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With Temps now in the high 50's and lows not below frezzing for a few days, I wanted to get everything brought from the basement and put in the greenhouse so I can get a head start on Flushing.

Before I put them in the basement, I cut a lot of leaves off, hoping that it would help early flushes. Well, As I began bringing them up, I noticed that one of my Dioon Edule Grapefruit size, is flushing ALREADY!!! along with my 3' Taitungensis.

So tomorrow, I will throw the cow manure on them, and water in really good (Soils are RRRRealy dry) and hopefully in amonth or so when I put them in the landscape they will have flushes.

Cycads all did REALLY well overwinter in the basement althou I did lose a baby Ferox (walnut size).

But the Palms did HORRIBLE!!! I lost All 6 X-Mas palms, 2 Fox Tails, 1 Butia and a pineapple plant.

The wife & kids are in Pittsburgh, Penn., so maybe I will take some pics.

BTW, KNNN (Steve), the Bengal Ficus you gave me a couple years ago, It barely fits in the greenhouse now. This is FREAKING HUGE NOW!!!! And remember you gave me 2 little Pachy Gaeya. Well, they are about 2 feet tall (both are). Your babies have grown up!!!

I'm enjoying the warmer weather down the road, too.
I haven't moved anything in pots outside yet, and still haven't built my wife the greenhouse on the south side of the house I've long promised her.
When does your greenhouse get too hot to use?
--Erik

Wes,

Sorry about your basement losses...what disappointment!
Did you provide any light on those palms? Warm or cool basement?

I've started Foxtails from seed and need a hint on what you believe killed your Wodies.

Your D.edule is already flushing! Wow.
Between your and Steve's success with these, I had hope my D.edule would finally snap out of its sulk...but the beggar hasn't yet.

Does everything fit into your GH?
Looking forward to the pics.

Barb

THe greenhouse never gets too hot because I keep the window vents and front door open, so the wind blows thru.
Actually, I think I am going to get rid of my greenhouse because the only reason I use it now is from October to December & March to mid April for an extra 2-3 months growing season for them. I think the spot in my yard would be better used by a pretty cool landscaped spot for the Cycads.

Lucky, I think what killed the Foxtails and others was that I brought them in too late. I didn't move them inside until around X-Mas and I dont think the one heater was enough.

This is probably a crazy idea, but Bill has had me thinking.
If you are going to replace the greenhouse with a cycad garden, would it make sense to put in the soil heating cables he uses for his bananas? They might give you the necessary protection in those shoulder months when you use the greenhouse that is there now.
--erik

Wes,
If you were nearby, I'd buy that GH from you.

Got cool overnight -2C 28F, so I hastily stapled some plastic to the front porch.



Barb

Nice photo, Barb!
Those palms and cycads look wonderful. They are enjoying the sunshine.
--Erik

Barb, Like Erik said, everything looks great
We had our first tornado of the season Friday night, a small one tearing up a corn field at the edge of town (F0)
(probably just spun up in the gust front of a line of storms that came through, enough for them to run the sirens at 11:45 PM)


Wes, Sorry to hear about your losses, The Banyans here are growing well too, they hit the ceiling and are now growing along it


Steve

Wes,
Sorry to hear about your palm losses, that's always tough. At least your cycads are flushing early that's really cool. I plan on using
more cycads in my planting beds in my next place, I overwintered a sago this year with the laziest protection ever with success, I was
pretty surprised to see it was still green when I uncovered it. I like your idea of the cycad bed, to bad you can't move your green house
to another spot in your yard.

Barb,
Now that's love for your palms! Did you tell your husband he could use the back door or the window to get inside? LOL!!!!!
Good thinking though, I bet it worked like a charm.

Bill

Thanks folks, the plants look better outdoors than in the hot/dry house.

I still can't get over Wes losing the Xmas palms and Foxtails...how awful.

Steve, Oh no, a tornado so very early in the season!!
Not fair after such a lousy winter for you!

Re the plastic-covered front door/porch, H had a stern comment: "There's an outhouse (palmhut) on the east side of the house, the front door and south porch barricaded with plastic...what's next? tents for migrant workers? Fungus gnats flying through the air inside..." (bit of a hissy fit).
I'm planning cardboard for dinner

...temperatures are dropping for the next two weeks.
and I'll bring plants inside again
Barb

To funny Barb!
Just think of how many palms you could have if the migrant workers were helping you plant them and build outhouse huts!

Bill