If you're cold, they're cold, bring them inside...

[Funkthulhu]

Lots of rain last week, saw there was a potential for frost this week, so I spent Sunday afternoon bringing them in.  Washed pots and saucers, drained them all from being waterlogged all week, and topped up on soil for a couple.  Every year I tell myself there is no more room, and every year I end up with a couple more pots... 

Library (only west-facing window)

 

Bedroom (north facing) 

Living room (north facing) 

 

Was quite blustery last night, had some brief sleet and more rain, so I guess I made the right choice.  Just looked at the weather again and we have a full on Freeze Warning tonight!  (Guess I better go over to my friend's house and dig up my Musa basjoo while I still can...)

Edited October 10, 2017 by Funkthulhu

[PalmatierMeg]

Always room for more palms, esp. in winter (Oct. 10 ?!). Stay warm and keep the humidifier running.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Sleet and snow in October doesn't sound good...  Some friends in Colorado received 3" of snow about 70 miles east of the mountains last night.

[cm05]

I always dread having to bring everything (well, almost everything) indoors, I don’t even want to think about it. Although I must admit, it’s nice to be surrounded by the warm tropics indoors when it’s cold outside.

Luckily for me it’s still warm, almost summer-like, here. But it won’t last forever, unfortunately.

[Funkthulhu]

19 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Always room for more palms, esp. in winter (Oct. 10 ?!). Stay warm and keep the humidifier running.

Well, technically it's autumn, but nothing I grow can be outside here from about mid-Oct to at least late March to Mid-April...

[Kai]

20 hours ago, Funkthulhu said:

Lots of rain last week, saw there was a potential for frost this week, so I spent Sunday afternoon bringing them in.  Washed pots and saucers, drained them all from being waterlogged all week, and topped up on soil for a couple.  Every year I tell myself there is no more room, and every year I end up with a couple more pots... 

Library (only west-facing window)

 

Bedroom (north facing) 

Living room (north facing) 

 

Was quite blustery last night, had some brief sleet and more rain, so I guess I made the right choice.  Just looked at the weather again and we have a full on Freeze Warning tonight!  (Guess I better go over to my friend's house and dig up my Musa basjoo while I still can...)

This is what my house looks like in wintertime! I'm not really sure about your climate but in Amsterdam I've never dug up my Musa basjoos... These things are tough, just cut off all leafs and protect the stems from freezing. As soon as spring comes they will just explode with new foliage again.

[Funkthulhu]

1 hour ago, Kai said:

This is what my house looks like in wintertime! I'm not really sure about your climate but in Amsterdam I've never dug up my Musa basjoos... These things are tough, just cut off all leafs and protect the stems from freezing. As soon as spring comes they will just explode with new foliage again.

Hasn't happened lately, but we do get temps down into the negative 10-20 C, windchill as low as -40C. The ground is as hard a concrete down to the frost line, which can be up to a meter down or more depending on year and location.  It can be done, but I don't feel like building a compost pile over the culms... 

[Kai]

33 minutes ago, Funkthulhu said:

Hasn't happened lately, but we do get temps down into the negative 10-20 C, windchill as low as -40C. The ground is as hard a concrete down to the frost line, which can be up to a meter down or more depending on year and location.  It can be done, but I don't feel like building a compost pile over the culms... 

Ouch! Ok I understand, that's very cold.

[Funkthulhu]

According to today's 10-day forecast, we'll have highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's again next week.  I've often had stuff outside off and on until mid November.  But when I saw the freeze warning on the radar I just decided to do it once and not do the in-and-out of years past.  It won't get consistently dead-palm cold until December, and we won't get the ridic temps until Jan-Feb, but it's easier to just do it once instead of constantly watching the weather to see if you need to act before the sun goes down.

Edited October 12, 2017 by Funkthulhu

[Missi]

Oh man, I always love your photos! Well done! 

[sashaeffer]

On 10/10/2017, 2:59:46, Funkthulhu said:

Lots of rain last week, saw there was a potential for frost this week, so I spent Sunday afternoon bringing them in.  Washed pots and saucers, drained them all from being waterlogged all week, and topped up on soil for a couple.  Every year I tell myself there is no more room, and every year I end up with a couple more pots... 

Library (only west-facing window)

 

Bedroom (north facing) 

Living room (north facing) 

 

Was quite blustery last night, had some brief sleet and more rain, so I guess I made the right choice.  Just looked at the weather again and we have a full on Freeze Warning tonight!  (Guess I better go over to my friend's house and dig up my Musa basjoo while I still can...)

Still holding off here in Omaha, although I have condensed a lot of the smaller more tender ones outside. Going to milk this nice fall weather as long as I can.

[DoomsDave]

On 10/10/2017, 12:59:46, Funkthulhu said:

Lots of rain last week, saw there was a potential for frost this week, so I spent Sunday afternoon bringing them in.  Washed pots and saucers, drained them all from being waterlogged all week, and topped up on soil for a couple.  Every year I tell myself there is no more room, and every year I end up with a couple more pots... 

Library (only west-facing window)

 

Bedroom (north facing) 

Living room (north facing) 

 

Was quite blustery last night, had some brief sleet and more rain, so I guess I made the right choice.  Just looked at the weather again and we have a full on Freeze Warning tonight!  (Guess I better go over to my friend's house and dig up my Musa basjoo while I still can...)

WHOA

YOU

ARE

NUTTY

That's an accolade! Who needs those "adorable" pain in the ass coitans' over your windows when you have palms!

[Hammer]

Have you been up to Scott's place in Blair?  Check it out.  He's got some hardy stuff in the ground too.  Protected of course.

Maybe you guys could go in on a greenhouse together.   Put it halfway between you...perhaps Wahoo?  

[cm05]

Looks like it’s my turn....it’s supposed to drop into the mid/upper 20’s Friday night.

Our lowest temperature so far has been 42 degrees, which just happened today/overnight. 20’s are going to be a shock, I wasn’t expecting a freeze so soon, this is earlier than normal which is late November.

I haven’t started the potted plant migration yet, nor have I started the in-ground plant migration.

[Funkthulhu]

I have a couple Red/Blue LED rigs in my cart, waiting for a paycheck to make some of these guys a little more happy over the winter months.  Also, annoy my window-facing neighbors...

[GTClover]

Hi All, I haven't posted for quite a while, but this topic got me going & I hoping this will change.  Moving my palms into the house here in VT is always a big deal!  The last to come in is my R. hystrix.

[Palmsbro]

On 11/19/2017, 9:19:39, GTClover said:

Hi All, I haven't posted for quite a while, but this topic got me going & I hoping this will change.  Moving my palms into the house here in VT is always a big deal!  The last to come in is my R. hystrix.

Nice Rhapidophylum hystrix.

On 10/11/2017, 2:47:45, Funkthulhu said:

Hasn't happened lately, but we do get temps down into the negative 10-20 C, windchill as low as -40C. The ground is as hard a concrete down to the frost line, which can be up to a meter down or more depending on year and location.  It can be done, but I don't feel like building a compost pile over the culms... 

I have never seen wind chill temperatures that low even when I lived in Michigan. The lowest temperature I had ever seen in Michigan was -22 C without wind chill, though the wind was low speed.

Your weather is extreme, though the USDA hardiness zone maps suggest that Northern MN and AK are far colder than MI or NE.

[Funkthulhu]

When I was working out of doors our safety officer would call off work if the windchill was negative 40.  This happened several times.  Not every year, but often more than once in any given year.  The wind is a bastard...

[Funkthulhu]

It's that time of Year again....

 

 

I think I should just buy a house...

Edited October 19, 2018 by Funkthulhu

[PalmatierMeg]

A house with large insulated windows, perhaps a conservatory. Then you can get more palms.

[GottmitAlex]

7 hours ago, Funkthulhu said:

It's that time of Year again....

 

 

I think I should just buy a house...

It's a tough one. This morning listening to the news over the airwaves, I heard Nebraska's new slogan.. from "Nebraska, nice" to "Honestly, it's not for everyone".  I would add: "palms included."  You're doing a splendid job though. 

[GottmitAlex]

1 hour ago, PalmatierMeg said:

A house with large insulated windows, perhaps a conservatory. Then you can get more palms.

Possibly an underground greenhaus

[Missi]

On 10/19/2018, 12:30:59, Funkthulhu said:

It's that time of Year again....

I think I should just buy a house...

 What do you do if you get a mite or mealybug outbreak in winter?!

[Funkthulhu]

18 minutes ago, Missi said:

 What do you do if you get a mite or mealybug outbreak in winter?!

Mostly just hope I don't?  I can spray neem oil or similar if I lock the cats in another room until it dries.

[realarch]

On 10/19/2018, 6:30:59, Funkthulhu said:

It's that time of Year again....

 

 

I think I should just buy a house...

Erick,the first photo looks like a painting!

I think you need to buy a second home in Hilo!

Tim

[Funkthulhu]

It gets ridiculous in here in Winter. If I could have the same cost of living in Hilo I'd be on a plane tomorrow...

[piping plovers]

A beautiful collection of houseplants.  On cold winter days it must be a lush refuge to come home to.

[Funkthulhu]

14 hours ago, piping plovers said:

A beautiful collection of houseplants.  On cold winter days it must be a lush refuge to come home to.

Absolutely.  Couple of tiny Jungle Cats and a nice Mai Tai don't hurt either!

[Funkthulhu]

So. . . I had to add 7 med-large pots last night.  I and a few more yet to come.  My work allows me to have plants at my "desk", which turned into 11 pots in my cube.  That includes your "normal" pothos and some sub-tropicals, but also 6 species of Palm (Including a 5 foot tall Veitchia and a 5 foot wide Cat palm).  Long story short, we might be moving offices to "temporary" space while our new building is built.  Was told my plants would probably not be allowed in the temp space, and our winter is already starting to get spun up.  Next week looks bleak and yesterday's high was in the 50s, so I took the opportunity to move my smaller forest to my bigger forest.  

I now can't walk through one room and can't hardly see out the windows in two others...  

This is actually too much plant.  I'm glad I finally saw what it looked like.  I now know what my limits are. . . I think I'll have to decide which ones are worth the effort and cull some of this container ranch come spring.

[Laaz]

Well then...

 

[Funkthulhu]

Time to revisit this thread! 

I think I'm out of room on the East windows....

[Philly J]

Hello from zone 3b 

[BeyondTheGarden]

Cool.  What kind of Caryota is that? 

[Paradise Found]

On 10/19/2018 at 9:30 AM, Funkthulhu said:

It's that time of Year again....

How do you keep your Aloes from growing in winter with out lights? Mine are under lights to keep them from getting leggy. 

I like your setup, can't live in Hawaii, bring Hawaii to your home. lol. I have a few zone 9/10 plants that I bring inside too for the winter. 

[PalmatierMeg]

On 10/24/2021 at 10:59 AM, Philly J said:

Hello from zone 3b 

Love your indoor jungle! The vaulted ceiling really helps. I could survive winter in that environment.

[Funkthulhu]

17 hours ago, Paradise Found said:

How do you keep your Aloes from growing in winter with out lights? Mine are under lights to keep them from getting leggy. 

I like your setup, can't live in Hawaii, bring Hawaii to your home. lol. I have a few zone 9/10 plants that I bring inside too for the winter. 

Well, this is my apartment from over 2 years ago.  Now all my stuff is piled up in East Windows (the most recent pictures).  I've also stopped trying to dig out the pups, just letting it go nuts until it's so top-heavy it falls over and then I'll give it a bigger pot.  I have noticed my aloe and pretty much everything else gets a lot less leggy now with winter sun than it did with all the lights and growlights I used to put on them in my old apartment.

[Paradise Found]

4 minutes ago, Funkthulhu said:

Well, this is my apartment from over 2 years ago.  Now all my stuff is piled up in East Windows (the most recent pictures).  I've also stopped trying to dig out the pups, just letting it go nuts until it's so top-heavy it falls over and then I'll give it a bigger pot.  I have noticed my aloe and pretty much everything else gets a lot less leggy now with winter sun than it did with all the lights and growlights I used to put on them in my old apartment.

Sounds like you have a good setup. I just got some new lights for my bromeliads and they are keeping their colours better now.  Thanks for answering back. 

[Philly J]

On 10/25/2021 at 10:06 AM, PalmatierMeg said:

Love your indoor jungle! The vaulted ceiling really helps. I could survive winter in that environment.

Even though there is a south facing window, the more mature Wodyetia and Adonidia (and out of frame same size H.Lagenicaulis) this year are finally telling me it’s not enough light for all their additional photosynthesis surfaces.  Past years they would just slow down, but this year I am getting soft necrotic rot on the leaflets of all 3 palms, and am thinking it’s due to the lower lighting.  Some grow lights on stands and changing the 9 bulb chandelier above to all full spectrum “daylight” bulbs will hopefully help them, but as of now all three are in decline unless I do something.  The containers are also very large and the mix is not 85 degrees like it was outside, so maybe the colder moist medium not drying out as fast and staying cold is killing the roots?  They are all in coir and pine bark so drainage is plentiful and I absolutely slow down the watering in winter,  but still worried….

[PalmatierMeg]

How warm do you keep your house? What is the humidity? Northern houses are invariably too cold, too dark and too dry for tropical palms. To save on heating costs, people keep their homes at 20C or below during the days and colder at night. When I lived in NO VA we kept the heat set at 65-68F during the day. Nights in our upstairs bedroom fell to the mid-50s at night because of inadequate ductwork. My husband ended up installing dryer duct and a bathroom fan from the family room through the attic to our bedroom to blow heat up from the fireplace downstairs.

My point is that tropical palms want daytime temps above 25-30C, nights above 15-20C, high humidity and lots of light. You can dress in heavy sweaters in the house but that fix won't work for tropical palms. People seem to grasp the concept of cold sensitivity but the idea of chill sensitivity baffles them. Tropical plants can die from cool temps, I,.e. lack of heat. Maybe not as quickly as with an all-out freeze but just as surely.

[oasis371]

I don't know about all "northern homes", but in Zone 7a/NJ, we keep our home between at about 70-74 by day and around 68- 70 F. by night (I don't do Celsius, especially with temps.)   In fact, most of my really tropical palms are in the basement where it is much warmer and more humid as that is where the boiler is, so maybe 76-78 F by day midwinter and 74 f by night,  In fact, I love taking my morning showers down there because it's so warm. I hate wearing sweaters or most any heavy clothes in the house, and run around in shorts most of the year, including midwinter, so guess the coconut palms and mango are okay with that too. We have steam heat and that is not nearly as dry as forced, hot air heating. I used to have that kind of heating..., it's awful!  I have lots of plants, including many palms, and that adds to winter humidity. We also face due south and get tons of winter sun, when it's cloudy, it definitely makes a difference, but we like it warm so kick up the thermostat. 

My subtropical and other cold tolerate palms overwinter in the detached garage.  I have a remote thermometer posted there and get daily, remote, weather reports. 

Seems to work, they've been living and thriving for decades.