Hi Greg,
What palms are you growing?
I also read that the The New York Botanical Gardens
have a trachycarpus fortunei growing there
have you ever seen it?
TIA
Chuck

Some nice sun is out today. Sunday looks like it will be approaching 90 here and I checked brooklyn's forecast and its looking the same for you too. My plants are finally recovering from being indoors with a lot showing nice new growth. I should also have my new pindo and sabal domingensis just in time for the warmer weather. My chamaedorea microspadix should also come in the mail by then, Im really looking forward to planting it in the ground. I hope it can handle it (with protection of course)!
My windmill palms in the ground have finished pushing up there new leaf and are quickly pushing another spear. I havent seen them grow this quickly ever and its still early. Enjoy the warmth, Im sure your palms will!

Nychuck, I think the NY botanical gardens has a needle palm, but I havent heard of a windmill palm there (I have never been there). You might be talking about the windmill palm at the brooklyn botanical gardens. That went unprotected this year and unfortunately died. I think that might have to do with being in an exposed spot though since my windmill palms saw very similar temps for the same duration and one of the 2 went unprotected and both did fine. All the unprotected one had was a frost cloth which flew off before the worst of winter arrived (so techincally it didnt really do anything for it). I was completely covered in snow 3 times this past winter and lightly coated with snow on 2 or 3 other occasions but its in a great microclimate on the southwest side of the fence. Are you growing any cold tolerant palms outside? This past winter was the first for mine and I was surprised to see them handle it so well. Thats why this year Im trying less cold tolerant palms and pushing there limits!

Good luck!

Tropical zone, I'm pushing the limits here too--this time with Butia capitata, Sabal mexicana, minors, louisiana, and palmetto (and maybe a W. robust--but protected some in winter). A needle that I had around also got planted recently. Third year for my Trachys and going strong. This is the first year I offered NO protection (previously wrapped up the trunks with multiple layers of insulating blankets. Surprisingly, they looked best this year--though I think this is more the result of years in the ground/root extent etc.--also min, temp was only 14 F.. Actually, I wouldn't mine more stable temps and don't want another run into the 90's like early April. My beautiful Dawn Redwood got all burned because of those few sunny, DRY days in the 90's. Also, too high heat will reduce the season on my azaleas and camellias and these are looking terrific this year! Looking forward to a nice weekend though after all the clouds and rain.

Glad to hear you are also trying more exotic palm species. Your windmill palm always looks nice and im glad to hear it survived without protection! Min temp was also only 14F here. My camellia bloomed really well this year, but I think mine is an early spring bloomer since it bloomed this year from late march to late april and is now finishing up its blooms (it has 2 or 3 open today and 4 or 5 more buds opening). I also think someone planted a camellia on my block last fall and it is now flowering really well. My camellia definitely looks its best when the weather is on the cool side, but not freezing temps either. There have already been 3 days here 80 or above and 2 or 3 more this comming week! At least now my indoor plants are more adjusted to being outside so this heat comming should be more enjoyable for them and maybe promote some growth on a few of them.
I hope your redwood gets better!

Good luck!

about the palms
at BBG they have sabal minor and a needle palm both big and well established, they had a windmill palm that died

at NYBG in the bronx they have small trachy's and needle palms outside the conservatory in the perennial garden

I didnt know they had a trachy. Thats good to know. Too bad about the windmill palm ad BBG, but at least they have a sabal minor and needle palm which, when established, are unstoppable in our area!

I am growing a sabal minor, tracky fortunei and butia pindo palms in the ground. They survived the first winter well. The butia I planted in our April heatwave so I am waiting for her to take off. Even in the pot in my make-shift green house she thickened her trunk quite a bit.

I have a needle and small date palms and two pindo yatay's in pots. Not sure what to do with all these palms.. lol.

I have seen the BBG tracky grow well over the years, but they have been trying to kill her by not covering her at all and alas she passed after living so well since 1986. Whoever took care of her up to 2004 did a great job. She was planted in an open field and we are a cold zone 7a and she needed at least plastic over her. This new caretaker seems clueless.

Glad to here the NYBG in the Brox has trackys as well. Do they cover them or have the planted with 10 feet of a building at least.

Believe it or not the bronx gets a tad colder then the southern side of the city metro area which is lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Jersey shore.

They planted 10 of them last sping (i think 3 gallons) most of them survived unprotected thet are about 15 feet away from the conservatory and are bordered by tall hedges on both sides

The bronx definitely gets cooler than the south side of the city due to the lack of ocean influence and higher elevation. I think its great they made it especially with no protection. In most winters, a good sized trachy should have no problem in the NYC area and south along the coast.

Thanks for the info; Good luck!

You guys are in the know,

Thats good news the trackys made it especially with no protection. It may be a warm spot?

To think they survived unprotected and that they are about 15 feet away from the conservatory surpises me a bit that they did not get spear pull with all our froozen precip this winter.