WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

billdango

WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by billdango »

Here are a few pictures to show how I am going to protect my Syagrus Romanzoffianum this coming winter?

Now, the first photo shows the palm as it normaly is.
The first thing i will do is to pull all the leaves up together and keep them like that with a tie of plant wire every 6 inches till i get to the top.

Then a couple of layers of fleece wrapped around to keep out the worst of the frost.
Afterwards I have to fix 4 ten-foot canes around to keep the whole thing upright and rigid.

Then to stop water getting inside and rotting the leaves, I will cover it with a layer of polythene fixed to the canes with clothes pegs.

Finally when severe frost threatens I can wrap a nice thick blanket around the bottom part with a nice fat hot water bottle tucked inside.

Hopefully this will work in a normal uk winter?
Lets see shall we?
billdango :D :D :D :D
Attachments
1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg
4.jpg
5.jpg
Rod

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by Rod »

billdango wrote:Here are a few pictures to show how I am going to protect my Syagrus Romanzoffianum this coming winter?

Now, the first photo shows the palm as it normaly is.
The first thing i will do is to pull all the leaves up together and keep them like that with a tie of plant wire every 6 inches till i get to the top.

Then a couple of layers of fleece wrapped around to keep out the worst of the frost.
Afterwards I have to fix 4 ten-foot canes around to keep the whole thing upright and rigid.

Then to stop water getting inside and rotting the leaves, I will cover it with a layer of polythene fixed to the canes with clothes pegs.

Finally when severe frost threatens I can wrap a nice thick blanket around the bottom part with a nice fat hot water bottle tucked inside.

Hopefully this will work in a normal uk winter?
Lets see shall we?
billdango :D :D :D :D
Hi Bill - Very snug that Queen will be
Do you think you need that much protection in Southhampton ???
rburrena

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by rburrena »

It looks great for cold snaps, but are you going to leave it on for good now? should you not wait until some cold weather is forecast, might do it harm to be wrapped up like that for months on end?
MikeC

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by MikeC »

I haven't wrapped mine (I've got two) and have a different approach. I don't wrap palms, but if the temperature is going to drop more than a degree or two below zero, i switch on rope lights and throw a cover over the palm loosely to trap ground heat and reduce radiation frosts.
Nathan

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by Nathan »

Bill, you should only wrap it when it's cold, seems silly to have it like that when it's still mild. I only ever protect stuff for as long as a cold snap lasts, as soon as it returns to milder temperatures I unwrap again...
Nigel Fear

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by Nigel Fear »

I agree with Nathan, it looks to be in a nicely sheltered spot, for an odd light frost that may come unexpectedly, just nip out there when sub zero temps are imminent then protect, or better still get the missus to do it :wink: .
Conifers
Posts: 13147
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:11 pm
Location: Northumbs

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by Conifers »

Another ditto to Nathan, it needs to breathe and get dry during milder weather - keep it wrapped up in that in mild weather, it will rot.
User avatar
Yorkshire Kris
Posts: 10163
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Rural South Wakefield, Yorkshire Lat 53.64 Long-1.54

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

It should be ok down to at least -2 for a night as long as it warms up the next day (mine did in April this year)
GREVILLE

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by GREVILLE »

Bill, I kept one of these for five years up against a SW facing house wall and while I had protection available it was never cold enough to use it. Short-lived freezes to zero or just below never even marked it. Unfortunately, I couldn't protect it from the storm that blew a large Acacia onto it :shock:

It's possible that keeping it wrapped for three months or so will put more marks on the leaves than the occasional frosts. You need to produce at least two new leaves a year to ensure it's survival and they need a lot of heat to produce them. The best I managed was three. Losing any to frost will always lead to a slow recovery.

I assume my current 'Santa Catarina' will perform a little better than my old one.

I'm sure a loving cuddle from the lovely Mrs Bd whenever it's cold will be the ideal protection :D
billdango

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by billdango »

Nathan wrote:Bill, you should only wrap it when it's cold, seems silly to have it like that when it's still mild. I only ever protect stuff for as long as a cold snap lasts, as soon as it returns to milder temperatures I unwrap again...
I was only showing all you forum members how i intend to protect it when a cold snap comes along?

At the moment it is unwrapped as it is to mild to keep it covered.

Hopefully in a normal Southampton winter i may not even have to use it but after the last 2 winters it pays to be cautious.

Better safe then sorry.

rgds billdango. icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft
billdango

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by billdango »

GREVILLE wrote:I'm sure a loving cuddle from the lovely Mrs Bd whenever it's cold will be the ideal protection :D
That sounds a good idea?

It saves me from making a hot water bottle on chilly nights.

Billdango icon_bigsmurf
User avatar
Las Palmas Norte
Posts: 1892
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:17 pm
Location: Lantzville, British Columbia (Vancouver Island)

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by Las Palmas Norte »

That appears to be a very effective protection method billdango! I will use it when my queen palm gets planted. I suppose you could incorporate a heat cable wrapping for those extreme situations. Thanks :D

Cheers, Barrie.
billdango

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by billdango »

Las Palmas Norte wrote:That appears to be a very effective protection method billdango! I will use it when my queen palm gets planted. I suppose you could incorporate a heat cable wrapping for those extreme situations. Thanks :D

Cheers, Barrie.
With luck I shouldn't need to use heating cables as in most winters it never goes below -6c except on perhaps one night a year.

Here in Southampton for the day temperature to stay below freezing is a rare occurance indeed.


Although it did happen during the big freeze of January/February 2010 and December of the same year.

The main problem in the uk isn't our Winters but our cool Summers as the Syagrus cannot make up for leaf loss after cold snaps.

This is rarely a problem in warmer sunnier places like New Zealand or Sochi in Russia.

Still in spite of that, it's a palm that any forum member that lives in London or on the South Coast should at least try as it is certainly worth that bit of extra effort.

rgds Billdango icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft
MikeC

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by MikeC »

billdango wrote: Still in spite of that, it's a palm that any forum member that lives in London or on the South Coast should at least try as it is certainly worth that bit of extra effort.

rgds Billdango icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft

Or nutters in Swindon.

icon_bigsmurf

:lol:
billdango

Re: WINTER PROTECTION FOR MY SYAGRUS ROMANZOFFIANUM.

Post by billdango »

MikeC wrote:
billdango wrote: Still in spite of that, it's a palm that any forum member that lives in London or on the South Coast should at least try as it is certainly worth that bit of extra effort.

rgds Billdango icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft

Or nutters in Swindon.

icon_bigsmurf

:lol:
Don't give up on this palm even if you live in Swindon?

You can still grow a large specimen in a clay pot and overwinter it undercover.

So even if you live in a cold part of the country you can still enjoy this palm.

And anyway I may not manage even in Southampton to grow this palm to a large size?

But nothing ventured nothing gained.

rgds Billdango icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft
Post Reply