Spring Progress

[GregVirginia7]

After a relatively mild winter but night temperatures consistently below freezing, the palms did well. We only had a couple nights in the teens with next days below freezing but otherwise, very stable temps.

The Trachy, Brazoria and Needle, unprotected except for some lights barely used, are pushing a lot of new growth. I fed all with PalmGain about a month ago.

The Trachy is still recovering from that winter hit a year ago…a lot of frond damage but with this milder winter, I think it’s almost recovered all the fronds it lost. It has more flower spathes than ever…maybe 12 or so…the Brazoria is a little on the yellow side but it’s a much lighter blue green than the Trachy and Needle so maybe the comparisons make it look a bit off.

The protected Medi completely recovered from the winter a year ago but even with lights and complete cover a few segments did suffer but no whole fronds and really not even worth mentioning…

The smaller trunks are the most aggressive right now but the big trunk is almost back to normal though fronds seem smaller than the lesser trunks. Another view with the never protection McCurtain…

And finally the other Needle in the shade. The sunny Needle needs some cleanup but this one is so naturally protected with its Holly tree canopy and its backup embankment…only needs some low hanging fronds removed…

So that’s it…will feed all again in late May and watch them grow. This more normal winter without so many temperature rollercoaster seems to have really given the palms a break.

 

[Las Palmas Norte]

Lookin' good ! 

[Leelanau Palms]

Thanks for taking the time to update us. I'm inspired!

[Allen]

Your plants have really filled out!  Great job

[Colin1110082]

Nice 😃 I like it

[PalmatierMeg]

NO VA (Fairfax) is my old stomping ground so I pay attention to your posts. Your palms are looking great and everything at your place is richly green. Kudos

[Harry’s Palms]

Good looking palms having gone through even a mild Virginia winter. We were back there a couple of years ago visiting relatives .( My wife is FFVA ). We drove from DC to Richmond and I don’t remember seeing any palms. It looks like you found the right varieties of palms for that area . Harry

[GregVirginia7]

18 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

NO VA (Fairfax) is my old stomping ground so I pay attention to your posts. Your palms are looking great and everything at your place is richly green. Kudos

Thank you for that…and speaking of green, have you ever sat back and looked at all the different shades of green out there in nature? It’s incredible. Even among my very limited selection of palms, there is the light blue/green of the Brazoria, the lime green of the Medi., the dark green of the Needles, the dark green/blue of the McCurtain, the variations in one color are amazing. Anyway, they’re all fun to grow and rewarding when someone comes over and asks if they are real!

[GregVirginia7]

1 hour ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Good looking palms having gone through even a mild Virginia winter. We were back there a couple of years ago visiting relatives .( My wife is FFVA ). We drove from DC to Richmond and I don’t remember seeing any palms. It looks like you found the right varieties of palms for that area . Harry

Thank you. I have seen some but they are pretty rare. There are a few palms, Needle and Sabal minor or most clumping Sabals in general that are no protection candidates for our zone 7b. But it is important to try and find that little micro climate that can add some south facing warmth as well as having some natural wind protection. But one can’t go wrong with the ones I’ve mentioned.

[GregVirginia7]

20 hours ago, Allen said:

Your plants have really filled out!  Great job

Thank you, Allen…I really thought the Medi was a goner after that weird rollercoaster winter a year ago.

You had posted well before this disaster to not get lazy and that’s what I did. But it has filled in for sure. And I learned a good lesson. Though my goal is to raise low to no protection palms I got fooled into thinking I could get by without it. Nope. And the protection I give it is really not much, just some black landscape cloth, an umbrella over the top and a ground blanket of lights. It remains open most of the winter.

So from near disaster to this…

Lesson learned…won’t pretend this one is a 7b, no worry palm! 😁