Andy I might be the wrong person to answer but I've had all my cold hardy palms out for almost two weeks and everything thats being planted is planted,my first concern was temp but with planting in mind soil temps(50F-53F) were just as important,and with only one chilly day and night in the forecast I went ahead and planted around 30 palms and 20 cactus and succulents! We are also having a mix of clouds and sun so I think they will adjust and be ready when warmer temps and stronger sun are more reliable,hey they are supposed to be cold hardy and we are done with the real cold stuff!good luck!

I should clarify that I do not plan on putting these in the ground. The sabal palmetto never and the minors not yet. What I might do is put them right next to my house. It's brick so the bricks really retain heat after a long sunny day.

Hey andy! Well I wouldnt quite yet lol. Potted plants are more sensitve because the roots are above ground. If theres a chance the roots could freeze I would wait.

Mike I hear you, What I think I might do is place them on my heat mats that I use to germinate seeds. I can turn it on when it may get real cold, or hell I can always bring them back in. After tonight the lowest temps for the forseeable future are mid 30s. I just checked online and the soil temp here is 45-50.

The species you mentioned are relatively cold hardy. But they have NOT been hardened off to cold as you've grown them as indoor plants. So watch those really cold nights. You know your zone better than me, but I know I have been burnt many times in April (known as the cruest month for a reason). Personally, my Sabals will start going out (this weekend).

I did'nt think you were planting andyx2,but i agree putting them next to a brick wall is a sound idea you could always throw a sheet are blanket over them as well,my sabals that have been out for almost 2 weeks are really starting to get a nice blue-white tint!the only palms I'm concerned with tonight are livistona and my W.filiferas as temps should drop a (few)degrees below freezing then it warms up with temps at night 40ish and highs around 60F see what they look like tomorrow

Well andyandy the livistona n.a.k.a.(robusta)lol and the W.filifera made it through last night (28F)with no prob and the sabals are looking great, I was only concerned with liv and washy because they have only been out a few days otherwise I know 28F no prob,I think my palms are much happier to be out and any slow down because of cooler temps then what they are used to is offset by more sunshine and FRESH AIR.Good luck to you and yours.

Hey, Jim what did you plant in the ground by you? I read you had planted about 30 palms allredy i was just curious? pics? (we all like pics! LOL :))

I know and believe me I will try and get some pics soon,the planted;4 var sabals 9total,1 nannorrhops slv,2 C.cerifera,1 D.indivisa,3 T.hayes stiffie (x wag and fort),3 T.waggies,2-T.fotunei,1-T.takil,2 livistona,3 W.filifera,3 needle palms,and about 20 cactus and succulents,I also have 2-T.manipur,2-T.nanus and 2-T.princips,all either to small are to expensive!to put in the ground till I see how many survive this next ^!^*$# (you know the cold season) I don't want to name it right now.I also have 10 banana plants I will plant in late april or early may and a cordyline "red sensation"that I'll plant when it grows it's "spear"back

Jim-
Watch the Filifera, I had two Robusta I left out in March a couple of years ago in March, they never saw anything much below 30 but both got spear pull. 1 mase it and is thriving but 1 croaked. I know filifera are more cold hardy but be carefull. Don;'t let the soil get too wet or you couls end up with root rot.

WHAT??!!
Jim where are your pics ?

Andy thanks for the heads up washys look fine after cool night leaves are a beatiful green on one other 2are still trying to get going after being shipped, I think all these plants are very happy to be outside!topher it's not like were talking 3ft of trunk on these palms lol.Most are small,2 T.fortunei are approx 30" and 1 washy is approx 3'waggies are 12"or so nannorrhops is 10"or so (strap leaves)2 sabals(etonia,texas) are putting out first divided leaves,very cool!3 wagxfortune are close to a foot and takil is around 18"C.cerifera snuck out its first fan and is starting to show some blue color.I tried a picture today but the camera I'm using does'nt seem to focus I will take a bunch of pictures this weekend and try to post the best ones,it will be fun to see some of my own pics on this forum after enjoying all of yours for so many months!

Andy thanks for the heads up washys look fine after cool night leaves are a beatiful green on one other 2are still trying to get going after being shipped, I think all these plants are very happy to be outside!topher it's not like were talking 3ft of trunk on these palms lol.Most are small,2 T.fortunei are approx 30" and 1 washy is approx 3'waggies are 12"or so nannorrhops is 10"or so (strap leaves)2 sabals(etonia,texas) are putting out first divided leaves,very cool!3 wagxfortune are close to a foot and takil is around 18"C.cerifera snuck out its first fan and is starting to show some blue color.I tried a picture today but the camera I'm using does'nt seem to focus I will take a bunch of pictures this weekend and try to post the best ones,it will be fun to see some of my own pics on this forum after enjoying all of yours for so many months

See if this horrible picture works,I think it does!anyway not much to see but its a start!

Here is a link that might be useful: Palm pictures

Jim-
The picture looks fine but those look like Robustas not Filiferas. Try and keep the crowns dry in these cool temps.

I'd like to add to this discussion. I've had a Windmill Palm in a pot for 2 years now and have left it outside until about mid November when the low temps start reaching about 15F. And then in the spring I like to put it outside in about mid march when the lows aren't any worse than about 20F. The palm is tough as nails through this and has taken a couple snows on top of it. This year I've waited because I've found that it slows the growth when the temps actually warm up. If you want it to grow really fast in the summer than put it outside after the frost but they can definitely take the cold.

Oiltown-
They're going out Saturday. Lows next week are supposed to be high 30s-low 40s. it won't be any diffirent then a cold front moving through the Carolinas in the winter. In addition i am going to put them right next to my house which is brick. The brick really cooks in the sun.

Oiltown - Why don't you plant it in the ground? Just curious.

Jay

The gardening bug bites hard I love it!Andy I knew someone would say that!I don't much mind either way with any luck its filibusta even better!I will get some clearer pics this weekend.Oiltown I agree 20F is not out of the question but I don't think so at this point mother nature seems to be setting up a very measured spring this year(in high contrast to last year)a computer could not set up a more measured spring with fronts passing thru every few days the atmosphere is constantly mixing not to hot not to cold what I'm saying is I trust this pattern its not often we are so locked in-since about nov-anyway my main concern is washys as andy pointed out I'll cover them but only if we head south of 25F they came through 28F fine!Trachys ,sabals and other palms I think are fine just hope we don't have to many cold rains although it seems to warm up now after rain,good luck and happy gardining!