Personally, I'd leave them out.

Shaun-
That is what I'm inclined to do. This weather is like January in parts of Florida only the days are longer. But if anyone disagrees I'd love to hear.

I would agree with palmshaun. The next few days in Michigan is like a short and mild cold snap in south Florida. Leave them out unless temps drop below 40.

Doug

maybe also only water in the AM so the soil doesn't stay moist and cold overnight

are the 40s over though

Yeah that's what i was thinking frmmi
40 temps would do a coconut in
wouldn't it ?

40s indefinately would do a coconut in, but it's only for a few more nights. It does fall into the 40s at times even in Miami.

Xerophyte nyc, I was told that watering the SOIL in anticipation of cold temperatures is good because the wet soil will hold the heat longer than dry soil. I'm asking if this is true or is this another thing I've got to unlearn?

Andy,

Consider this;
What would grow outside in So CA and what would grow in So FL?

The King I would leave out, the Coconut & Royal I would bring in. The others, I cannot say say from observation or experience.

In Miami and up in palm beach county they bottom out in the upper 30s every year. The coconut palms I've seen when i went there in February don't seem to notice.

ronalawn:

You are right, wet soil holds heat longer, but it's the moisture that is the potential problem (especially in a container!), not so much the temperature:

If a frost is anticipated, one way to avoid damage to things like fruit and vegetable crops is to keep the entire plant surface sprinkled with water - water is unique in that when it freezes it releases heat, so you can gain 1-2 degrees F of protection.

Moist soil for tropical species in pots is different - the prevailing logic is that warmth-loving plants are inactive during periods of cold, during which time physiologic water needs are minimal, so if soil stays moist and the plant is not using the available water, there is the potential for introduction of rot (pathogenic bacteria and fungus thrive in cool, stagnant soil and plant defenses are probably reduced as well). I doubt very much that significant damage can occur in 1 or 2 days of non-ideal conditions, but a week might be a different story. Watering in the AM helps ensure the plant is utilizing the water during the warmer daytime, with the soil becoming drier by the time colder temps set in.

A follow-up question is "well, what happens in the wild when it rains during cold weather?"

The answers are A) it rarely gets cold enough for damage to occur, B) plants growing out in the soil benefit from much better drainage and/or C) in subtropical climates, the "cold" season often equates to the dry season.

I hope my blabbering makes some sense :-)

x

There is Some good advise here and I would only add to not put water in the crown as that can cause fungas to grow. I have lost more palms to that than temps in the 30s myself.

Yep i agree water in the crown is a big killer of palms
hey x
What's the deal with this water barrier i have been hearing so much about ?

I just don't understand how this thing would work in the winter it is supposed to hold heat someway ?

topher

By water barrier do you mean keeping the surfaces wet during a frost? It is only meant to help give some protection for a late or early frost, on farms and commercial orchards, it is accomplished by turning on sprinklers overnight to keep the plants wet, to intentionally freeze the exposed leaves, which can protect tender shoots down to about 29F.

When ice is put into a drink, it absorbs the heat from the surrounding liquid, making the drink colder while ice turns to water. When water freezes, the opposite occurs - heat escapes as liquid turns to solid.

I have heard of this method but have never used it myself hmmmm............

That method works well unless it gets real cold for several hours. A young palm will get weighted down with ice and sometimes will break.And the other problem can be rot from the water if it stays cool for a few days.There seems to be no full proof way to save a palm from cold unless you build a green house over it and heat it in the winter.