Winter protection using Natural Jute Burlap

[MoPalm]

Hi Everyone, 

Winter is coming and it would be good to prepare from now. Weather is nice and it is perfect timing to spend it outside preparing. I am in Zone 9b, Bay Area, rarely seeing temperature below 30F but it happens. Frost is also something I see around on clear calm nights. I have 4' foot of trunk kentia in the open and recently I planted a teddy bear palm (planted from15 gallon pot) about 10 feet away from the kentia but also in the open sky.  I also have many kings Alex (started to trunk) in the open too but they are close to the house. I am planning to wrap the palms when the forecast is something below 36F. I know they probably can handle some freezing temperature but I don't want the frost to damage them on their first year in the ground. 

Do you think the Natural Jute Burlap is good way to protect from frost/cold? I ordered from amazon the product below, but not sure if it is good, especially since I will wrap the palms with it, so the fronds will be in contact with the wrap.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09F642RTG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Another way, I might get. a few smudge pots and run them on freezing nights. Or eventually in the future years I might install a natural gas in-ground heaters but I need to study this further. Questions in mind like can I install a small/short heaters in the ground or do they need to be tall. My theory is heat goes up so no need to have tall heaters. (below for example of a tall heaters). Still not sure if it is worth it to do this project just for a few days that we see temperature at or below freezing. 

https://www.gasoutdoorpatioheaters.com/sunglo-permanent-ng-heater/

 

Thank you everyone 🙂

Mo 

[Allen]

These might help.  Just keep in mind wrapping provides no heat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0axrdFuytOQ&list=PLpVDrk5W7jTev40miPmq28V9IcNwB05Zz&index=6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vP4ecPWkGE

 

[RFun]

56 minutes ago, MoPalm said:

Hi Everyone, 

Winter is coming and it would be good to prepare from now. Weather is nice and it is perfect timing to spend it outside preparing. I am in Zone 9b, Bay Area, rarely seeing temperature below 30F but it happens. Frost is also something I see around on clear calm nights. I have 4' foot of trunk kentia in the open and recently I planted a teddy bear palm (planted from15 gallon pot) about 10 feet away from the kentia but also in the open sky.  I also have many kings Alex (started to trunk) in the open too but they are close to the house. I am planning to wrap the palms when the forecast is something below 36F. I know they probably can handle some freezing temperature but I don't want the frost to damage them on their first year in the ground. 

Do you think the Natural Jute Burlap is good way to protect from frost/cold? I ordered from amazon the product below, but not sure if it is good, especially since I will wrap the palms with it, so the fronds will be in contact with the wrap.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09F642RTG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Another way, I might get. a few smudge pots and run them on freezing nights. Or eventually in the future years I might install a natural gas in-ground heaters but I need to study this further. Questions in mind like can I install a small/short heaters in the ground or do they need to be tall. My theory is heat goes up so no need to have tall heaters. (below for example of a tall heaters). Still not sure if it is worth it to do this project just for a few days that we see temperature at or below freezing. 

https://www.gasoutdoorpatioheaters.com/sunglo-permanent-ng-heater/

 

Thank you everyone 🙂

Mo 

If you're in the Bay Area, that's already a plus on the climate there.  Some natural burlap won't hurt anything on the coldest of days.  Truthfully, you'll probably rarely need it there, if at all, for most plants that people would be growing in that area.

[Allen]

2 hours ago, MoPalm said:

Hi Everyone, 

https://www.gasoutdoorpatioheaters.com/sunglo-permanent-ng-heater/

Those heater prices were crazy.  They sell patio heaters that run on a propane tank at Lowes for $150

[MoPalm]

1 hour ago, Allen said:

Those heater prices were crazy.  They sell patio heaters that run on a propane tank at Lowes for $150

Yes I know, wonder why they are that expensive? Brand name? I can even find used propane tank ones for free around here! but I was wondering if I want something just permanent and connected to the natural gas from the house. 

 

[GregVirginia7]

On 10/18/2024 at 3:57 PM, MoPalm said:

Hi Everyone, 

Winter is coming and it would be good to prepare from now. Weather is nice and it is perfect timing to spend it outside preparing. I am in Zone 9b, Bay Area, rarely seeing temperature below 30F but it happens. Frost is also something I see around on clear calm nights. I have 4' foot of trunk kentia in the open and recently I planted a teddy bear palm (planted from15 gallon pot) about 10 feet away from the kentia but also in the open sky.  I also have many kings Alex (started to trunk) in the open too but they are close to the house. I am planning to wrap the palms when the forecast is something below 36F. I know they probably can handle some freezing temperature but I don't want the frost to damage them on their first year in the ground. 

Do you think the Natural Jute Burlap is good way to protect from frost/cold? I ordered from amazon the product below, but not sure if it is good, especially since I will wrap the palms with it, so the fronds will be in contact with the wrap.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09F642RTG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Another way, I might get. a few smudge pots and run them on freezing nights. Or eventually in the future years I might install a natural gas in-ground heaters but I need to study this further. Questions in mind like can I install a small/short heaters in the ground or do they need to be tall. My theory is heat goes up so no need to have tall heaters. (below for example of a tall heaters). Still not sure if it is worth it to do this project just for a few days that we see temperature at or below freezing. 

https://www.gasoutdoorpatioheaters.com/sunglo-permanent-ng-heater/

 

Thank you everyone 🙂

Mo 

 

On 10/18/2024 at 3:57 PM, MoPalm said:

Hi Everyone, 

Winter is coming and it would be good to prepare from now. Weather is nice and it is perfect timing to spend it outside preparing. I am in Zone 9b, Bay Area, rarely seeing temperature below 30F but it happens. Frost is also something I see around on clear calm nights. I have 4' foot of trunk kentia in the open and recently I planted a teddy bear palm (planted from15 gallon pot) about 10 feet away from the kentia but also in the open sky.  I also have many kings Alex (started to trunk) in the open too but they are close to the house. I am planning to wrap the palms when the forecast is something below 36F. I know they probably can handle some freezing temperature but I don't want the frost to damage them on their first year in the ground. 

Do you think the Natural Jute Burlap is good way to protect from frost/cold? I ordered from amazon the product below, but not sure if it is good, especially since I will wrap the palms with it, so the fronds will be in contact with the wrap.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09F642RTG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Another way, I might get. a few smudge pots and run them on freezing nights. Or eventually in the future years I might install a natural gas in-ground heaters but I need to study this further. Questions in mind like can I install a small/short heaters in the ground or do they need to be tall. My theory is heat goes up so no need to have tall heaters. (below for example of a tall heaters). Still not sure if it is worth it to do this project just for a few days that we see temperature at or below freezing. 

https://www.gasoutdoorpatioheaters.com/sunglo-permanent-ng-heater/

 

Thank you everyone 🙂

Mo 

My experience with burlap has not been good. If it makes contact with the palm’s crown and remains damp or wet, it can invite fungal infections. I have used it as a wind break. But the best thing I use in my 7a/b climate is black landscaping cloth. It holds very little moisture and on a cold sunny day, its black color drags in a huge amount of the sun’s radiated heat. Its ability to hold in the heat has to be better than burlap given its tight weave?? but if you look at a Trachy’s fiber protection, you will see naturally woven “fabric” that looks just like hairy burlap…woven by the tree itself! Anyway, the takeaway here is keep it dry. Don’t let winter wet sit and fester. That leads to nothing but trouble.

[MoPalm]

This makes sense. I think I only need to wrap the crown of the palms or possibly the whole palm for a few nights during cold snap. We don't usually get a long freezing weather. Just a few days below 32F. So I am assuming the burlap then will get wet from frost even if it is not rainy. I need to find something easier and better then. I like the idea of landscaping cloth. I will give it a try. Thank you Greg! 

[RFun]

6 minutes ago, MoPalm said:

This makes sense. I think I only need to wrap the crown of the palms or possibly the whole palm for a few nights during cold snap. We don't usually get a long freezing weather. Just a few days below 32F. So I am assuming the burlap then will get wet from frost even if it is not rainy. I need to find something easier and better then. I like the idea of landscaping cloth. I will give it a try. Thank you Greg! 

Burlap shouldn't get wet enough to invite fungal infections in the crown.  That would be a giant stretch, at best.  We're only talking about a temporary wrap for a very short period of time in this case.

[MoPalm]

That is why I thought of Burlap instead of using other materials. I will of course give it a try. I hope we don't get freezing temperature this winter, but if we get I will report back my experience. What is the weather forecast for this year? We will get the LA NINA. They are saying it will be warmer and drier for us. I am certain if we get less rain, we will get more cold and frost. 

[RFun]

1 minute ago, MoPalm said:

That is why I thought of Burlap instead of using other materials. I will of course give it a try. I hope we don't get freezing temperature this winter, but if we get I will report back my experience. What is the weather forecast for this year? We will get the LA NINA. They are saying it will be warmer and drier for us. I am certain if we get less rain, we will get more cold and frost. 

Lots of palm growers do a temporary wrap on their pricier/less hardy palms using burlap.  There are even videos on youtube about how to wrap a palm tree in burlap.  It isn't anything new.

[Harry’s Palms]

I don’t provide any protection here and my palms do just fine. I have only lost palms from wind events or from planting palms that would never grow here. I lost one mature Howea F. but that was from an extreme heat event while I was out of town . Harry

[SeanK]

Do these palms take frost?