cannondale28 wrote:I'm sure I've posted this photo on here before but this one is in the small garden of Waitrose in Salisbury, Wilts.
Some people here are from Portsmouth and Southampton and the difference between there and (inland) Salisbury is quite considerable.
The only protection is the shop and the canopy overhead which half covers the plant.
This Washy has been in that situation since the shop was open, probably 5-10 years ago. Amazing how it survives.
thats a great example of how well a washy can survive when undercover!
The picture under the supermarket roof shows perfectly that unless you live in a very mild coastal location, like Nathan, that Washingtonias do and look best when protected during Winter.
I protect mine every Winter now as there is nothing worse than when the warmer weather arrives and you have to look at a Washingtonia, or Phoenix for that matter, that takes at least half the Summer to look good again.
I used to chance mine without protection every Winter and most Winters my Washingtonias would survive but every Spring I would have the same result, a frost damaged palm tree.
Im in two minds whether to plant mine out this year. I may keep it as a decking potted specimen. If it takes till half way through summer to look good planted out would be an eyesore. I keep it now in the plastic unheated greenhouse with a fleece bag over permanently and it stays green
I can not show a picture because still have no camera but mine has been slowly pushing out growth in my heated greenhouse min 10c, it has just finished its second leaf. But three smaller ones right near it have not really moved and they receive exactly the same light and heat, the only thing that is different is the big one has been in the same pot for a couple of years and the smaller ones were potted at the start of last summer.
I forgot all about this - Nathan's in the best spot for this tree, looking good
I've tried and failed miserably with this.
You should talk the council into getting them along the streets there.
My triple trunk is looking fine under its rain canopy although there is some frost damage on a couple of leaves. Last year I fleeced the sides of the shelter and didn't have any damage.
On the coldest of nights I have just wrapped fleece around the growing points.
