Can Palm Growing Give you Microclimate Envy?

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Yes! Last winter was my first winter here. I probably had frost 10-20 times, with the last frost in MARCH!. It was one of the warmest winters in a while in this part of the country. In 5-10 minutes I can WALK to a Mango tree! It was frost free there.... Grrr. I call my microclimate a sandy desert (we're also dry!) frost hole! Am I bitter? Heck Yea!!!

Edit.

Am I bitter? ABSOFREAKIN'LUTELY!!!!!

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Yes! Last winter was my first winter here. I probably had frost 10-20 times, with the last frost in MARCH!. It was one of the warmest winters in a while in this part of the country. In 5-10 minutes I can WALK to a Mango tree! It was frost free there.... Grrr. I call my microclimate a sandy desert (we're also dry!) frost hole! Am I bitter? Heck Yea!!!

Edit.

Am I bitter? ABSOFREAKIN'LUTELY!!!!!

Ha ha, that's what I'm talking about, you understand! I watched that Reston station all week, a solid 10F above what I have. But I really have no right to complain, I live in a little piece of paradise here, gratitude for what I've been blessed with is in order and that is the ultimate cure. I guess I just need to focus on sweater palms given that I live 3 miles from a beautiful but frigid ocean. I should probably plant more sweater palms and remove the palms that require a lot of heat if they're going to cause microclimate envy. The good news is all the sweater palms are fabulous looking! But no mangoes here, on Reston Rd, definitely, but here, nope.

[Jim in Los Altos]

It's Weston Rd. in Scotts Valley for anyone who wants to look it up and the winter microclimate up there is one of the mildest you'll find in Northern CA.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Yes! Last winter was my first winter here. I probably had frost 10-20 times, with the last frost in MARCH!. It was one of the warmest winters in a while in this part of the country. In 5-10 minutes I can WALK to a Mango tree! It was frost free there.... Grrr. I call my microclimate a sandy desert (we're also dry!) frost hole! Am I bitter? Heck Yea!!!

Edit.

Am I bitter? ABSOFREAKIN'LUTELY!!!!!

Ha ha, that's what I'm talking about, you understand! I watched that Reston station all week, a solid 10F above what I have. But I really have no right to complain, I live in a little piece of paradise here, gratitude for what I've been blessed with is in order and that is the ultimate cure. I guess I just need to focus on sweater palms given that I live 3 miles from a beautiful but frigid ocean. I should probably plant more sweater palms and remove the palms that require a lot of heat if they're going to cause microclimate envy. The good news is all the sweater palms are fabulous looking! But no mangoes here, on Reston Rd, definitely, but here, nope.

I hear ya, Axel. I grew up in a place that fell to -10f in the winter. I do have tons of space, and can grow dozens, if not hundreds of palm, cycad and bamboo species. It's not that bad, and I can see nice roystoneas every day of the week. So I will quit whining now.

[Jastin]

The closer you get to the coast the less space you have ( but better climate ).

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

The closer you get to the coast the less space you have ( but better climate ).

You just need to buy 4 houses and bulldoze three of them. I know a Norcal Palm Society member that bought the neighbor's half acre and bulldozed the house to plant palms. If I had the money I'd buy out all three of my neighbors, and that's for more reasons than just planting more palms.

[stygiana]

I know too well what micro-climate envy is. I live in the uplands, with cooler air year-round (except between june and september where it's warmer in altitude) compared to the coast.

I work regularly in Tazacorte, at nearly sea level where they can grow much more things down there compared to up here.

I tried and tried and tried... And failed, and failed and failed.

Nights are already getting cooler here while minimum temps are still the same in Tazacorte compared to August (this is typical / usual).

I was at the port yesterday night and they enjoyed 22°C (72°F) at midnight... Revolting...

Now rather than having a whole collection of ugly looking, languishing species, I just stopped and finally feel blessed to have a climate which is not too bad.

And I enjoy my garden much more than before, as the plants I plant always look perfect now.

I don't mean I completely stopped acclimatization, which is always a useful and interesting subject. It's just that it's not as much leaded by "microclimate envy" as it was in the past.

[Moose]

On 10/24/2013, 11:47:42, Jastin said:

The closer you get to the coast the less space you have ( but better climate ).

True on this coast also. My established garden has a radiant heat trapping canopy that acts as a microclimate. I can't recall ever getting frost.