Winter protection

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This area is for Reference and discussion of plant hardiness, overwintering methods and tips, and planr protection.
Melissa

Winter protection

Post by Melissa »

We have been busy building covers for some our larger Agaves, just finished in time before the first frost.

The A franzosinii, geting it's cover
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Cacti all done
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A little shanty town covering some of the smaller cacti and succulents on the bank
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Melissa
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Dave Brown
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Re: Winter protection

Post by Dave Brown »

That is a good post Melissa. I have gone a slightly different route as many of my Cacti and succulents are not hardy even under a shelter. I dig them up for winter. I may have to go your route as digging them out in October showed the root systems were huge just in one summer in the ground.

What type is the big Agave you are protecting :?:
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Dave
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Davey

Re: Winter protection

Post by Davey »

Hi Melissa and Dave, I noted that Melissa mention covering a A. franzosini. On the following website it mentions the quote shown below.
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/ ... osini.html

"There is no records of the Agave franzosini in the wild. It might be a form of Agave americana or an hybrid involving Agave americana". If it is a form of americana it should fair well during most cold winters in the UK, that's assuming the quote on the website is credibly. It mentions that they can get as big as 4.5m in diameter. How many years have you been growing your specimen? Anyway looks like it's more han happy in the shelter you have created! 8)
Melissa

Re: Winter protection

Post by Melissa »

Dave, Agave franzosinii is the one in the pic. But we have got a few other big Agaves under shelters.

Americana variegata
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A ferox
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A weberi
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Davey, the franzosinii has been planted out for about 4-5 years. As you say they can get very large.
My book says,'they have been around for more than 100 years, particulary in European gardens but no record exists of them in habitat. No one seems to be sure if they are a type of Americana or a hybrid of some sort'.

They are great looking plants whatever they are, a wonderful glaucous pale grey- blue colour.

Melissa
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Adam D
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Re: Winter protection

Post by Adam D »

Great stuff Melissa!

Gives everyone a benchmark to strive towards.

I do not have anything up here that requires such a shelter. I really would like to grow things that do, but if we get a good old winter storm it would just rip any structure apart :(
Melissa

Re: Winter protection

Post by Melissa »

Thanks Adam, wouldn't it even be worth you giving it a try?

Melissa
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Adam D
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Re: Winter protection

Post by Adam D »

I hear what you are saying Melissa, but, to be honest, my soil is good old West Lothian clay and free-draining plants would not survive in it :(

Even with a persplex over the top of them.

However, I do have a lovely Yucca Linearis that has been in the ground for about 3 years now and it does seem to be doing very well.

All is not lost though, as I can look on this forum and see lovely pictures of yours (and others) :)
Dave in Warrington

Re: Winter protection

Post by Dave in Warrington »

Great work Melissa icon_salut
Melissa

Re: Winter protection

Post by Melissa »

Dave in Warrington wrote:Great work Melissa icon_salut
Thanks Dave icon_thumright

Adam, do you grow any other Yucca's, if you can grow Linearis there will be quite a few others that should do well for you to.

Melissa
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Re: Winter protection

Post by redsquirrel »

followed your advice today melissa icon_thumleft whole roll of fleece on the australis. looks a bit dumb but rather that than a dead stump next year. icon_thumright
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Re: Winter protection

Post by Dave Brown »

Melissa, The overhanging protection of the Agave, inspired me to think outside the box. icon_thumright

I was not happy at the damage my Washingtonia got during last winter, so started to think of ways to produce a rain/radiation frost shelter for a 10 foot palm.

This was what I came up with...... just hope it withstands the winter gales

SEE HERE
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Dave
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Andrew in Holland

Re: Winter protection

Post by Andrew in Holland »

Milissa, that's great, and looks acceptable too. I've never grown warm to the fleece draped over everything for so many months, as it looks like the emergency room at the hospital. But I do it anyway. One big disadvantage to keeping so much chicken wire, fleece, bubble wrap is the room it takes to store it over the other 3 seasons. How does your system work. Do you screw the whole thing together every winter, and then take it apart, or do you have some sort of 'remove this screw and it all collapses in a nice tight bundle!' type arrangement?
Melissa

Re: Winter protection

Post by Melissa »

Andrew in Holland wrote:Milissa, that's great, and looks acceptable too. I've never grown warm to the fleece draped over everything for so many months, as it looks like the emergency room at the hospital. But I do it anyway. One big disadvantage to keeping so much chicken wire, fleece, bubble wrap is the room it takes to store it over the other 3 seasons. How does your system work. Do you screw the whole thing together every winter, and then take it apart, or do you have some sort of 'remove this screw and it all collapses in a nice tight bundle!' type arrangement?
Andrew, I'd like to say we were very organized and all 'collapsed into a tight bundle' but I'm afraid not.

We try and make them so that, they kind of flat pack. The top and sides are all separate sections, so we can just, screw or unscrew the sections together.But there are normally adjustments that have to be made each year so it's then not so simple.

I know what you mean about the storage, it does take up alot of space. But I always think it's worth the effort to get the plants through with minimal damage.

Melissa
Dave in Warrington

Re: Winter protection

Post by Dave in Warrington »

My cover over a small CDIP turned out to be an epic to set up but is great for storage.

I needed to keep the snow, sleet or rain off the CDIP growing point and simply to suspend a sheet of glass over it ... easier said than done. :?

The structure of a 'green house' roof has been used to hold it. The ridge is screwed to the shed and the 'eaves' section is fixed to two posts. It has been worth the effort since the photo does show the snow on it, well you wouldn't see much if it was just clear glass icon_salut

I can leave the two posts in and the ridge on the shed, then next winter suspend 2x2 sheets of glass anywhere in that area of the garden. There is no reason why I can't lift it up too as the palm grows... if it survives this winter.

Oh, the polythene to the bottom right is another structure... Musa cover. Now that's someting else :roll:
2009-12-20 cdip cover.JPG
Melissa

Re: Winter protection

Post by Melissa »

Well done DaveW, that should help the Phoenix canariensis_CIDP along nicely. Handy use of a bit of GH.

Melissa
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