Has anyone tried Thermal Blankets?

[GoggleboxUK]

I had an idea of wrapping palms in cheap duvets and covering with thermal blankets seeing as they are waterproof.

Any reason why this wouldn't woek?

[Dave Brown]

I had an idea of wrapping palms in cheap duvets and covering with thermal blankets seeing as they are waterproof.

Any reason why this wouldn't woek?

Palms are used to breeze blowing through the crown, most are not happy being wrapped, and it encourages rot, that is why most palm people go for a rain shelter type protection with open sides.

If you do wrap, regardless of materials used, it needs to be for the minimum time possible

[kata]

Mine is in a pot.

If I leave the crown open, just protect the roots/pot area will this be ok?

Thanks!

[GoggleboxUK]

Thanks Dave,I was thinking about wrapping the pot and trunk with a duvet around canes in the pot and covering the crown and fronds with a large clear umberella.

I was hoping this would keep heat where it was needed but allow airflow around the growth point as well as reducing wind damage to the leaves.

It seems that keeping a palm dry is more than half the battle and those thermal blankets should create a waterproof barrier as well as keeping heat in.

I'm considering this method for my 4 Trachies which are either planted or in pots but too large to bring inside. If we get another subzero month up here then something will need to be done, especially on the one damaged last winter.

[kata]

I decided in last two minutes

Till I get it planted its coming into the hallway but not till its really, really cold.

sony a baby.

[Dave Brown]

You can wrap a pot as this does not stop air getting to the plant, but insulation works both ways, and will stop the sun warming the pot and soil ball.

I did wrap a duvet around the trunk of my Butia capitata in the front garden for about 1 week last December.

[kata]

I might try the wrap roots,

I can take it off on sunny days like I did with Cycas last year.

You must be wondering about my paranoa about my new Trachi. I had the £5.00 one that died this year after the winter and this one cost a lot more than that. Its my first decent one.

Thanks Dave!!

[Rachelpalm]

Hello
I use fleece bags with draw strings for my palms and other tender plants each winter as they protect against frost but let air and water through and the plants breath. I only lost 1 palm last winter with a fleece on and this was because I covered the palm too late. You can buy diff sizes too and they are pretty cheap. I just bought 4 large ones from my local garden centre for £10. They do need replacing every 2-3 years as they tear easy, but I love them and they are easy to use and fast to put on too.

See pic for what I mean

http://www.glossopgardencentre.com/imag ... TAINER.jpg

[cordyman]

Those fleece bags look great!

When you say you put one on too late was that a few days to late or?

What overnight temp would you class as requiring the fleece bag? And what daytime temp would it need to reach for it to come off?

[GoggleboxUK]

I'll be putting up the protection the moment we get a daytime minus and it will be staying there until we get daytime plus' again.

With a foot of trunk on a Trachycarpus I reckon they're undamaged until about -8, it's the potentially long spans where temps don't rise above freezing that are the real problem IMO.

Personally I don't think those fleece bags are either use or ornament but that's just my view. All I know is that if I were sleeping in a tent I'd rather wrap myself in a duvet than a sheet.

[Tom2006]

If we have a repeat of last winter I will be giving my palms a shelter above them and in deep cold I'll be covering with loads of fleece.

[Rachelpalm]

Those fleece bags look great!

When you say you put one on too late was that a few days to late or?

What overnight temp would you class as requiring the fleece bag? And what daytime temp would it need to reach for it to come off?

Hello Cordy
I normally put them on about start of November or when first frosts start. I went on holiday over Xmas and did not fleece 1 palm( forgot) and it was really cold while I was away, big mistake. It was a Canarian Palm and when I fleeced it( after my 14 nights away) there had already been days and days of snow and -8c or lower. When I took the fleece off in about March it was totally brown and dead. My fault for forgetting it.

Some palms I only fleece when snow is forecast. I just watch the weather and rush out and bag them when needed and if it goes mild take bags off again. Trachycorpus Fortunei I do this with, just bag when snow is due and then take off again. I will be covering my Waggy palm this year if snow is forecast as it cost £125 and I would be gutted if that pegged it. I covered some Algrave with fleece bags which survived every winter ok apart from last 1, just too cold and wet for them. I also lost a purple cordyline this year( covered that way too late too, about 3 weeks too late with snow and frost every day). The 2 weeks over Xmas were so cold ( at least -8c here) I should of covered everything, but was too busy packing and worrying about Airport delays. I have learned by my mistake, cover everything with snow forecast.

I covered some fuschias that survived this winter and ferns with the fleece bags from start of Nov and uncovered start April. When you take the fleece off really depends what plants are under them. I should of taken my Algarve indoors. I just was not prepared for such cold weather for such a long period of time. Never let that happen again, lol.

[cordyman]

Those fleece bags look great!

When you say you put one on too late was that a few days to late or?

What overnight temp would you class as requiring the fleece bag? And what daytime temp would it need to reach for it to come off?

Hello Cordy
I normally put them on about start of November or when first frosts start. I went on holiday over Xmas and did not fleece 1 palm( forgot) and it was really cold while I was away, big mistake. It was a Canarian Palm and when I fleeced it( after my 14 nights away) there had already been days and days of snow and -8c or lower. When I took the fleece off in about March it was totally brown and dead. My fault for forgetting it.

Some palms I only fleece when snow is forecast. I just watch the weather and rush out and bag them when needed and if it goes mild take bags off again. Trachycorpus Fortunei I do this with, just bag when snow is due and then take off again. I will be covering my Waggy palm this year if snow is forecast as it cost £125 and I would be gutted if that pegged it. I covered some Algrave with fleece bags which survived every winter ok apart from last 1, just too cold and wet for them. I also lost a purple cordyline this year( covered that way too late too, about 3 weeks too late with snow and frost every day). The 2 weeks over Xmas were so cold ( at least -8c here) I should of covered everything, but was too busy packing and worrying about Airport delays. I have learned by my mistake, cover everything with snow forecast.

I covered some fuschias that survived this winter and ferns with the fleece bags from start of Nov and uncovered start April. When you take the fleece off really depends what plants are under them. I should of taken my Algarve indoors. I just was not prepared for such cold weather for such a long period of time. Never let that happen again, lol.

Thanks Rachel, great detailed advice!

Fleece bags will deffo be getting purchased!
Would duvets not get a bit soggy and damp goggle?

[GoggleboxUK]

Not if there's a thermal blanket over them, they're waterproof.

[kata]

I have been wandering, as oppsed to wondering

http://tinyurl.com/3v5t2vc Google will translate pretty good. Its the wrapping your looking at.