Is my palm doing well it’s first winter?

[ChicagoPalma]

It looks like my palm tree has a Borax deficiency but I don’t really know. One of the open spears pushing  that is brown at the base and petiole didn’t pull out, so no spear pull, and the temperature in the box is usually from 34 to 48 Fahrenheit in there. 

[Las Palmas Norte]

Struggling hard, but the true extent of damage isn't usually fully realized until well into spring.

[Chester B]

That's from cold stress.  If it makes it through it will likely have a frond or two that has some cosmetic damage, but after that they'll probably be nice and green.

[MarcusH]

I think you've done everything you could to keep it alive. It definitely doesn't like the winter over there but from my observation it looks OK. Wait a few more weeks , pull the spear and go from there.  In spring you will see if it makes it through the winter.  How cold did it get and what's your CHZ ? 

Edited February 14, 2023 by MarcusH

[ChicagoPalma]

We have had days in the single digit negative temperature and the palm may have had temps in the 20 f. Also we got temps in the 50s over the weekend so that’s why.

[ChicagoPalma]

The palm tree box sits in the box temps of 30 degrees in it.

[ChicagoPalma]

We are in zone 6a/5b

[Allen]

Looks like the dark spots on the trunk might be where you had the lights on it and burned it?  Did you have lights touching the area circled?  Either way the spear area got either too cold or too hot. The spear and fried fronds may pull eventually.  You will need to treat with copper fungicide

Edited February 15, 2023 by Allen

[ChicagoPalma]

It does look that way, I’ll send a picture this night or the next morning to see if it really is burned.

[ChicagoPalma]

The second photo I didn’t put a light bulb near for better lighting. 

[ChicagoPalma]

The lights I put on for a minute for lighting.

[ChicagoPalma]

We have right now a windy night with rain staying on the high forty’s. So I let the palm sit out during the night to soak in all that water while the ground is still thawed before the next freeze.

[Allen]

17 minutes ago, ChicagoPalma said:

 

Did you have the C9 lights touching those spots on the trunk when you had it protected?  If so that is the problem

Edited February 15, 2023 by Allen

[ChicagoPalma]

Yes, lets continue the conversation tomorrow.

[ChicagoPalma]

If you can, please recommend what lights I should use next year.

[Allen]

7 minutes ago, ChicagoPalma said:

Yes, lets continue the conversation tomorrow.

Everyone on here makes mistakes so don't feel bad.  This is like the 6th time this year I've seen this.  Next year do a foamboard box and you can use the same lights on a thermocube hanging in the box but not touching the palm but you only need about 10 bulbs going if you have a fully insulated box.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Allen

[ChicagoPalma]

What I did was I got a plastic wrapped box, I put burlap over the palm tree, then I wrapped it in many c9 lights. It worked very well until I put the lights on first then the burlap, which caused all these problems I think.

[ChicagoPalma]

We used a thermocube, so it only turned on during really cold days such as when it drops below 30 during the night, and during the day when it drops below 20 farenheit (because the sunlight hitting the box creates warmer temps in the box during the day if above 20 f) So it's warmer in the box then outside most of the time. The box was insulated, so no air blew in there or anything. But could I ask since Im hoping to plant a mule palm and mexican fan palm in the frontyard, how does it do during the winter.

Edited February 15, 2023 by ChicagoPalma

[ChicagoPalma]

I think I may have fried the whole palm I had 40 lights in there. Most were on the ground heating the soil, but the rest were wrapped around the palm tree, touching it. That's why I think some fronds look sort of look not the best. I'm sort of saying it in a joking manner but I did have 40 lights. 

[SeanK]

Years back I had a 120V cable with thermostatic control. You can use something like this. Do a search.

Amazon -- > Frost King self regulating thermostat.

[ChicagoPalma]

Thanks, ill use that for the newer palms we are getting this year, and for the palm we already have!

[MarcusH]

4 hours ago, ChicagoPalma said:

We used a thermocube, so it only turned on during really cold days such as when it drops below 30 during the night, and during the day when it drops below 20 farenheit (because the sunlight hitting the box creates warmer temps in the box during the day if above 20 f) So it's warmer in the box then outside most of the time. The box was insulated, so no air blew in there or anything. But could I ask since Im hoping to plant a mule palm and mexican fan palm in the frontyard, how does it do during the winter.

If you want information about how to winterize a Mexican fan palm look up James Palms on YouTube.  He's obsessed with Mexican fan palms but his knowledge is incredible he also lives in Ontario Canada and like Allen said before we all made/make mistakes.  I started this hobby about a year ago and I've learned a lot thanks to all of the great people in this forum and I still ask questions.  It's not just putting a palm in the ground and that's it.  For zone pushers like us you will keep an eye on weather a lot more.  One more thing what I've learned PLEASE sanitize your pruning tools each time you use it just to prevent the palm from pest/fungus contamination. Even experienced members in this forum ended up killing their favorite palm tree. 

[ChicagoPalma]

I 

[ChicagoPalma]

Doesn’t look much better but a tad bit more greener.

[ChicagoPalma]

[ChicagoPalma]

It’s struggling

[ChicagoPalma]

 But I think in general it is surviving.

[ChicagoPalma]

Ok I’m going to do what I originally did not to kill it

[ChicagoPalma]

This should do the trick