Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

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otorongo
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Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:12 pm
Location: sub-subtropical London

Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

Post by otorongo »

We have a thread on what didn't make it, so there is one for what surprisingly did.

I reckon my garden saw -6C in February as the lowest low of the winter.

The very sheltered Monstera deliciosa lost all of its leaves, but has produced a new one since.

The thicker stems of the Brugmansia suaveolens (warm type) survived under fleece and the plant is growing away, while the cold type B. sanguinea turned out less tough (admittedly its stems were thinner) and is a goner. This shows brugs with thicker stems are hardier than they're made out to be.

The avocado (presumably Hass?) lost its leaves, but has produced new ones.

One citrus made it without even losing its leaves - not sure if it's a calamondin or a sour orange, as I have both. Tougher than the Meyer lemon, which is supposed to be tough, but didn't make it this time.

The Brahea edulis didn't even bat an eyelid and stayed in leaf without any damage - they seem to be much tougher than washies. When I bought it and made a post about it, I was warned they're very tender, which got me worried and I beat myself up over buying it without having done much research into their hardiness. Glad that didn't turn out to be true.
simpleton2
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Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:40 pm
Location: SW France

Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

Post by simpleton2 »

A good idea for a positive thread after a horrible winter.

I have several things I thought I'd lost which have recently started growing again after months with no movement. It was lucky I didn't chuck them. A potted brugmansia has started shooting from ground level (the other two I have I think I can say are definitely dead). Two pots of agapanthas only started emerging a few weeks back (after I'd just about given up and bought some replacements) and an agave which was in the ground and turned to mush has thrown up a new shoot.

I put my citrus into dormancy over winter for the first time (in an unheated outhouse) and they came through fine - I'd probably have lost the lemon and kumquat if I'd left them outside although the yuzu (now producing its first ever fruit) should have been OK. I've since added a calamondin which will get the same dormancy treatment this winter.

A schefflera that I was worried I'd lost has also recovered well and is now growing strongly, with new leaves sprouting all the way up its trunk, which is good as previously it was getting a bit leggy.

My treefern which was looking very sorry for itself a few months ago also seems to be recovering well.
Blairs

Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

Post by Blairs »

I also saw -6 and the beast from the east saw a good 50cm of snow but not freezing temps. I lost almost all my red Cordylines, the top growth from several mature Cordylines, a Brahea, most of my Yucca and a Dasylrion. The ground was very wet which I contribute to the loss as other Cordylines locally survived and even others in my garden did fine. I filled a large council bin with debris.
Tom2006
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Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

Post by Tom2006 »

All my tender stuff was kept in my polyhouse so thankfully all survived.

I have noticed that my musa sikkimensis are really struggling though and they were in my polyhouse.

I lost a couple of basjoo which I risked not protecting but I wrapped everything else and all survived. We dropped to around -6C at the lowest but had two spells of weather with day and night at or below freezing, as many did which is why so many have lost plants.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
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tatter
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:37 pm
Location: smethwick west mids

Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

Post by tatter »

the two main ones that survived that I was half expecting to loose where Impatiens Tintoria but it came through with no cover and is growing strongly (but not liking the current heat) and Melianthus Major survived in full leaf until the beat took it almost to the ground but also growing well.I do have a Musa Bajoo that despite being fleeced and then a fleece bag over was cut to the ground but as since sprouted from the base/root. icon_cheers
Jim
I'm older than yesterday but younger than tomorrow
Blairs

Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

Post by Blairs »

@Tatter I fleeced and covered with a bag but for the ‘beast’ the winds were so strong it blew it all off. In fact for heavy snow fleece is bad as it weighs down plants which flattens them. Some neighbour must have wondered what had landed in their garden when the fleece bag blew into it. They seem to be mostly fake grass and decking types around here
Sparrow

Winter 2017/2018 Beast from the East survivors

Post by Sparrow »

The one surprise for me (especially after reading this forum!) was the little Phoenix canariensis_CIDP I'd planted last year. It seemed fine through the winter (with no protection), even continuing to grow a bit, until that storm end of Feb/early March. Lost the spear after that storm, so I thought it might be a goner. However, (happily) I hadn't yet read here how I shouldn't be able to grow them, so I left it in the ground. It seems to have really liked the recent heat (and no rain, probably) and there are now 3 leaves emerging, growing nearly an inch a day. :D

With at least 3 months left of a growing season, it will be interesting to see how much growth it can make before things cool off again. Also, now that I know, I can ensure the growing point is protected if we see anything below zero next winter.
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