Hardy Tropicals UK

I am storing two Roebellins in the garage having wrapped them in cloth then bubble wrap as an outer covering,the theory is,the cloth would absorb the moisture and the bubble wrap serve as insulator.The house is full up with plants so there is no alternative but to put them outside or the garage.I have trimmed the roots as there is a huge root mass but not much in the way of leaves.I have kept them for 20 years or more but they have never been a great success despite lots of feeding.Does anyone have any ideas on this.I'm resigned to the fact that they may not make it but they don't look much anyway.

I think they need as much light as possible also don't let dry out. I don't know what you're doing wrong with yours, I love mine.

I believe they needs lots of water and shouldn't dry out even in winter. They wont like sub zero temps either!

What have you done with them the last 19 winters then

I've kept them indoors in the winter but there is too much stuff in the conservatory now ,something has to be put somewhere else.anywhere but there.It is a very reluctand decision .

There's a nice sized robelenii here in Heilbronn still out and still in good condition after a week of snow and frost (lowest -10C). Next time I go shopping will try to take a pic of it. Seems like it may be hardier that they say

Unprotected at -10°C ? No way it'll survive that.

Cheers, Barrie.

We'll see this weekend. It's in a pot in front of a restaurant on a sidewalk. My butia I keep on a balcony was frozen stiff too but it's ok. I forgot to add, minimum temperature did not raise above 0C within that week.

countrylover wrote:There's a nice sized robelenii here in Heilbronn still out and still in good condition after a week of snow and frost (lowest -10C). Next time I go shopping will try to take a pic of it. Seems like it may be hardier that they say

It's plastic, or now dead. 0C is about the limit for short periods

Ok, so here are pics of the roebelenii I mentioned ( 2 of them actually). They ain't plastic cuz I touched them and after a closer look I could see the leaves got darker because of the frost. Sorry for poor quality of the pics-taken with me mobile. Could not take any better cuz this nation is so stupid and call the police if they spot any kind of different behavior. Did not want to be accused of stealing a palm or whatever

I wonder if the palms are brought in by the restaurant every night along with the menu boards etc? That would explain how they are surviving such cold temperatures..

They ain't. I know cos I and my mate pass them by going to our "kebaphaus" at different hours even after midnight. Last time we saw them they had snow caps. There's also a big Agave americana looking pretty flat. And I don't think the staff fancy bringing those heavy pots in and out every day

Well in that case I'm stumped as to how they have survived -10 without carking it straght away. I wish they were all that hardy

countrylover wrote:Ok, so here are pics of the roebelenii I mentioned ( 2 of them actually). They ain't plastic cuz I touched them and after a closer look I could see the leaves got darker because of the frost. Sorry for poor quality of the pics-taken with me mobile. Could not take any better cuz this nation is so stupid and call the police if they spot any kind of different behavior. Did not want to be accused of stealing a palm or whatever

I'm surprised the KGB/NKVD are still around in Poland

3 years ago there was one near me about the same size as yours and while it looked alive,it was dead but wouldn't lay down.When spring came it was seen to be stone dead.Our temp was only about -3 almost nothing by your standards

So we gotta wait till spring. But will tell you they were in the same place last winter too, brought in when temps went below -10C fo many days.

I'm surprised the KGB/NKVD are still around in Poland

I'm still in the Resistance