I understand why your switching up. That had to be a difficult job getting your box over that trachy. Hope it works it would be tragic to lose it now.

Good luck. It's been nice to see it grow over the years, it will be nice to see it get even taller. I've only dreamed of getting one that tall as I am not willing to go to the amount of effort you do. Hope it works, although I was wondering if it might be a little early until I saw the snow. Being zone 4, do you normally get to -20- to -30 on a regular basis? I would think you may get into the negative single digits, but not much more? I assume you are at a high elevation?

I hope it works. I think the box did something to protect the roots. I would put a thick layer of mulch to protect the roots.

Wow, that is amazing. How many winters has it survived so far?

thank you for showing the snow, I am now officially depressed (lol) that's awesome that you have it that big in a zone 4, no snow here yet although it may feel better than the 43 degrees and rain we have at the moment.

I agree with above.

I think you need a foot of mulch 10' out from the tree for sure.

Hope it works-because we who have planted palms will be there soon enough!

Think about that while your pouring fertilizer on your palms next summer!

I was just looking at this again...are those green leaves you can see through the plastic???

If so you may want to throw a sheet on there so you don't end up with rotted cabbage in spring...they can really heat up.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I put some mulch around the base of the tree, but it sounds like I need more. The railroad ties that used to support the 8' box had no heat nor lighting source, so there wasn't much to protect the roots before, but I agree... more mulch is good! It's a gamble whether or not this method will work. We'll see what happens next Spring!

bradleyo... I forgot to mention, we get -20 and -30 all the time. Even -45. But last year was the warmest winter ever in this area. It never got below zero. Yes, we are in a high elevation valley. Our night time temperatures are at least 10 degrees colder than Salt Lake City, on a constant basis.

Good luck! I hope it works for you, DEFINITELY keep us updated! I have been seeing the posts on your palms from before I even planted my own trachys almost 5 years ago. I agree, more mulch would definitely help it along, the soil probably freezes several feet in your area and the box probably kept the palms roots from getting nearly as cold as the soil outside of the box.
-Alex

Thanks Alex. Oh... I forgot to mention another item. I have a cheap thermostat that kicks on the heating cable at 20 degrees and shuts it off at 30 degrees, so hopefully the fronds won't get cooked.

that palm looks so wonderfully out of place there, got to love it. hope it all works out well. I have been complaining for a week about out 25 degree night time temps Im not real sure how I would act at -45. good luck with it I really hope it makes it through

Any thoughts on putting black plastic over it to further block the sunlight?

Would you be willing to rework the protection if you knew right now
it would not work?-or is this it...your done?(-:

While I admire the work you did on it I just have a hard time envisioning it through a zone 4 winter. I hope I'm wrong. Question: won't the heat cords melt the plastic?

Wheelman... good idea. I think I will cover the top in black plastic. jimhardy... any suggestions? LagoMar, I don't think the cable gets hot enough to melt the plastic, but time will tell. I know... it's a big gamble. It must might die. :-(

I think putting some syrofoam around it would be wise, you already did the hard work of wrapping it up, making a triangle enclosure would be pretty easy I would think.

My thought was that the cables all need to be on the trunk
with just a little air space(1-2"),then some insulation(house insulation)then the bubble wrap and plastic.

If you don't want to take it all apart how about going with house insulation over what you have and then plastic.

I am a little worried about that set up because I know
how penetrating -20F and colder can be.

Hey Arctic. Long time. I admire your courage. I did mummy wrap a few of my palms last year and this year. I made a few mistakes last year with that but it looks better for this year. I have 12-13 foot palms now and the wind sometimes wants to go with my boxes so I am hoping the mummy wrap works better this year. At that thermostat temp. you may loose even more fronds but one never knows. I have my mummy wrap temp set to come on at 30f and shut off around 42F. I have 6 inches of pine bark at the base 1 foot around and an additional heat cable on the root system. You could see it on youtube channel mikejjpage. If it works for me I will send you full details. Montreal weather is similar to yours. Actually I think Ottawa weather is exactly like yours. I've always loved your garden and I'm a big fan
Cheers
CoconutMike
http://youtu.be/H7irBh0Ano0

was just checking out your page mike do you ship to the US? there are a few you have of nice size I might try to order in the spring

Just curious why you would want to buy a palm that is shipped from here to Canada and back.

I was under the impression these were grown in montreal not in the states? If they are then why can't I find trees that size at those prices here? the USD and CAN are almost equal at the moment but people in the states want more for a smaller palm than he was asking. Do you have a source you care to share for good palms at decent prices?

Hey miketropic the answer is simple for most of my customers they order from me because I am not making much on the deal I just like it. To answer Jim hardy Iowa I do have many US Customers and these palms will come from one of the Wholesale farms I deal with in the USA. They will not come to Canada and then go back. I will select the palm you need from one of my suppliers- get pictures of them to inspect -they will then be tagged with a Montreal Palms tree label if the tree passes my inspection we will have a fire ant inspection that is mandatory for all palms coming up north and I will plan transportation. You will see pics of your palm before you get it. Last summer we did a few big orders like this to the Chicago and Michigan areas and my price for US customers usually is whatever you see on my Montreal Palms price List but delivered to your door. So even cheaper. I get good prices because I fill tractor trailers.. So many US customers use me as their palm broker for my knowledge and knowledge of the game.
send e-mail-mikejjpage@yahoo.ca
Cheers
mike

Just curious on how the trachy is faring :)

Gee..... wsman81. I don't know! We are still in the depths of winter. It was -5 a couple of nights last week. There is still 1 to 2 feet of snow on my lawn. Looks like It will be at least the end of March before I dare think of uncovering the trachy. Who knows? It's been a cruel winter. No January thaw. It did get down to -25 this winter. Many days below zero. If it lived, yea! If not, oh well. I'll just start over.

Any update on the internet's favorite trachy?

IâÂÂve been lurking for many years watching your posts, all while continually being inspired by your methodology and approach to gardening... hoping this baby made it through the winter. Updates please!

I'm afraid the news is not good. My new method of protecting it with bubble wrap, heating cable and plastic did not work. I think I cooked it to death. It's gone.... I feel like I've lost a dear friend after all these years!

I sorry. That is sad. After all those years!!!

I sorry. That is sad. After all those years!!!

well that is depressing. it seems the mummy wrap method is a really hard one to get right. either it doesn't work and they freeze or it works to well and they cook. very sorry to hear that.

Sorry to hear Art.
Try my mix. If the root system is still functioning we may be able to save the big fella. I sent you an email on what to get and how to apply it. Good luck. Don't give up hope just yet.

I'm so sorry to hear about that! :( I guess all palms die someday, yours survived a lot longer than many in warmer climates and you definitely proved to countless people that palms can grow in cold climates! I guess the bubble wrap method keeps things a little too warm. I hope you plant another palm in it's place and I hope your other palms are all still thriving!
Thanks for the update, really sorry to hear that it was sad news.
-Alex

rip :'(

Thanks for your concern everyone! Don't worry. I'll start over with a couple of Waggie Windmill palms... much slower growing! I still have my 20+ year old Mediterranean Fan Palm and my new Blue Mexican Fan (Hesper) Palm that did fine under the boxes. I think I'll stick with the box method from now on. I'll also plant my Butia Capitata outside this year. Never give up! Maybe I'll try another California Fan Palm again.

Don't count on Waggies being slower......

are you for sure the palm is a goner?

If so you will for sure miss it this time of year but
not next fall-I almost didn't cover my Washy because I thought it was getting to big-anyway...sorry to hear it may be done but like you said,
maybe time to try another palm.

BTW

How are your Abyssinian doing these days?

Side note;I have tried Ventricosum for 2 years now and they always fart out a bloom stalk in winter after being dug up-I guess the stress is to much! ) :

I am so sorry you lost this palm, it was spectacular! Are you sure it cooked to death? When you opened the enclosure was is really really warm? Based on your temperatures (and the duration) this winter I was expecting for sure to read that it froze to death, due to the reduced protection.

Hate that about your palm, but definitely give it some time before replacing it.

Glad to hear that your other palms are doing well and that you already have some plans for new ones! Hope they all keep on thriving for you and I hope all your other plants are doing well for you! Every time I try to overwinter an Ensete, I think about yours! Unfortunately I have a lot less luck with them than you do!
-Alex

Hi guys. Jimhardy... my Abyssinian Bananas are great! I haven't brought them out of dormancy yet, but they are starting to grow anyway, so I'm going to have to do something! But last week we had a new record low for that date. It got down to 14 degrees. Global warming? Yeah, right. Not here! We've had an extremely cold Spring. I have my 3 big ones in dormancy and 3 young ones I've kept growing upstairs in the heat and light all winter, so I've got 6 that I'll plant outside this year. Williamr, I'm not sure whether or not I cooked it to death or if it froze. All I know is it's "deader than a door nail". I won't dig it up quite yet. I'm too busy to deal with it. I'm definitely having better luck growing my ensete. But I'll replant the palms or move to southern Utah where palms don't need protection. Probably both!