How to save the palms

[Palmlex]

Hey! I have a couple of trachycarpus and a butia capitata. Since this is turning out to be likely the coldest February on record and we're expecting almost a week of low temperatures around 3-12F (-16 to -11C), with max temps expected to reach around 24F (-4C), and I currently have around 2-3 feet of snow around the palms, I was wondering what the best course of action would be.

I'm thinking that removing the snow just to cover them with fleece is probably counter productive, since the snow would likely provide more insulation than the fleece in the freezing cold. So I was wondering if I could just cover the remaining exposed parts with fleece and pile up snow on top of them.

If going with this option, I'm also wondering if I should pile up the snow tonight while still being 24F or wait for the cold, so they're covered for less one less day, but at the expense of possibly losing some heat without the snow insulation. 

Has anyone tried anything like this? Your input would be greatly appreciated. 

[Chester B]

I think that's too cold, and for too long with supplemental heat.  I would wrap with incandescent Christmas lights/string lights and then with frost cloth/fleece.

I would watch @Allen 's video for reference.

 

[PalmatierMeg]

I suggest during future winters you set up a protection plan before, i.e., autumn, to protect your palms. Do lots of research on the forum in advance, select what you want to use, then obtain it before the snow falls. I used to search thrift stores for cotton flannel sheets, sweat shirts, hoodies, t-shirts to cover/dress up my palms. Some of them looked like the 7 dwarfs "Hi Ho-ing home from work" through my yard. As I live in SWFL I don't use strings of lights, thermocouples etc. because I don't get terribly cold for long. Often, I dress my small palms the evening before, then remove the fabric the next day when the sun comes up and heats things up.

Good luck.

[Trachy nanus]

It depends on how big the palm trees are.
If they are smaller, I would shovel snow over them. I have done this many times, it is the best protection.
If they are bigger, you need some kind of heat source, light cables, heating cables, fan heaters, grave candles or something similar.
Then cover with fleece or tarpaulin, but make sure that nothing can burn.

[Palmlex]

 

28 minutes ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I suggest during future winters you set up a protection plan before, i.e., autumn, to protect your palms. Do lots of research on the forum in advance, select what you want to use, then obtain it before the snow falls. I used to search thrift stores for cotton flannel sheets, sweat shirts, hoodies, t-shirts to cover/dress up my palms. Some of them looked like the 7 dwarfs "Hi Ho-ing home from work" through my yard. As I live in SWFL I don't use strings of lights, thermocouples etc. because I don't get terribly cold for long. Often, I dress my small palms the evening before, then remove the fabric the next day when the sun comes up and heats things up.

Good luck.

Thank you for your answer. I am usually reasonably ready I would say, but the forecast was pretty much the same for most days of the past month, so not great, not terrible, and then a couple of inches of snow were forecasted which turned into 20 inches and now the palms are mostly buried and the forecasted temperature went from 16F to 3F... I think my best bet is to completely cover them with snow, since I have lots of it and they're already 70% covered. It's the most snow we got for at least 7 years I would say and the temperatures can either be spring like or frigid this time of year. I probably got fooled by the zone 8a/8b winters we had for the past few years.

 

2 hours ago, Chester B said:

I think that's too cold, and for too long with supplemental heat.  I would wrap with incandescent Christmas lights/string lights and then with frost cloth/fleece.

I would watch @Allen 's video for reference.

 

Thank you, Chester. I always liked how simple this protection method seemed, but I don't think I'd have enough space to keep all the boxes and I am also not comfortable having wires around the yard.

[PalmatierMeg]

@Palmlex, don't take weather forecasters at their word, especially on long term forecasts. Months down the road their predictions will likely fall apart and endanger your palms.

[Palmlex]

1 hour ago, PalmatierMeg said:

@Palmlex, don't take weather forecasters at their word, especially on long term forecasts. Months down the road their predictions will likely fall apart and endanger your palms.

Oh, you're totally right and I seldom do. This time I did because it wasn't a long term forecast. Over the course of 2 weeks it went from warmer than normal temperatures, to normal and then ultimately to way below normal. By that point I only had fleece and 2 feet of snow. 

I did completely cover them with snow and hope they make it.