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after the extreme cold we had last week (-5F) and the last night (-10F) I already have a few deaths to report. after checking all my spears today the Butia, green med fan, and waggy have all pulled. they got perx down there tubes and a prayer so we will see. The silver med, sabal minor, bham,cape hat, as well as the regular windmill all did fine and are looking green. the spear pulled ones still look healthy but I know they don't have much of a chance. Anyone else with deaths already?

Hi, are all those protected at all?

All of mine...so far...that are protected as far as I can tell still surviving. Mexican Fan Palms(2) both defoliated from last bout of sub zero cold, but crown still alive. Both Windmill palms doing just fine as well as a Cape Hatteras Sabal, and Mc Curtin seedling(not protected)

Worst cold here in 30 years.

All fronds on my big prized windmill are burnt from this winters brutal cold. Looks horrible. This is it's 4th winter in ground. I will be crushed if i lose it! Needle and s.minors all look perfect with no heat!

kcpalms...where are you located? is your windmill protected at all??


I HOPE that any palms that survive this cold will be even more cold hardy in years to come.....wishful thinking?

those are some brutal temps.........the only survivors should be the minors and needles.....keep us updated.

those were not protected...they were inside an unheated garage! it has insulation on the walls so I figured it has to stay 10 or so degrees warmer than outside..guess I was wrong. still can't believe they pulled. the waggy is the only one I will replace if I can. I have thought about heat many times but my electric company is outrageous and idk how bad the bill would be..oh well part of growing exotics...now to go find me a new waggy

how about a wall mounted garage heater Nat. gas or Propane(what I have) I only have mine on it's lowest setting when temps approach 0 deg and can keep it around 50 degrees.

Sorry to hear about those losses, Mike. Surprised they succumbed inside a garage, even if it was unheated. I overwatered a blue pot minor trio one winter. I'd bought them on the cheap at the end of season and it was too late to plant. I kept them in my heated garage. They rotted and didn't come back from it. I wonder if yours had too much water ? I've learned to have a light hand on my potted things during winter, when it comes to watering. Hopefully next Tuesday will be winters last hurrah and we can start warming up!

Agree'd on the over watering and killing palms although I do have a couple that I still have to water twice a week. A Triangle of all things, and a Areca Palm, A Archotophoenix Teracarpa(type of King palm) and a Howa Belmoreiana (curly palm)

Have to mention about the Triangle(I have two) one really sucks up the water and does NOT get direct sun inside the house, although it is in a bright room. Grows like a weed! Of course it loves the hot sun where I put it outside, but doesn't slow down inside. It may do better than my other Triangle because it's more root bound.

Really hate to hear about all the spear pulls. I know some of my windmills in the backyard took a beating after the first vortex. And since, all the foilage has turned brown. Just glad I like minors cause I will replace everything with xbrazorias.

water may have been an issue but im not sure.all were on the dry side and all in differant mixs. some in peat moss pulled others didn't..I have a couple in a bark chip mix and none pulled and one in a soil perlite mix that pulled.not sure what the reason.there all inside now. how often do they need a dose of peroxide? I hit them once since they have been inside a few days ago left them alone since

The whole state of New Jersey is dead I believe!

Sorry to hear of the losses folks.
I don't think anybody can trust their zones anymore.

Everyone's had so many mild winters in a row.
But all it takes is one in 30, 50 year lows to

Maybe we should all plan for the worst every October, and then happily (in a mild winter) simply not plug in the T3 thermocube and C9s.

Barb

Its kinda hard to judge what is dead or not at this point. I know several of mine look dead ( 2 pindos, , 2 washies, and 1 trachy) but I am sure the trachy will recover. I have a potted pindo that is recovering from spear pull last yr so jury is out on the 2 in ground. As for the washies one still will not pull even though its fried.

Yes, some trials, a couple of ferocactus (covered) one was Ferocactus hamatacanthus and is supposed to be hardy but never is and I have tried many!
Others are Agave neomexicana covered but was planted low on the ground the other suckers from it are still ok, but are planted on mounds. Some teddy-bear cholla hybrid (covered), One Echinocereus ledingii, 2 Sclerocactus parviflorus but may have died from old age or disease, and foam leaking from my Agave havardiana, second years in the ground and covered.

So far no luck with agave neomexicana, mine has died back to the core but is alive. Parryi truncata and flagstaff form starting to stress. Green and silver chammy look like goners too, specially with another cold spell coming in this week.

My silver held strong chad, the green not so much. let me know how yours do. Any tips on getting them to come back from spear pull? I only have some Parryi truncata on mounds planted out I am worried about..to scared to check on them. They are covered and had heavy snow on the cover so hopefully that insulated them some. the yuccas and things under there should be fine. I'll know when I pull it back and dig them up for my move soon.

I will treat my palms with copper or peroxide when spring comes. You will have to keep the growing point dry for awhile also. This is the first yr I had any damage to the silver med. or any agaves. Most damage came this past week when we where below freezing for several days.

My A. neomexicana is the only one looking bad so far. (low of -0.5F)

Hydrogen Peroxide with only kill organisms at the time of application.

I just wrote an article for the use of Copper which will persist (will add pictures and better instructions later):
http://www.unusualplants.net/forums/res ... bud-rot.1/

Thanks for a great article which confirmed my suspicion. I totally fried a Pindo and trachy with bud rot, using a Bordo Copper (Tribasic Copper Sulphate 53%) powder mixed with water, the stuff wasn't cheap either. Perhaps also, my mix was to rich. However, dollar store HP saved my unprotected needle last year.
The dampness is truly the killer, as the pathogens need organics and water to feed.

I have a echinocereus triglochidiatus and an echinocerus caespitosus that look a little mushy and they were protected from moisture. Strangely I have 1 of each that weren't protected from moisture and they look fine. I covered my yucca gloriosas with leaves and a plastic container and they seem fine. My Southern Mag Brackens Brown Beauty has very brown leaves right now but I think it will recover. The Edith Bogue looks much better. I wouldn't be surprised if most of my crape myrtles are totally dead (including the roots). I'll have to wait to see in June.

The last cold spell froze over several palms, cacti and agave previously undamaged. I am planning for a mass remodel this spring. Not sure I will even wait for some palms to recover. I think they may all go straight to pots forever. I definitely want to transplant my needle to where my chammy is.

A horribly tough year for us all!

lucky1 wrote:Sorry to hear of the losses folks.
I don't think anybody can trust their zones anymore.

Everyone's had so many mild winters in a row.
But all it takes is one in 30, 50 year lows to

Maybe we should all plan for the worst every October, and then happily (in a mild winter) simply not plug in the T3 thermocube and C9s.

Barb

No joke... Next year am going to Use heat in my garden. if my Mom likes it or not. Really guys We should prepare for next winter in the summer buting supples for the winter. I have a filling I may have to replant a lot this coming spring.