Monday, December 1, 2008
well protected
We have wrapped the trees in heat tape, then foil backed insulation, then burlap to make them look natural, and then christmas lights. so far, we have had to be careful not to over heat the trees. we also put heat tape in the ground around the trees to keep the rootball from freezing. does any one have any suggestions on what to do with the fronds???? I will post more pictures as they become available.
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5 comments:
Better wrap them up too!! the fronds I mean. If you use some twine it will be easy to get them in a tight bundle, then add some lights or extra heat tape, etc to this, then insulating material like burlap followed by a water proof cover, and also I would recommend the trunk wrapping to be water proof.
Also, Did you treat them all with fungicide??
The bud tissue is the most important part of the plant to protect. There is only one growing point for palms. If that point dies, the entire plant dies.
Since the bud tissue has new growth, it is weaker than the rest of the plant. The bud can also collect water which can freeze inside and cause damage.
The first thing you should do is pour copper based copper/bactericide such as Phyton 27 to lower the pathogen populations. As I mentioned above, the bud can fill with water and freeze which will damage the plant. The plant, already weakened by the cold climate, will have trouble fighting them off when the temperature recovers and could die not from cold damage but from bacterial damage.
When you protect any part of the plant, it should allow gas exchange. The top should be covered with something like tyvek that allows gas exchange yet will not let water into the bud. The leaves can be wrapped in burlap and tied up. The tyvek can be placed over the top to protect both the leaves and the bud.
Once it warms up, the plants should be treated with the fungicide/bactericide again.
throw a blanket over them and tie it off at the bottom. This will keep the leaves from getting frost damaged check out the winter protection at this site maybe it will help you out.
http://realpalmtrees.com/knowledge-base/weather-protection/winter-protection-for-palms-and-plants/
Check that out... It can Probably HELP BIG TIME
As the anonymous author above mentioned, protecting the leaf spear is the most important aspect. If the crown rots, the plant dies. Placing a funnel over the spear will keep most moisture out. Kaptan fungicide might help also. Good Luck.
All great tips here. I really would consider the fungicide, as well as wrapping the crown. The funnel idea can work very well too to help divert moisture away from the spear. The growing "point" Everyone is referring to is called the Apical Meristem. Its fairly deep down in the top part of the "trunk" of the palm. It is the cellular growing tip/ point where the cells devide into the different parts of the leaves and such. THAT is basically the most important part of the palm. As has been pointed out, Palms have one growing tip (Monocot) and if that tip gets severely damaged or dies, the tree is toast as monocots do not branch. Crown rot can do this, so can water getting down there and freezing, although ROT is your biggest enemy. Wrap the tops, but not too tightly, cover them, but allow some air to flow through so any condensation does not build up. you may be able to come through the winter with some of the foliage in tact. These palms can completely de foliate ( lose all their fronds) and completely recover the next summer. Its not ideal, but they can handle it. One thing you will want to check on is the spear. Give it a decent tug, but not too hard. You should be able to tell if it feels firmly in tact. If you tug on it and it slips or even comes out.. you got problems. They CAN recover from spear pull, but the chances are 50/50 at best if the spear does pull.
Wrapping the crowns too tightly can also kill these palms. Ive seen it done here. THere was one at a gas station for 10 years, 20 feet tall, and I dunno what happend but one winter whoever wrapped it, wrapped it way too tight. When I saw it I knew it was too tight, and sure enough, it died.
Anyway good luck with it! Ive been following. If you can get those suckers to survive there, then they can survive in most places given the right protection. Luckily where Im at, they dont need as much protection to come through just fine.
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