PalmsNorth.com

A little early this year, but the carpenter's going away until March!



I know...I know...gotta finish painting it








Getting the clear fibreglass roof to fit properly was tricky this year.



The door will be propped open until temperatures drop to -5C 23F at night.
Despite being ready, I hate the thought of winter approaching

Barb

Barb,
I hate the thought, too, but it is coming. I received photos from my cousins in Norway of snow so it will eventually get here.
Last year's Butia palm hut will be reconstructed and used over the new Sabal 'Louisiana'.
W and I are designing an all-new hut for the Chameadorea. That's the one we are excited about.
--Erik

Not sure why you took it down


Man you must love that palm -I guess if I had one for 30+ years I
would spoil it to

Nice work! Its the clubhouse of my childhood. The one I never had.

I think you get the award for nicest looking palm hut. Your neighbor's must appreciate that!!

Mine will be up in three weeks

very cool.

I think the dogs are jealous.

Thanks everybody.
Seems a shame to house the ole girl early when the weather's so nice...

Forgot to dig the extension cord under the base before the guys put it up.
(Brain fart).

Eric.... i never knew you had a chamedorea...... Is it the radicalis or microspadix???

Barb I find it odd that your covering up your palm, while my passiflora is still green and thriving, despite 3 frosts. Then again, i dug up my EE and my Basjoo 2 months ago..... better safe then sorry right?

I thik thats gonna be me and my cordyline..... bought it for 2 bucks last year, small and no trunk, after keeping it alive over winter, the thing is 3 feet tall, with 2 inches of trunk...... IF i can get one of the ones in ground to survive.. this baby is getting planted

Barrie ontario had a rell nice snowfall, big fat snowflakes

CP,
I planted three C. radicalis last April which I hope to overwinter in a heated palm hut. When W and I make that, I'll start a new thread. All three bloomed three times this year (incl. new blooms right now! but then, it is 22 oC this morning....).
Passiflora looks good right now, too. Sorry to rub it in....
--Erik

Scotty, thanks...I don't think neighbours have seen it (acreage), lots of trees at fenceline.
Painting the bloody thing today...

It'll be nice to see your design this year for that big Trachy.

As to timing, I equate it with putting up Christmas lights.
Better early (and leave a panel open), than on a metal ladder in a blizzard, fingers frozen.
Bin der, dun dat.

lucky1 wrote:Scotty, thanks...I don't think neighbours have seen it (acreage), lots of trees at fenceline.
Painting the bloody thing today...

As to timing, I equate it with putting up Christmas lights.
Better early (and leave a panel open), than on a metal ladder in a blizzard, fingers frozen.
Bin der, dun dat.

Ain't that the truth,I will never forget trying to get my Washy covered in freezing cold wind/temps-argh!

You guys are right. I think I might start mine next weekend since the following I am out of town. That would mean I would be putting it up the weekend of the 15th. I think that's pushing it so I am going to start next weekend with the palm hut. The rest I can do over time.. Have fun painting!!

If you ever want it to rain, start to paint something outdoors

might start mine next weekend since the following I am out of town

not a bad idea, Scotty, considering this is your 14-day forecast:
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/fourte ... k_st_14day

Very nice eric.. any seed??

YA barb, i agree. I had to cover my bamboo in a storm asu they were calling for freezing rain. Im gonna do it a bit earlier this year.

Barb,
Your palm hut should be good for another two winters, you know it's going to pick up the pace with all the spoiling your giving it. Hope your painting it the color of the house.

All this protection talk is making me nervous

Bill

Hey Bill are you feeling better?
Looking forward to seeing that GH...

PS--nope, painting it green...pale yellow would've been too tough to cover OSB, it's like glued sawdust.

I'm starting to feel a little bit better, it knocked me back pretty good. I actually went to the doctor on Friday to get a antibiotic. To much work to be done to be laying around.

I'll post pictures as soon as it's up. It's not going to be all that impressive it's just a 15' hoop that I'm going to jack the height up. The impressive part will be all the palms stuffed into it.

Bill

BILL MA wrote: The impressive part will be all the palms stuffed into it.

Bill

Yup!

Yay it's up! I know how you feel Barb, but we'll be glad when any unexpected weather hits. I LOVE your hut! I'd love a door on mine!

Your Trachy is beautiful! Lovely trunk on it too. She obviously loves the outdoors!

Heidi

Heidi,
that's great.
W and I are still designing our new Chameadorea hut. Wish we were as far along as you and Barb. --Erik

Bill - were you really sick? sorry to hear, I was just reading this thread and noticed Barb's well wishes. If it was anything like my 5 yr. old had last week, I am empathize! Being sick is no fun, glad to hear you're on the mend. Take it easy in the yard, I know it's hard but you don't want it to backfire

Erik- H still has to build the second palm hut, so I'm not REALLY out of the woods yet. I'm also still trying to figure out what to do with my Cannas...leave them in or dig them up (Barb? You might know since you know Vancouver!)

I'm trying to get caught up on some threads, sorry if I'm a bit out of the loop these days. With a sick girl (better now) and getting back into our routine doesn't leave me much with computer time.

Heidi

I don't think I was ever on the computer when my daughter was a youngster.
Amazing you can find any time at all Heidi; glad your little one is better.

Lots of Vancouverites leave their cannas in the ground especially if they're near a structure and benefit from that microclimate.
Depends how old yours are...if it's a big clump that can use dividing now (versus spring), maybe do it now.
Especially if Vancouver gets the forecasted la Nina cold.

Cannas like to be divided every few years so this might be the year to divide them in the Fall, into 1 gall pots to be kept in the garage?
I did mine last week, and placed pots into the cold building, where they'll get no water for at least two months (and then only sparingly after that).
It's always interesting to leave one small division in the ground to see how it fares.

I'm leaving my lavender dividing until spring, seem more brittle this time of year.

Won't we all laugh if we have a mild one?

Thanks for the well wishes Barb. I'm pretty lucky to have a little one who's easy going enough for me to find a couple of moments during the day for a little break.

All of my Cannas were planted this year and some probably could use a division. I do have quite a microclimate going, so maybe I'll leave them in to see what happens. But then I don't want to lose them ALL...so maybe I'll divide a couple of them now and pot them up in case. It's all trial and error isn't it...my favorite catch phrase these days.

I had 2 lavender and one of them I got rid of...it was so scraggly and woody, I wasn't dividing it or pruning it, but at the time I didn't have any clue about gardening. I might baby the other one and start again with one more next year.

And WOULDN'T that be a head shaker if we ended up with a mild year - UGH!

Everyoe seems to be under the weather in one way or another. MY back has been out for 2 weeks almost.....

Hill.... Most canna are hardy to zone 7B. The only thing that i can think of to worry about, is the moisture. Too much will make em rot. IF i were you, id dig up half, and keep half in the ground. At least then, if worse comes to worse, youll have soem in the house..

im trying to overwinter some canna outside this winter as a trial.... never know

Everyoe seems to be under the weather in one way or another. MY back has been out for 2 weeks almost.....

Hill.... Most canna are hardy to zone 7B. The only thing that i can think of to worry about, is the moisture. Too much will make em rot. IF i were you, id dig up half, and keep half in the ground. At least then, if worse comes to worse, youll have soem in the house..

im trying to overwinter some canna outside this winter as a trial.... never know

Thanks Canadianplant, I'm going to do just that - keep some inside. I thought of covering with plastic to keep the moisture out, we'll see what happens. Hope your back is better soon! No fun with a bad back either!

Heidi

No problem at all. Ive read about quite a few people over wintering canna there. The way i look at it is, if you can successfuly grow a trachy, or a cordyline unprotected, canna should be fine, especialy in the right location. Barb had a very good suggestion by saying they have a better chance nnext to a structure, or under a tree.

Im not sure how platic will work..... i used it to over winter my bamboo, dispite beinga bit wet, it came out fine:D. If you have a ton of canna, why not try some with plastic, or leaves, or burlap, buckets etc.... see what works best....

My sister is growing Cannas in North Yourk, Toronto. I've planted them 6 years ago very close to the house wall. They are still alive. By the way never any protection stuff have been using at all.

thanks for the input igor.glukhovtsev

Heidi

Cannas are pretty reliable here with no protection. I lost a few this past winter as the soil froze, but not most.
Canna is a plant you can safely ignore where you live.
--Erik
Note to self: plant more Canna in May. I need fewer plants to worry about this time next year....

Thanks Heidi Yeah I had a really Nasty cold/couch/sore throat, I was miserable! I'm on about day 10 or so of antibiotics so I feel much better. Good thing since about 500 plants are coming into the basement today and how ever many more days it takes to get them down there Your cannas should be just fine in the ground, if your a little nervous place some plastic over them and mulch over it to keep them dry it will work great

Bill

Glad your feeling better Bill-

no rest for the wicked

Looks good barb....good luck!

Thanks for the Canna tips Bill...and glad you're better! My daughter was on antibiotics too. gotta love this time of year. not! Hope your plants made it in smoothly..wow!

Thanks to you too Erik.

I really should have posted my question in another forum...sorry Barb for changing the subject on your thread!

Heidi

sorry Barb for changing the subject on your thread!

Oh heavens, Heidi, you "caught" that from me...I do it all the time.

500 plants are coming into the basement

Bill, hope your girlfriend is a chiropractor.

...bet you put your camera down somewhere in that jungle, and forgot where...



Barb

WOW, that's some great protection!! I see you planned for future growth too!

Barb nice to see your palm hut is up and your prepared for winter. Bill take some pics of all those plants in your basement.


John

Will do John
Between today and tomorrow hopefully I'll be able to organize them well enough to water them at least, might just have to use the hose I think 500 was a super conservative number!

Now that there's room in the yard I'll take better pictures of all the new palms too.

Bill