Winter Update After the Week Long Freeze

Exotic palm garden update showing how palm trees look after freezing weather. North west England UK

[@planterbanter]

The Wollemi pine looks strong in the UK winter!!

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Yeah, I live in a colder than average part of the country and seems to be hardy here 😀. Growing at least 1foot per year. Have you ever moved a wollemi at this size? I think I may have to one day unfortunately

[@jenenamaughan1992]

Your garden looks pretty resilient considering the extra low temps so far. Hope it keeps up for you for the remainder of winter. It's summer where I live & so far not many days over 35c but I expect some 40s soon. I have some cactus & frangipani & bougainvillea outside that can withstand the heat with the occasional drink. Mostly I have pot plants on my verandah all year which do well provided I keep them shaded & out of the scorching east wind. Hi from Perth Western 🦘.

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Thanks, yes I think most of the garden will prove to be resilient, the cold spell we had isn’t unprecedented. We very rarely get above 30’c in north west England and hope it doesn’t get too hot in Perth! Thanks for your comment

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Looks decent. I reckon your chaemarops will be just fine. I've had one here in Newcastle for 15 years, survived the 2010-2011 and beast from the east. Up against the house I think even your CIDP stands a chance. The redstar cordyline will likely bite the dust but all in all I think you'll do well. The risk is worth the reward. Keep fighting the good fight👍

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Thanks Vincenze, hopefully you’re right- time will tell!

[@palmtreedude]

Doesn’t look too bad!

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Thanks palm tree dude’

[@egzotycznePodbeskidzie]

U nas w Polsce -21 było 😉 dzisiaj ma być - 17 , egzotyki mają się dobrze 😁😉

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Now that’s cold!! Hope the exotics are still happy in the Spring!

[@texastropics]

The cold has hit us in North America real bad this week. I went below freezing on the evening of Dec 21, and 36 hours later been holding steady between 19-21F or -6 to -7C. Not sure if we'll be warming up today or tomorrow, but I'm expecting damage. Sounds like you had it pretty bad too, maybe worse really. I'll be spraying with copper fungicide regularly until about June. I'm in Portland, Oregon. This has been the coldest weather I've had as well at my place. Good luck!

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Wow, that sounds tough! I guess copper fungicide serves the same purpose as hydrogen peroxide (which is what I use to try and prevent rot on the leading spear)?

[@texastropics]

@@palmsexoticsuk2194 No I don't think they operate in the same manner. H2O2 treats the dead tissue whereas the copper kills the fungus. Once H2O2 reacts all you're left with is water and then you need to remove it from the spear hole otherwise you exacerbate the situation.

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

@@texastropics thanks. I’m going to look into this as I’m intrigued! When you spray it are you spraying into the the growing point?

[@texastropics]

@@palmsexoticsuk2194 Yes for palms if they spear pull right into the hole. Or anywhere you see damage or might expect damage to appear. Like I mentioned previously I will be spraying the spears of my palms even though they look good as a preventative measure. I use the Bonide brand, one concentrated bottle lasts years and years.

[@theadventurousallotmenteer6582]

The backbone isn't looking too bad at all considering. I would expect those front two green Cordylines to die back a bit in the following months but will come back from the trunk if they do. Looks like you have had about -8C like you say. If you had -10C your green Cordyline's top leaves probably would have collapsed by now. Looking good overall though! Here we live in a hillside town, at the top the lowest was -4.6C and lower down by the river it was -2.7C. Damage reflects that with more damage to plants higher up than lower down in town.

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Thanks for your comment. Yeah, having seen pictures of other peoples cordylines that have already had crown collapse I’m surprised mine still (today) look pretty OK. One green one looks a little different but I think that could be mechanical damage from the weight of the snow. Time will tell. Hopefully you’re further down the hillside then for the lower temps!

[@theadventurousallotmenteer6582]

@@palmsexoticsuk2194 yes sounds like snow damage, you can tell this when the older leaves are dropping but there's a collection of upright leaves in the centre of the crown. It gradually bounces back from the weight. I live at the top of the hill unfortunately, but even so we got away with it compared to the rest. Even on our 12 miles x 5 miles long peninsula, there were much colder temperatures in the centre with -7C recorded

[@bloggalot4718]

During the first week of December, I recorded three minus five, followed immediately by a minus six, a minus eight and then a minus nine here in Shropshire. I have got spear pull on my Cordyline Torbay beauty but most everything apart from my Musa Bajoo which is now a pile of mush as I didn’t protect it this year seem to be ok.

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Very similar to me then. It’s only really the cordylines that have taken damage. Sure my musa basjoo has too but it always does. Everything else seems relatively OK. Fingers crossed things don’t go downhill when it stays warming up

[@bloggalot4718]

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you as well.