Tropical palm trees can be damaged by the cold. To promote easy overwintering and protect your plant from cold damage, you need to take a few measures. Outdoor plants are particularly at risk from cold snaps. You can find out how to overwinter palm trees in this article!
Frost and freezing temperatures damage plant tissue and make them susceptible to disease. Luckily, you can winterize your palm tree with a few simple materials. We show the basic methods of protecting a palm tree in winter.
Mulch your palm tree
If you overwinter your palm trees in the garden, you need to protect the roots. By properly mulching the root area of a palm tree, you can prevent damage to the roots. Mulch retains moisture in the soil and keeps the soil temperature even, which is beneficial for plants. A thicker layer of mulch to a depth of up to 10 cm will be very helpful as it will prevent the ground near the palm from freezing deeply. An even soil temperature is ensured and your palm will overwinter easily if rapid temperature fluctuations occur.
Palm trees overwinter by wrapping them up
If your palm tree is small, you can wrap it up so you can keep the plantprotect from the winter cold. You can cover them with a blanket and weigh them down. Be sure to only use material that does not absorb moisture, such as: B. a synthetic blanket, burlap or landscape fabric. There are 4 basic methods for overwintering a palm tree by covering, which we will discuss below.
Attach fairy lights for protection
The leaves of a palm tree can usually tolerate frost down to minus 10 degrees Celsius. In colder weather, you can protect your palm tree from the cold by tying the leaves into a large bundle and then wrapping the bundle with a string of lights. This is the easiest method and if you decide to do this, it's better to stick with the old bulbs. The heat radiated from the lights protects the palm tree.
Overwintering palm trees: chicken wire covering
You can overwinter your palm trees by wrapping them with chicken wire. A simple method. Do not cut back the leaves or trim the palm. Attach 4 stakes 1m apart in a square with the palm tree in the center. Wrap 1 to 2 inches of chicken wire around the stakes to create a basket about 3 feet tall. Then fill the “basket” with leaves. Leave the leaves asProtection from colduntil spring.
Wrap the palm tree with heat tape
You can easily create a palm tree using heat tapewinterize. Pull back the fronds and tie them together. Wrap heat tape around the trunk, starting at the base. Continue wrapping the entire trunk to the top. Then you can wrap the trunk with 3-4 layers of burlap and secure the insulation with tape. Remove the wrapping as soon as the weather warms up.
Pipe insulation for the winter
You can also use water pipe insulation for your palm tree. Here's how to do it: Cover the ground around the palm tree with mulch to protect the roots. Wrap the first 3-6 leaves and the trunk with water pipe insulation. Carefully fold the top over to prevent water from penetrating the insulation. Keep the covering and mulch until spring.
If you overwinter your palm trees outside and keep them in a pot, you can protect them in the winter by covering themCover with a light sheet or blanket to keep the heat in and keep the plant 4 or 5 degrees warmer. Likewise, insulate the pot with a suitable protective layer of straw or thermal insulation.
You are also welcome to read: Overwintering a fig tree:Important tips for gardening and potting
How to overwinter palm trees in your apartment
You can bring potted palm trees indoors for the winter when the weather outside gets too cold. Also, don't take them out in the spring until all danger of frost has passed. Place the plant in a bright and cool place in the house. The overwintering location should not be too warm and dry so that the plant does not dry out. Water the palm tree moderately. She doesn't need too much water in the winter period. Don't fertilize anymore, wait until spring. Keep plants away from drafts.
Plant hardy palm trees
When caring for palm trees in winter, it is important to plant palm trees that are hardy. Here are some cold-tolerant palm species that can adapt better to the freezing temperatures:
- Rhapidophyllum hystrix (Needle Palm) – It is a shrub-like, rounded palm with a short, thick trunk and large, dark green leaves.
- Chamaerops humilis (Dwarf Palm) – A bushy palm that has a medium, round or small tree shape.
- Butia capitata (Jelly Palm) – This is a small palm tree with a sturdy trunk and blue-green or gray-green leaves.
- Trachycarpus fortunei (Chinese hemp palm) – This taller palm is hardy and has a broad crown.
