I heard 12-20 inches of snow - who can believe how many record storms are coming to coastal NYC this winter. At least its not dropped to the single digits we have avoided ice storms. Ice storms do the most palm and fig tree damage I find.

Today is the day to cover palms for our area I agree. Leaving them uncovered with the winter we are having is taking a big chance at loosing the rewarding palms you worked hard for.

Let him who has ears hear the message.

Definitely keep those palms covered. You wont have a chance to cover them after the snow and its going to get REALLY COLD! Hopefully its the coldest air of the year and we start to see some warmer temperatures soon! Good luck everyone! 10-15 inches of snow expected for NYC! 5th major snow storm in 2 winters for NYC and second major snow this year (I think were only 3 weeks into winter and this comes right after a record breaking storm!)
-Alex

I just brought in my : Windmill Palm, 2 waggie palms, sable minor, 2 needle palms, silver saw palmetto, and butia capitata. Surprisingly since I have them in a south facing microclimate, full sun, and 20 feet above ground level ( where the air is a little warmer ), mulched and crown-wrapped - they all have been doing great and green. However, I looked at the forecast and the temps after the storm passes will drop into the low teens. I will not risk my palms dying. My mom's windmill has completely been fried by the past 2 months' cold weather and it was located at ground level. I'm just happy that my palms lasted so long into this crazy winter so far.

My question is: If I place them inside my house, they are not going to receive any sun (only the light from the room I put them in) ... Should I unwrap the crowns? And when should I place them back outside?

Thank you again for your advice.

Hardy:

can you keep them near a window? and if so, open the window up and let the sun in on them

Just remember this is a big storm, heavy snow and cold temps to follow, so protect everything. they say warm temps next week, high 30's to mid 40's we hope.

i covered up some of my yuccas which are taking a beating this winter...

Mike, what yuccas do you have that are taking a beating? The only yucca of mine that is getting damaged is my Yucca Guatemalensis which has actually been doing a great job hanging in since its already mid January and its still alive (and its a zone 9 plant). Maybe Ill bring it in tonight to keep it alive since I doubt it will survive the predicted temperatures!
And they should be okay without light. I have 2 windmill palms in pots that are seedlings and they are in my unheated garage and get very very little light. They arent having any problems so far and many of my more tropical plants also seem to doing okay in those conditions (they arent growing though).
Good luck!
-Alex

Tomorrow's forecasted low is 17 F, this will be the coldest night of Winter so far (surprisingly still Zone 8B temps). We're going to be well below average for 2 days or so, highs in the 20's. We are in the dead of Winter and all, our average temps should start rising in less than 2 weeks.

I wish the Heat Island effect had as big as an effect on daytime temps as it does on nighttime temps, even if it was just 5 degrees.

I wonder how much snowfall we received.

Hello Everyone...

Just thinking about all of you up north? How is everyone holding up? Hope all is well...

HardyPalmFreak....I would unwrap them while you have them inside...once the hard freeze is over and the temps adjust, I would wrap them again and place them outside (when the temps come up ) While they are inside keep them unwrapped so that the air can circulate and you wont have any moisture problems etc. I would also keep form wateriing them to much...keep them on the dry side....

Take care everyone...

Laura in VB

Hi Laura!
The snow wasnt too bad in my area. I think we had about 5 to 6 inches here. A lot of schools were off (NYC public schools were not), and the roads were bad in the morning, but the roads are mostly better now. I think Central Park recorded about 9 inches which usually would take about an entire day to clean up, but the city was much more prepared after the bad response to the blizzard a few weeks ago (it took a week for most of the roads to be safe to drive on again).
Hopefully this snow will insulate the palms protection because it will get down to the mid (maybe low) teens at night soon, which can cause damage to the even more marginal palms.
Good luck!
-Alex

Hi ALex...great to hear from you!!!

I'm glad you all didn't receive those same totals like the week of Christmas...you all have had enough....
I have been watching the Weather Channel and they have been showing NY City and the mess there!!! Like you said...not the same snow totals like before..thank goodness!!

We were lucky and missed this storm completely...I know that we have had enough too!

Stay warm and remember to keep those sidewalks cleared...My wonderful hubby went on "strike" from shoveling...needless to say I had hard rock "ice" for a week in my driveway..LOL...I don't think he wants to hear me "talk" about clearing the driveway next time...LOL...so hopefully I can put the "Jack Hammer" away!!!!

Take care Alex...and everyone else!!!

Laura in VB

Very cold here, only 20's today, the snow is only on the grass and bushes, streets are cleared.....Palms are doing good covered

BUt we need warmth, where is it?????

Even though it's getting colder currently, the long range forecast has a few days above freezer next week for the NYC area. Hopefully this cold will break soon. I remember lots of days in the 40s some winters and I am hoping for that soon.

Even Florida has really cooled down regularly these past 2 winters. My parents southern Florida place dropped to 34 last nite with a high of 61 today. There's coconut trees there and they survive the short spurts of cold so far, but its happening every 2 weeks it seems.

I remember january and february days in the 50's and 60's which give us a nice break

yes, the cold is hitting all over, except for southern california this week, they are in the 70's and low 80's

Seems like you guys up north (NYC - New England) are sort of taking the beatings you all missed, and we got here in the Mid Atlantic (DC in particular) last winter. No offence, but after our winter here last year (76" of snow) you can have it! lol!

Most of the storms are forming just far enough north that we here are only getting the southern edge, or far enough east that were only getting the far western fringe. We have missed out on the really big snows here by only about 100 miles each time this year.

Hope everyone's palms are doing ok and will come through!

We got a ton of snow here last year too! 3 storms brought 20 inches of snow. I remember hearing that NYC public schools had 2 or 3 snow days which is a lot considering the last snow day for NYC public school was I think about 10 years before that!
You guys did end up with a little bit more last year, but this year it looks like we are ending up with a LOT more! DC has only been getting 1 to 3 inches with the storms that are full out blizzards here in NYC! The blizzard in December really put the city on hold. Few people could get out of their houses and some people were practically stuck inside for a week!
Hopefully this winter will end as quickly as it came (and end soon!). December 1st was in the 60s and ever since it's been cold!
Good luck!
-Alex

January of 2010 had hardly any snow, Feb of 2010 had several major storms...the schools were closed for a day for 2 of the storms and some hit during winter break, so they lucked out...it kills NYC to close the schools because they lose federal money. But we have had a cold december and January, besides the first couple of days in December and the 2 50 degree days on January 1 and 2, it has been below normal. Lets just hope we have an early spring, like we did in March of 2010....we sure need the warmth