Keeping Company With The Palms (Trachycarpus Fortunei), Winter Task 3

It may sound a bit poetic, but at this time of year when I am working in close quarters with the palms in the garden, trachycarpus fortunei, I feel as if we are keeping each other company. The winter tasks move on and there is much to do and to be achieved. It is always a challenge to get the palms through the winter and its elements. A lot depends on how cold the winter is and on the hardiness of the species of palms.

The Trachycarpus fortunei that I am focusing on is proven to be hardy down to temperatures of – 17c. The country of origin of these particular palms is China. Over the last five and a half years since undertaking the cultivation of palms I have experienced casualties which included the species of the Mexican Blue Palm, and a young Trachycarpus wagnerianus. This is a rare and special palm which can grow just about anywhere in the UK. Since this particular species was affected by last year’s harsh winter weather I am pleased to say it has made a good recovery, despite my thinking that it was near to ‘death’s door’.

All of the Phoenix Canariensis (Canary Island Feather Palm) which I cultivate are in pots, and I overwinter them in the cool end of the glasshouse. Depending on the outside temperature, this part of the glasshouse runs at an overnight temperature of 8 c. If there is the chance of a real drop in temperature I counteract this with a heat adjustment on the fan heaters, and cover the plants with fleece.

The Trachycarpus Fortunei that I cultivate throughout the season are within a walled garden. This gives them the benefit of a micro climate. Although the cold hardiness of the palms are -17c, it is advised to provide increased protection at -6c. Last winter, the temperature dropped here in the cotswolds  to -12c, and with the techniques I used, the three Trachycarpus fortunei  all came through the winter in good condition to start the new growing season.

I have to add also that these trees have the added protection of of  a 5 metre Thuya hedge which adds to the temperature of the micro climate created by the walled garden. The tallest of these palms is 4 metres high.

                                                                             T HE   WINTER  PROTECTION

To protect them against the winter elements I place a good amount of very dry straw around the central growing tip. This probably amounts to 3 -4 cupped hands of straw. Obviously with the tallest specimen of the Trachycarpus, ladders are required to undertake this task. Once I have done this I tie the straw around the tip with some strong string, the sort that you would be used to secure bales of straw.

                                                                                         LIFTING  THE  LEAVES

I then give the central growing tip, surrounded and tied with the straw, a double coated protection by lifting the surrounding  stems and fan shaped leaves around the tip and tying them. This then acts as a sort of cradle around the growing tip. The tricky thing about undertaking this part of the task is that the edges of the stems have sharp points, a bit like the barbed pont on the fishing hook, so I always make sure I am wearing leather gauntlets for this part of the process. I have learned my lesson in trying this without gloves and experienced a sharp point entering my hand which was quite painful (OUCH).

                                                                             NOT TO USE HORTICULTURAL FLEECE

I have used fleece before to protect the central growing tips. This is not a good idea. Unless you remove the fleece on warm sunny winter days it can cause the central growing tip to rot. If this kills it outright it has to produce another fresh growing tip, effectively putting the formation of the plant behind within the new growing season.

                                                                         WINTER  TEST  (2010/2011)

Last winter I deliberately left one of the growing tips exposed. This was a real test at -12c on several occasions, however there was a successful outcome because it came through the winter unaffected, although I wouldn’t say with flying colours: it had some serious regrowing to do from the spring, as parts of it were very brown, but is survived the test.  It is very interesting when you hold the central tip with both hands, as you are able to open them up just as you would do with a fan. I have found by doing this, you can observe the condition of the tip by opening it out.

                                                               KEEPING  ON THE SNOW TO INSULATE

One of the main tasks over the last two winters of working with the palms has been making sure that the snow is knocked off from the leaves. This really does weigh heavy on the trees, very much the same is the case with the bamboo plants. Unless effort is made to remove the snow, serious damage may occur. So it is out with the stiff headed broom, which I have found very effective for this job, and knock off the weight of the snow from underneath.

However despite removing the snow from the palms I was  careful not to remove it from the exposed growing tips and the ones that were bound in straw. The reason for this is that it insulates and protects this  all important area of the palm. Because of the upright and fairly sturdy structure of the central growing tip it isn’t usually weighted down from the effects of the snow, as is the case with the outer large fan shaped leaves.

Come spring time, the effects of the cold and the snow do, however, leave some of the leaves looking brown and scorched in appearance. I then remove these with the secateurs,  pruning them right back flush to the main trunk, always using protective gardening gloves to protect my hands from the thorns. This improves the aesthetic quality of the trees and gets them off to a good start for the new season

                                                                                                  FEEDING

Once I bring the palms through the winter period I start to feed with a palm fertiliser. I did not use this method for the first few seasons but I have observed that it does improve the look of the trees, resulting in a display of  a healthier and greener foliage. I also undertake the feeding of the trees  because I feel that it may improve the quality of them, and thus sustain them through the winter period.

From personal experience and observations,  not feeding them for a few seasons followed by a succession of feeding, I get positive result. Palm fertiliser resembles the look of mustard seeds, and it is a  1 year slow release fertiliser. I rake it around the base of the trees. Another method I have used is to mix the required amount into home made compost, just about 20 grammes per 5 litre of compost.

It could be argued that the more mature palms do not need feeding but I like to undertake all round experiments to see how different species and ages of trees respond to feeding, and then keep a record. The palm fertiliser contains a high nitrogen content for good leafy growth, low phoshates for the roots, and high potassium for the all impressive flowers that start to form from the spring.

Let’s hope that the remaining winter of 2011/12 isn’t going to be too much of a challenge.

PLANTSMAN  NOTE – The Trachycarpus Fortunei, (or Chusan/windmill palm) was named  after Robert Fortune, the 19th century plant collecter who first saw it on the Chinese island of Chusan. In England there are specimens over a 100 years old.

The growth rate of these trees in temperate climates on specimens with a 1 metre trunk can be 30cm per year.

NEXT BLOG – Winter task 4 – Activities down in the woodland garden