks.
And a passiflora growing unprotected...heck, probably even neglected on empty beach lots.

Men wearing shorts in winter...sheesh...even here in Canada at -12C, teenage boys can be seen walking to school wearing shorts.
Just a different "furnace" than women, I suppose.

Barb

It is a whole different world along the coast there...Funny, in the beginning of winter I feel the coldest I guess until I get used to it. Then it doesnt even phase me

yeah, the passifloras are all over the place. I just noticed them one day when I was out on a jog...They grow really high up in the trees to which they attach themselves...beautifes...one of my projects for next spring when i start planting down the shore

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 4:48 pm

Beny wrote:Wow, that s a nice Washy Mike... ,,,

Ben

Right, it is one of my neighbor's down in cape may....hey Beny, do you ever come down this way. Tons of Quebecois come to Wildwood and Cape May every July and August....

Beny · Post by **Beny** » Sun Nov 24, 2013 5:55 pm

No Mike, i stoped at Point Pleasant last summer, it was the first time i went to the US in car. I loved the NJ coast, for sure next summer we want to go down again, but this time we want to go a bit farther like exactly Cape May or Atlantic city

...

Ben

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 3:48 am

Beny wrote:No Mike, i stoped at Point Pleasant last summer, it was the first time i went to the US in car. I loved the NJ coast, for sure next summer we want to go down again, but this time we want to go a bit farther like exactly Cape May or Atlantic city ...

Ben

Oh that's right, i remember the pictures you posted, now....old age...bad memory..sorry!

PS Stick farther south like Cape May and wildwood ( right next to each other) Atlantic City is not a great destination especially with kids. Sadly enough, outside of any cheesy casinos for nightlife, the town is really run-down , dirty and downright dangerous at times.....We only go there if we go to a club night and stay at one of the club hotels...outside of that, you won;t find us there

Beny · Post by **Beny** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 7:16 am

Ok, thanks , that s what my wife think too about Atlantic City....i saw pics from Cape May and it looks very nice and beautifull....in 2 weeks, we re going to Disney at Orlando taking a bit of sun and lot of fun with the kids

...

Ben

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Mon Nov 25, 2013 5:36 pm

Beny wrote:Ok, thanks , that s what my wife think too about Atlantic City....i saw pics from Cape May and it looks very nice and beautifull....in 2 weeks, we re going to Disney at Orlando taking a bit of sun and lot of fun with the kids ...

Ben

Enjoy the sun and sand in Orlando. IM me on here if you come to Cape May this summer...I have a small shore place just off Delaware bay in north cape may.
mike