Washingtonia ok after winter

[eddie]

I've let one of my Washy's out today, total height around 7ft
The ugly leaves in the front are not frostdamaged, but the result of a hailstorm last year.

the coldframe wich pulled it through winter, Tmin -11.4C
a lightstring provided some warmth, the coldframe was covered with buildingfoil

[MikeC]

Looks great, well done on some top notch protection.



Definately in better shape than mine. Will post some pictures when it perks up a bit in the next few weeks.

PS, Yours looks like a filifera to me

[fern Rob]

I like the idea of building cold frames around plants, I think I may use that technique.

[eddie]

PS, Yours looks like a filifera to me

Thanks! I don't think it's a filifera, must be a form of hybrid. It grows a fat trunk, maybe it's got more filifera genes?
I saw a filifera at the botanical garden in Vienna next to a robusta. I believe the labels must be right on the two, since the greenhouse is part of the biology section of the university there. Judging by those two specimens and others I''ve seen, a filifera has smaller teeth and no brown spot/stripe on the petioles. Pics are here:

http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... 14&t=14094

[flipper]

Interesting...

Could you explain more how the "coldframe" was built, and how it worked?

I did have plans to plant out one of my larger Washingtonias. (Nowhere near as large as yours), but they all dried in the greenhouse for some reason...
Will now have to wait and see if there is any hope...

How large was your when it was planted?
How many winters has it survived?
Did you have longer periods of subzero temps?

Morten

[Tom2006]

That looks very healthy!!!

[derrick]

Looks very good again Eddie i thinks it has some protection from the buildings most that survive look close to wall or building mine is starting to move i think

[eddie]

Interesting...

Could you explain more how the "coldframe" was built, and how it worked?

How large was your when it was planted?
How many winters has it survived?
Did you have longer periods of subzero temps?

Morten

It's a screwed together woorden frame, covered with plastic foil. It's totally sealed, so no openings, especially on the bottom where I use styrofoam plates to cover the bottom half and preventing any frosty air coming in. Warmth is provided with ropelights, not the led ones!, making the temperature inside around 0/+2 C during winter freezes. When it's below -10C ouside the temperature inside drops below 0C, so I figure the max difference in temperature in/out must be around 10C.

When planted in 2008, it was around 2 feet with a small trunk. 2013 was it's fifth winter. And we do have winter here, this year a period of 13 days subzero in a row. Here it is on december 20 2009 (when snow was still pretty rare here)