Late November pics of the garden

[hardyjim]

Here are some pics from the garden I have taken in the last few days-


Overwintering 3 clumps of Basjoo
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09007.jpg" border="0" alt="Overwintering Basjoo"></a>


My Washy has been covered for a month now to add some heat and keep it dry!
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09009.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09009.jpg" border="0" alt="Rain cover for Washy"></a>


B.eriospatha I am overwintering-
I removed all the leaves from the nursery as they were spindly,it recovered and is working on it's 4th since being planted in May-
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09025.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09025.jpg" border="0" alt="B.eriospatha"></a>



S.louisiana-regrew 3 leaves this year after being defoliated in winter-not bad for a Sabal this far north!
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09010.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09010.jpg" border="0" alt="S.louisiana"></a>



Another S.louisiana,this one will be in the Cactus shelter.
Trying different protection for various palms to see what makes them happiest(-:

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09042.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09042.jpg" border="0" alt="S.louisiana"></a>



C.australis-This one was hit hard by rain and upper teens last November,it defoliated to the ground and regrew from the roots!(-:

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09033.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09033.jpg" border="0" alt="C.australis"></a>


Australis,2 T.tesan,2 T.wagxforts and T.wag in background

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09032.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09032.jpg" border="0" alt="C.australis,2-T.tesan,2-wagxforts"></a>


2 T.wagxforts

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09036.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09036.jpg" border="0" alt="T.wagxfort"></a>
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09037.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09037.jpg" border="0" alt="T.wagxfort"></a>

T.fortunei-third winter

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09026.jpg" border="0" alt="T.fortunei"></a>


T.tesan

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09034.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09034.jpg" border="0" alt="T.tesan"></a>




T.wagnerianus

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09038.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09038.jpg" border="0" alt="T.wagnerianus"></a>



Another Waggy
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09048.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09048.jpg" border="0" alt="360* leaf waggy"></a>



This is the 7g needle I bought last year,it had total spear pull upon delivery,it was covered with a leaf cage last year(no heat)I did get my money back!

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09043.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09043.jpg" border="0" alt="Needle palm"></a>


This one is the star from this year,it totally defoliated last November, (same reason as the australis and one of the wagxforts)this Naini Tal has regrown 9 new leaves from 0!
That's a happy Trachy! Notice Ice plant still blooming!

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09051.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09051.jpg" border="0" alt="T.Naini Tal and Ice plant still blooming!"></a>



Aloifolia and BOP

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09050.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09050.jpg" border="0" alt="Y.aloifolia ans BOP"></a>



This Fortunei and the three others -I will let see as much winter weather as is reasonable as an experiment-they will also be treated with Freeze-pruf
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09047.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09047.jpg" border="0" alt="Baby T.fort"></a>


Cactus bed(A.parryi)

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09039.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09039.jpg" border="0" alt="Parryi,front of Cactus garden"></a>



Cactus bed (A.havardiana)

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09040.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09040.jpg" border="0" alt="Havardiana-front of Cactus garden"></a>


Cactus bed-Banana (basjoos)are under plastic covered mulch piles toward porch-

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09041.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09041.jpg" border="0" alt="Cactus garden"></a>


Rain shield/winter cover for Cactus,etc
This will be closed when single digits(or less) threaten and heated with 1 or 2 1500wt heaters,whatever is necessary.

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09052.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09052.jpg" border="0" alt="Cactus garden rain shield/ winter cover"></a>
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09053.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09053.jpg" border="0" alt="Rain shield/ winter cover"></a>
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09054.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09054.jpg" border="0" alt="Cactus garden from porch"></a>

Thanks for looking!
I will post some other pics when the rest of the stuff gets covered-for now 10days + it stays uncovered!

[BILL MA]

Wow Jim! Where to start, I know How about your stuff is looking awesome! Terrific job this summer for sure!

Your biggest trachy is really going to start growing like a weed, you can just tell by looking at it. I have a good feeling they will all surprise you next year with far better growth then this year, and they grew great this year. Those waggies are just totally cool Jim, I wish they where more available on the East coast in bigger sizes, there a must have for the trachy collection. That nanital is sure a fighter too, your growth rate is amazing on the palms that were defoliated last winter, just look at the needle nice free palm.

You were totally right when you told me your cacti bed nuts, Oh My did it the thickness on some of them from last year and even spring is unbelievable. Great work on everything Jim. Nice water proof washie hut too, wish I had one.

Bill

[DesertZone]

All you need is a park-bench. I would be in there every-day in the winter.

[hardyjim]

Thanks Bill
and I agree about that Fortunei,it's getting a nice build to it now as it trunks up.
You can usually find Waggys on E-bay.They are great palms for sure.
The biggest Wag in those pics put out 8 leaves this year!

Aaron
Funny you should mention the bench,I used to sit in there last year-it would be 20(F) outside and 70(F) inside! Nice and quite too,just like the desert!

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -08003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -08003.jpg" border="0" alt="Looking back"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -08005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -08005.jpg" border="0" alt="Chill'in"></a>




BILL CHECK OUT THE PICTURE IN MARCH AND AT THE END OF THIS FALL!


MARCH
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... hes007.jpg" border="0" alt="Front of house 9 hrs later"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09014.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09014.jpg" border="0" alt="3-17-09 cactus garden"></a>

NOW CHECK THE GROWTH AT THE END OF THIS YEAR-SEPT 4-COMPARED TO THE MARCH PIC

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -09003.jpg" border="0" alt="Cactus garden"></a>

[Wes North Van]

Amazing pics. I am not sure what zone you are but to keep so many of those plants alive is amazing. The growth you got this summer was also amazing.
Very impressive.

[wxman]

Great pictures Jim! Your cactus garden amazes me and makes me want to plant one. I have a feeling this hobby is gonna drain every last spare dollar!

[Jay-Admin]

Wow! Awesome cactus garden Jim.

[Paul Ont]

Jim- What a fantastic garden! If I can figure out a way to overwinter T. fortunei or its varietas without heat, I hope to have a similar looking garden in the future! Are you growing T. nanus? I really like the look of that palm, but the germination is so sporatic and seed more expensive then most, that I can't justify continuing to try it. I do want to see how it compares with Sabal and Rhapidophyllum in terms of survival up here...

The cactus bed looks great. What is the 'bald' Opuntia? It looks like one that would be good to use in hybridization experiments...

[Knnn]

Great photos & garden!



Steve

[BILL MA]

Hey Paul, doesn't that bald Opuntia look like the one Stosh on the other board posted from PA? He said his didn't make it at his house.

Jim, talk about crazy comparison shots, at that rate you'll need a new cacti hut in a few years!

Bill

[Paul Ont]

Bill- What was Stosh's? O. ficus-indica, O. ellisiana? If it's ficus-indica, then I'll just head down to the local grocery and pick up a few fruits eat 'em, then sow the seeds!

Do any of these look right? Or are the pads too big?
O. elisana 'Burbank Spineless'
http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Cu ... 05564.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/HARDY!-SPINELESS-OP ... 3010r15563
O. robusta:
http://www.rivenrock.com/robusta.htm
O. ficus-indica:
http://www.delange.org/IndianFigCactus/Dsc00639.jpg

[BILL MA]

I think Stosh said he had Opuntia ellisiana, I not sure of the details except it croaked! Maybe the soil held to much water.

Bill

[hardyjim]

Bill
The Trachy will be to tall next year,it's already touching the top.
The Yucca would have been to the top too.if it would not have snapped in half last summer

Wes
I wish I could take credit for how fast they grew,they really are fun and in some ways less of a hassle then the palms? hmmmm-zone 5b(5 last year -17(F)

Wx
It's a good investment!
Thanks Jay!

What are your low temps during the winter Paul?
I tried Nanus a few years ago,a young mans Trachy for sure-soo damn slow!
It did nothing in a year and a half until it died


I do have a few being held for me by a friend in Ireland that I will get next spring-they are T.nanusxwag!
I think one thing to consider about straight up Nanus is it's slow growth,could be a problem if it's damaged by winter weather.
Same goes fro Takil,even though it may be a few degrees more hardy than Fortunei,it may not recover from spear-pull.
I have 3 true Takil seedlings right now,they are the hardest Trachy to nail down right now.
As far as I know the Opuntia is O.engelmanni v.texana-said to be hardy to 0(F)from source in Texas
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/botd.p ... 2008-10-20

[lucky1]

Wow, Jim, I'm amazed how much your stuff has grown this summer

Palms nice color and clean leaves. Look really strong.

Cactus tripled in size!
Yucca that much growth since it snapped!

That iceplant grew like ivy

Get ready to add vertical space to your protection; they'll be too short for next winter.
A nice problem to have.

Congrats!
Barb

[hardyjim]

It will be nice Barb
I think I will need to use pvc pipe next year to raise the back half.
I think when some of the palms get big I will just wrap them in burlap,insulation and plastic with a few x-mas lights
This is why I did so many different palms,cactus etc(that and it's hard to get a 7ft windmill here )I wanted
to try a half dozen different protection methods so when things changed up/grew out of current protection I would already know how to do it!
Now if I find a large Washy or Trachy,I feel like I know how to protect it.
One other idea that interests me is a leaf cage with like 1 5wt(c-7 0r c-9) x-mas light inside,
they are so good at insulating the palm that the slightest amount of warmth would protect the plant easily-
It only took 3-4 5wt(c-7) bulbs to keep my Washys above freezing wrapped with house insulation-to bad I didn't protect the roots with enough mulch

[Okanagan desert-palms]

Jim great pics. Let us know how they do through the winter. I am really interested to see how that B. eriospatha does.


John

[hardyjim]

Me too John
We had our coldest night of the season last night(25F)and I really have not done anything about covering it-Butia
My Washys little hut hit 24.8F last night but is fine with the quick recovery in temps today
My last Castor bean looks toasty and the BOP has a few crispy leaves.