Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Trachycarpus

Brian

Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Trachycarpus

Post by Brian »

Hi everyone its been quite a while since i last posted so i thought i would update you all on my garden and what i have done to protect things, my garden is looking pretty bare now most things have been dug up or has died back for winter, i have wrapped a child's climbing frame in bubble wrap and then wrapped it in pallet wrap (heavy duty cling film) i have placed that over my Butia E, i blatantly nicked that idea of someone on this site i cant remember who it was but to who ever it was i thank you for that idea, i also wrapped an old mini greenhouse frame in pallet wrap and sat over my T-rex trunk as for my big Cycas revoluta i have built a frame around it and clad it with polycarb greenhouse sheets to keep it dry and to keep the frost of all of my bananas have been dug up and stored dry in my indoor shed i have also dug up my Dicksonia antarctica's and put them into my greenhouse along with all my palm seedlings i am heating the greenhouse by using a waterbut with a fish tank heater in it set to 20c this so far has keep the green house above 0c even when we had -6c the greenhouse only went down to 0.5c.
I also picked up a bargain Trachycarpus a couple of weeks ago i found it on ebay for £135 but it didn't sell so i emailed the seller and offered £90 and she accepted it was only 6 miles away from me it has 4 foot of trunk but the top few inches and the crown looks a bit stunted from when it was dug up and put in the pot before i bought it but i am sure it will make a full recovery onve it gets back in the ground and gets so good roots out
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jezza

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by jezza »

Think i'll patent my climbing frame design :lol: :wink:

1st winter with it so it remains to be seen if it does the trick.
Brian

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by Brian »

Well i thank you Jezza, I thought that was a brilliant idea so simple to do and so affective icon_salut
jezza

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by jezza »

I just made use of what i had lying around. I also have an 8 foot trampoline frame at my disposal, now what could i plant that would make use of it icon_scratch
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Arlon Tishmarsh
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Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by Arlon Tishmarsh »

How about an agave bed or such. In the winter you could pop the frame over the whole thing and cover with clear poly.
jezza

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by jezza »

Arlon Tishmarsh wrote:How about an agave bed or such. In the winter you could pop the frame over the whole thing and cover with clear poly.
Hmmmm icon_scratch
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redsquirrel
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Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by redsquirrel »

wrap it with a big thick sheet.turn it upside down and heyho,a big pool icon_thumright
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
Simba

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by Simba »

RS, have you have been reading Viz again.... :wink:
Nigel Fear

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by Nigel Fear »

Great protection ideas Brian, that should do the trick.
Simba wrote:RS, have you have been reading Viz again.... :wink:
:lol: Is that still going?

The only thing about covering your Agave patch,[as Arlon suggested] is what would happen if someone starts bouncing on it? :ahhh!:
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Arlon Tishmarsh
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Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by Arlon Tishmarsh »

I assumed it was a frame only with no bouncy bouncy bit attached. Could make a nice succulent bed and just put the frame over in the colder months with a clear poly sheet.

What do i know icon_scratch :lol:
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redsquirrel
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Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by redsquirrel »

even if it still had the bouncy bit,put it over the agaves.kids learn easier if taught young.they will soon know not to play near the plants :lol:
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
Nigel Fear

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by Nigel Fear »

Arlon Tishmarsh wrote:I assumed it was a frame only with no bouncy bouncy bit attached. Could make a nice succulent bed and just put the frame over in the colder months with a clear poly sheet.

What do i know icon_scratch :lol:
:lol: You were right Arlon, it's just the frame, not the 'bouncy bit', but it would be even worse for boucing on with a poly sheet. :lol:
jezza

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by jezza »

Hmmm, Would make interesting comedy moment :lol:
Nigel Fear

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by Nigel Fear »

Brian do you find a lot of condensation on the inside of those covers or does enough airflow get through to prevent that from happening?

I've had succulents damaged by condensation dripping onto them in the past,though they are more susceptible to wet rot than palms or cycads etc. but found a slight airflow cured that problem.
jezza

Re: Winter protection, Greenhouse heating idea & bargain Tra

Post by jezza »

Nigel Fear wrote:Brian do you find a lot of condensation on the inside of those covers or does enough airflow get through to prevent that from happening?
For me the two inch gap i left all around the base is enough to stop it.
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