Winter Palm Tree Care Factors:
How Do I Care For My Palm Trees During Cold Winter Weather and Freezing Temperatures?
- (Option 1) Water
- (Option 2) Spray
- (Option 3) Wrap
- (Option 4) Heat
- (Option 5) Housing
How To Care For Palm Trees During Winter:
Option 1 (Watering):
Heavy watering before a freeze. Water the soil and roots of your palm trees heavily prior to an anticipated winter freeze or frost. The palm tree will endure the freezing temperatures better if it is saturated. Water can act as an insulator when inside the palm tree trunks.
OPTION 2 (Frost Protection Spray Solution):
Spray your palm trees with a winter frost protection application
product like Leaf Guardian Spray (link provided below more details and pricing). This is
the best and longest lasting method of protecting your palm trees from frost and wind damage during the winter weather. This thin wax-like product will keep the palm tree fronds safe from
freeze burn caused by frost, ice, and cold damaging winds that dry the palm tree fronds up.
One application of this freeze protection solution will typically last up to 2 months. Other more northern places may have to re-apply this palm
tree protective solution. This solution has to be applied thoroughly to fully engulf and cover every inch of the palm tree fronds
from top to bottom. Leaf Guardian can also be applied to the trunks.
COMPLETE COVERAGE IS CRUCIAL. As a bonus, This solution will also help keep the palm tree fronds looking shiny.
For small palm trees or projects, you can buy this Leaf Guardian frost protectant spray in a ready-to-use
spray bottle. For medium size palm trees or projects, you can buy this frost protection in a concentrated
liquid and mix your own solutionin
a pump sprayer bottle or battery operated sprayer for higher reach with better coverage.
For large projects or large, tall palm trees, this product has to be applied
using special equipment that is typically used by commercial insecticide companies
and tree service companies.
Option 3 (Frost Protection Covers, Cloths, and Blankets):
Wrapping your palm tree. This can be done to help protect your palm trees with or without the use of spray protectants listed in Option 2. The
use of these cloths after you apply the frost protection spray will give your palm
trees a greater chance of winter freeze and frost protection. Just spray the palm
tree, wait for it to dry, then wrap.
How to wrap your palm tree with frost protectant cloths, burlap, or blankets:
DO NOT USE PLASTIC WRAPS DIRECTLY ON PALM TREES. READ MORE ABOUT PLASTICS IN OPTION 5
For small palm trees or projects, you can cover the entire top of the palm tree with
a frost protective blanket that will cover it all the way to the ground. Make sure
that the blanket touches the ground. Sometimes gathering the fronds and pulling
them together in an upward position and then tying them together
in a group will
help during the process of covering trees. For medium size palm trees or projects,
if you are unable to cover the palm tree with a frost protective blanket then tie
the top fronds together in a bundle as described above. Now, after tying, the trunk
and tree fronds should be in a vertical pole-like position that will enable you
to wrap the palm tree trunk and top fronds. The top of the palm tree (where the fronds
grow out of the trunk) is very sensitive and needs to be wrapped thick. If you wrap
the tree so thick that all sunlight is not allowed in to the tree, then you must
uncover the palm tree again after the freeze warnings are over.
For large projects
or large, tall palm trees, wrapping and unwrapping the palm trees becomes more unpracticable,
it's dangerous, and almost impossible to do. We recommend calling a palm tree specialist.
HIRE A PALM TREE SPECIALIST IN HOUSTON..Spaces Are Limited..Do Not Wait Until
The Last Minute To Call. Call Today 713-621-PALM(7256)
If you would like to have your palm trees protected and sprayed by a palm
tree specialist in Houston and surrounding areas then
call 713-621-PALM(7256) and ask about this special frost protection service that
we can apply to your palm trees this winter.
Option 4 (Frost Protection Lights, Heat Lamps, and Heater Tapes):
USE OPTION 4 AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Some people have shown success at keeping their palm trees safe and warm during
cold winter weather and freezes by using heat from these lights and/or heat tapes.
They have been reportedly used on the outside of the protective wrappings or underneath
the protective wrappings. If these are used on the outside of the protective wrapping
then you can keep the tree warmer but will lose some heat as it is not closed in
to retain heat. If you use these inside of the wrappings (which most lighting and
heating manufacturers do not recommend doing) you will retain more heat because
it does not escape as easily. People have used christmas
lights on the trees as well.
The L.E.D. christmas lights do not emit heat, so do not use these. Most hardware stores
carry these items. Again, these are methods that some people have had success with
keeping their palm trees safe and warm in the winter but we have seen numerous trees
that have caught on fire and can become hazardous depending on what heat is used
and how.
USE OPTION 4 AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Option 5 (Frost Protection Temporary Greenhouse Covering):
Final option is to create a temporary shelter around your palm tree if possible. Use poles, posts, or create a frame out of what ever you like. A TeePee pyramid shape is the easiest to make. Wrap the outside of your supports in a plastic or heavy cloth. The plastic wrapping will help retain heat if you opted to use a heater or some other type of heated lighting source. Try not to use black plastics or dark colored fabrics that will not allow sunlight through. The sun will help build heat just like a greenhouse. Remember, this structure needs to be around the palm tree...not thrown on top of it. If plastic is just laying on top of the palm tree fronds it will burn the palm tree fronds and actually cause more damage than help.
DO NOT ALLOW PLASTIC TO TOUCH THE PALM TREE!