One week earlier than last year.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:01 pm

We'll just have to see how it works out.....

I uncovered the other Trachys(Nainital,Waggie,2010
trunk cut Fortunei),they saw worse last year before they were
covered and these are all without damage.

I love having my Nainital uncovered...you can actually
see this one is a palm from the road-LOL

Thinking I will keep the mulch like this(until it's hot),this way all the palms
can be watered at once.

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Trunk cut Fortunei in front,2 S.louisiana and a Waggie
that was trimmed by the lazy person who covered it-
in fall...my interest in these drops a little right
around the time I usually need to cover them.

Not a good combination-but hey,I do have a lot to cover(-;

trunk cut Fortunei
<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12020.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12020.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12022.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12022.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Love the blue color on S.Brazoria

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12026.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

My poor little Tesan-
I am looking for a great year from this one.
They actually grow quite fast but this one has pulled like
6 times in 2 1/2 years for various reasons...some already know why )-:

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12027.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12027.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Waggie is tougher this year (-:

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12023.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12023.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

This S.McCurtain(little Larrick)was planted a few days ago 0:

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12019.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12019.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

T.Nainital

Man these grow fast,even with spear-pull 3 years in a row
this thing still has leaves all the way to the ground.

I thought about leaving a skirt but I don't think it's a good idea in this climate-not to mention.

Not bad soil temps for just being uncovered.

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12016.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12016.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12009.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12009.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12011.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12011.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Princeps pulled last november but is holding firm and the
last leaf it put out is still healthy,which means rot has not spread and the plant is healthy.

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12013.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12013.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Baby Takil.................... Butia and Washys still covered.

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12012.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12012.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Bonus pic-my new baby agave.....Agave Medio Picta.
If anyone is growing-I would love to see some pics!

This is(IMO)one of the most beautiful Agaves period

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12001.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -12005.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<span style='display:block !important; width: 170px; text-align: center; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px;'>
<a href='http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/fin ... =Fairfield, IA' title='Fairfield, IA Weather Forecast'><img src='http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... rfield.gif' alt='Find more about Weather in Fairfield, IA' /></a><br><a href='http://www.wunderground.com' title='Get latest Weather Forecast updates' style='font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12px;'>Click for weather forecast</a></span>

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:38 pm

Hi Jim,

I still see snow on the ground! Your T. nanital looks great. It looks about the same size as mine. It will be interesting to see the growth rate difference between our two nanitals since your summers are hotter than mine.

Too bad your princeps spear pulled. How cold did it get? I hope it recovers for you.

Keep us posted on your S. brazoria.......If I grew that it would grow 1 leaf/season since our summers lack heat.

When is the Igloo coming down......any date in your mind yet?

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 9:53 pm

Great shots as usual, Jim!! I think the "McCurtain" will do really well for you.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 10:31 am

That must've felt good being out there and puttering around in the warmth

The only missing photo is your shoes inside the desert cover.

41F is a fabulous soil temp for end Feb.

Amazed at how blue the 2 S.louisiana and S.brazoria are at such a young age.
Thought blue appeared only with age.

Congrats everything looks sooooooo good, not a scratch from winter.

Yup, that NainiTal will explode this summer.

PS--stop cutting your Waggie tips, OK?

Barb

EDIT: More Agave medio picta so you can drool. Lovely indeed: http://www.google.ca/search?tbm=isch&hl ... 74l6.3l9l0

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 11:07 am

TimMAz6 wrote:Hi Jim,

I still see snow on the ground! Your T. nanital looks great. It looks about the same size as mine. It will be interesting to see the growth rate difference between our two nanitals since your summers are hotter than mine.

Too bad your princeps spear pulled. How cold did it get? I hope it recovers for you.

Keep us posted on your S. brazoria.......If I grew that it would grow 1 leaf/season since our summers lack heat.

When is the Igloo coming down......any date in your mind yet?

Tim

I was going to take the cover down and just use a rainsheild from here on out for the Cactus...
the problem right now is that we have rain/snow every few days.
So,

I will wait a few more days and look farther out so I am not having to
put the rain cover on/off every other day

I have another Nainital that is like yours but very small.

It is lighter green/yellowish-this bigger one is only 2 years older
so,there is a faster and slower Nainital.

My guess is this is because it's a hybrid with Takil.

Takil x Fortunei = Nainital(IMO)

The Princeps experienced 14F one night a few days after .52" of rain,
that was the combonation that did it.

BTW

It was 31F for the high while I was removering the protection,
the palms were heated the night before so it wasn't a prolonged below freezing event for them.

The temp was already down to 21F by 10pm
but went up all night and was 36 @ 8am already

That was the plan and for a change it worked out

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 11:11 am

lucky1 wrote: PS--stop cutting your Waggie tips, OK?

Barb

EDIT: More Agave medio picta so you can drool. Lovely indeed: http://www.google.ca/search?tbm=isch&hl ... 74l6.3l9l0

Yea,it was nice to be out side and although below freezing all day,
with light wind and clear skies- it felt like 50F and was in the garden on the south side.

I looked at my Waggie and was thinking the same thing-it looks prett ****** up

Btw

I was looking at those pics right before I bought mine

wxman · Post by **wxman** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:40 pm

Looks good Jim. I want to desperately take my boxes off, just waiting for the right moment. Afraid some fierce cold might come once I remove things.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:52 am

wxman wrote:Looks good Jim. I want to desperately take my boxes off, just waiting for the right moment. Afraid some fierce cold might come once I remove things.

Yea,

I just needed to see my palms!

A minimum requirment for mine is lows above 20(esp if it rained/snowed recently)
and high temps near 40F-the thing is,the soil stays warmer with the mulch pulled back at this point.

I think having them uncovered and soil temps of 40-45F
is better that 34F-35F soil temps and the enclosures getting to hot!

This way,the ground is warmer and the air is cooler upon the removal of protection...............

Rather than taking the enclosure of after a month of 90-100F temps in the enclosure.

Lot's of rationalizing won't save your plants though!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:48 am

Just wanted to tell you guys something....

I was thinking about getting some clear PVC plastic over the Cactus house so they
get all the benefits of full sun but don't get wet unless they are supposed too!

You can buy the plastic here at Wal-Mart for $1.97 a yard for the medium thickness stuff...
dollar either way for thinner or thicker plastic.

I would remove the thermal cover and replace with this for a while.

Anyway,I made a couple small ones for the Nainital and Waggie,I will make
them for the Takil and Fortunei too and probably anything else with spear-pull.

The cattle panels are(I think)4x15',I cut and arch them over the palms and cover with PVC plastic.
Cattle panel runs about $20.

I was thinking that these would not work on larger palms but if you connected to some
metal poles in the ground you could do it for sure..........

I will try and post a few pics later/tomorrow.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:18 am

thinking about getting some clear PVC plastic over the Cactus house

Good idea considering winter is probably over for you.

6 ml plastic is all I've used over yucca rostratas the last month because they need sun.
Even the inverted garbage buckets used for 3 months had no added insulation.

Cheap to buy an 8-foot wide roll (200 feet long) of vapor barrier used in house construction.

Yes pics please...what are cattle panels?

Barb

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:20 pm

Looking good, Jim. Everything seems unscathed.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:39 pm

what are cattle panels

OK I get it now..

hey look at this great construction, with list of supplies/materials:

http://www.fyall.net/greenhouse2.htm

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:46 pm

You got the idea.

I just stick the ends in the ground though...

That one is already to small for my Cactus/Yuccas.

The plastic I am talking about is totally clear,that's wat I like so much about these covers.