Washingtonias

[Nathan]

Mine has also grown at quite a fast rate. It was bought as a small "pot plant" from a local florists in 2002, no more than around 18 inches tall. It now has a trunk over 5ft tall & around 2ft across at the base. It has never been protected, but it is growing close to a south facing wall, so gets plenty of radiated heat...

[keith nugent]

Dave would you be able to build up a few more bricks behind your washey,or a sheet of clear plastic,to keep it safe for a few more years its a great palm.

[eddie]

Here are mine. They made it through this snow and ice winter pretty well I think.
Leaves are damaged of course

I've cut most of the dead leaves, I thought it would be better no to stress them to much by cutting al the ugly damaged leaves.

In pic3 is a smaller one that experienced it's first winter outside.

@nathan can you post a pic of yours?

[Dave in Warrington]

Washingtonia has been hardening off in the 'hot spot' on the patio.

I certainly don't want any frost now because the pots too heavy to moving in every night

[Dave Brown]

Just have a piece of fleece ready to throw over it, Dave.

My washingtonia is starting to speed up now. I've been marking off weekly as in the pic on the previous page. In the 5 days since it was last marked it seems to have grown double of previous weeks. The temperatures have not been higher apart from Thursday Friday due to the ferocious NE wind it is now exposed to. The soil temp has risen slighly, but the main reason would seem to be the levels of warm sunshine. This is not the whole story as it grows well into the autumn and winter when mild. I am noting down the conditions and growth rate.

Air Temp
Soil Temp
Sun Altitude
Growth

It will be more difficult when it speeds up

[Dave in Warrington]

I've a thermal lined curtain to hand which is draped over the top from the water butt on the LHS of the photo

[derrick]

Im not exspected to much from my little Washy spear looks brown wont pull out but there is some green inside spear that want there before .I split a double last year and there staying in pots .

[sam140]

Dug out the washingtonia Robusta day. Looked dead, but when I dug it up, the roots looked healthy and on closer inspection still had a 1ft of firm trunk left, so I sawed it to that level and potted it up in the polytunnel. Hopefully it will make a comeback

[derrick]

The two tiny washys i split are growing I passed a double washy the other day in Lulworth wareham near the sea it was protected by walls looked alive .

[alext22]

My washie is completely brown, cant find any green on it. The spear although brown doesnt pull but doesnt appear to be growing. I will leave it in all summer and if no luck by the end of the summer will dig it up then