Uncovering Trachy

bgodwin1987 · Post by **bgodwin1987** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:24 pm

I wanted to know do you think it would be on to leave a Trachycarpus Fortunei uncovered for the rest of the winter? I uncovered mine and its still very green and seems to be doing well, its been growing a little. It's been in the 60's the last few days. It is suppose to get slightly cooler again in the low 30's. I think I am gonna leave in uncovered in less it gets colder again. This winter has been very mild. Any thoughts?

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:46 pm

I'm in michigan and I woudln't uncover yet.... They're saying we could see significant snow yet because lake michigan hasn't even frozen yet.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:26 pm

In a 6b/7a, I'm with Doug...but I can't remember how long your palm has been in the ground.
My gut feeling is to wait another month.

Barb

bgodwin1987 · Post by **bgodwin1987** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:46 pm

I uncovered it today, because its been really warm all week. I will cover it back though if it gets colder. I planted it in the Spring of 2010.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:36 pm

probably a good idea to keep coverings nearby, Bryce.
But fresh air is good.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:29 am

Bryce,

I don't know how easy it is to recover it, but for me it's pretty easy so mine has been uncovered more time than covered this winter. (bottom 1/2 is still protected, just top and 1/2 exposed)

We have some snow, rain and colder temps coming this weekend so will cover back up again. It only takes me a few seconds.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:18 am

There you go-palm love.

If I had one or 5 plants I would probably lift the protection anytime possible during the "off" season....
what am I saying?-I think I am donig it anyway...with approx 60 palms and cactus-lol

Especially this year...I have only covered one of my Needle palms a handful or so of days.
Almost everything has been uncovered(as much as is possible/reasonable)for about 8 days this time....
earlier in Jan there was an 11 day stretch.

It's great to be able to air out the enclosures as moisture can/does build up in there...
even if my palms were covered in thick frost from freezing fog last night!!!

palms uncovered picture from 1-26-12

Heres the black bamboo-not looking to bad ...so far

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:52 am

covered in thick frost from freezing fog last night

Isn't that what we want to protect them FROM?

Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:10 am

Hey Jim, what are you gonna do next season with that Y. aloifolia.....looks like you may need a bigger greenhouse!

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 9:42 am

bgodwin1987 wrote:I uncovered it today, because its been really warm all week. I will cover it back though if it gets colder. I planted it in the Spring of 2010.

I would heed the 4 year rule to be safe.

I have yet to cover mine this year, but 3 of 4 have hit the 4 year mark and the last one has hit three years.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:17 am

Barb

27F last night isn't going to bother a Trachy,even my
T,.ferns were uncovered-I did give them a couple hour
boost this morning until it got back to freezing.

With mid 50s forecast today I wasn't worried about a chilly night.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 1:16 pm

This guys been enjoying his first winter in the ground...although he's had it pretty easy this year. Will have to put clear bag back over it tonight with the snow and cold temps coming tomorrow.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 2:21 pm

Jim the GH stuff looks great, no collapse this year.
Virtually unscathed that black bamboo!

Your stuff is obviously becoming hardie with the few winter temps you allow them to be exposed to. Mine, well, just big babies.

Scott,
nice, looks like it's been inside all winter.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:39 pm

TimMAz6 wrote:Hey Jim, what are you gonna do next season with that Y. aloifolia.....looks like you may need a bigger greenhouse!

I already cut it down 2' to fit this year,kinda lazy on my part
but I am not really sure what to do about it's size-I will take
the next year to figure that out now that I have time........

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:09 pm

While we're on the topic...what are we going to do when these palms are 10 or 12 feet tall????

Anybody thought ahead that far?
And no, Jim, we can't cut them back down to four feet so they fit the protection!

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:24 pm

The nice thing about a taller palm tree is that it can be used as (part of )the support

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:06 am

Barb,

I have. Larger diameter PVC. Still foundation posts buried, perhaps cemented into the ground. Easy to hide during the year, then can just slide the PVC pipe into the ones in the ground and build from there. Have thought of either using the green house panels that can be bought at Menards, OR most likely that clear reinforced plastic green house wrap I told you about. Top, ceiling will be another piece of Lexan clear plastic. Cheap and unbreakable.

bgodwin1987 · Post by **bgodwin1987** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:35 am

Yeah my palm got frosted on last night but it didn't hurt it at all, I think it would have to get down pretty cold, and this winter so far has been mild, the coldest it's gotten was 14 F. Plus they changed the zone map now if you just go a few miles south from me your in zone 7a, im not sure if I trust that though. I have coverings nearby I didn't take it all apart it's in the shed waiting to be needed. I think it's good to give them fresh air, while it was covered it shot out two new leaves. Also when my palm gets like 12 ft tall, ill just leave it and hope it lives, it will be an experiment.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:55 am

Also when my palm gets like 12 ft tall, ill just leave it and hope it lives, it will be an experiment.

Then you'll hope you're a 7A for sure, Bryce.
It'd kill me to work so hard at keeping them protected and then they die anyway years later.

Scott, I like your PVC idea more and more.
Almost like building with Lego, expandable.
Probably better than trying to enlarge a wooden structure.

a taller palm tree is that it can be used as (part of )the support

a long stick supported by tying to the palm trunk?

Barb

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:15 am

So far, the small one I build has worked great, and I'll always leave the "footings" in the ground so only takes a few minutes to re-assemble the next time I have to use it.

With my large Windmill that I will be planting I'll do a better job documenting the process especially since it will be covering a much larger Palm. I'm thinking to since I'll have to deal with more wind in that location I will make it a Triangle instead of a square....or even roundish.(flexable PVC)

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:33 am

Good idea, Scott.
Pyramid-shape, or rounded, will shed snow versus building up and threatening collapse from snowload.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 4:31 pm

lucky1 wrote:
Also when my palm gets like 12 ft tall, ill just leave it and hope it lives, it will be an experiment.
Then you'll hope you're a 7A for sure, Bryce.
It'd kill me to work so hard at keeping them protected and then they die anyway years later.

Scott, I like your PVC idea more and more.
Almost like building with Lego, expandable.
Probably better than trying to enlarge a wooden structure.

a taller palm tree is that it can be used as (part of )the support
a long stick supported by tying to the palm trunk?

Barb

When a Washy gets 5-6 feet of trunk going you can trim it down and
put 4-5 / 1" PVC strips along the trunk then x-mas lights,your wrap and the
insulation......heating just the trunk area-etc.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 5:02 pm

hardyjim wrote:
TimMAz6 wrote:Hey Jim, what are you gonna do next season with that Y. aloifolia.....looks like you may need a bigger greenhouse!
I already cut it down 2' to fit this year,kinda lazy on my part
but I am not really sure what to do about it's size-I will take
the next year to figure that out now that I have time........

Jim, let the Y. aloifolia trunk grow through the top of the greenhouse and let us know when the top is killed off. That would be a cool test.

wheelman1976 · Post by **wheelman1976** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:38 pm

lucky1 wrote:While we're on the topic...what are we going to do when these palms are 10 or 12 feet tall????

Anybody thought ahead that far?
And no, Jim, we can't cut them back down to four feet so they fit the protection!

Barb

I thought ahead that far and am just living with the fact that I'll have to build bigger enclosures. I'm still trying to find some large enough from the get to to ship up here at a fair rate so that I don't have to wait years to have some large specimens.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:25 am

I think Jim's onto something with his comment:

When a Washy gets 5-6 feet of trunk going you can trim it down and
put 4-5 / 1" PVC strips along the trunk then x-mas lights,your wrap and the
insulation......heating just the trunk area-etc.

It never even occurred to me to do that!

By "trimming it down" (for newbies), Jim does not mean cutting the trunk lower/growing bud off.
At least I hope not!

Two Qs for Jim: So why cut anything if petioles are tied?
Would you ever use pipe heating tape to wrap the trunk (like Erik did) to include the growing bud BEFORE attaching the PVC pipes?

Doug, I doubt it's practical/logical for us to build larger and larger wooden enclosures.
Your palms will grow like crazy this year with that nice protection.

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:24 am

No,your right,you don't need to cut anything off if it's all tied off.

You especially don't want to cut if your palm is in a marginal
GDD zone....not sure how many times a Washy would come
back from being cut back here but as you go south that should improve.

bgodwin1987 · Post by **bgodwin1987** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:40 pm

I decided to cover my trachy back up it's going to be in the lower 20's the next few days. We are having a little cold spell, it was uncovered for about a week and a half.