I live in SC also. I was told not to mulch them. I was told to use the stones are lava rocks you buy at Lowes. The mulch you buy is supposed to be treated for fungus. Because they are having to produce so much today they are not doing a good job of treating it. ThatÂs what the guy who put in my Palmettos said.

I live in Northern Virginia and I put about 8-10" of pine straw around mine and they seem fine. I have Trachycarpus Fortunei and hybrids, sabal louisianas, minors, birminghams and brazorias and several needle palms. All have had 3-9" of snow on them with no protection other than mulch and they are all fine. The sagos I have in the ground will get frost cloth with x-mas lights with pinestraw as an insulator. What other types of palms do you have? Where in SC are you closest to, Charleston, Columbia or Greenville?

I am in the Sumter/Florence area. I have two VERY small sagos, two mexican fan palms and one that I am not sure of the name.

I also have some seedlings that were given to me - I'm not sure what kind they are and some seedlings that I planted from what I believe is a cabbage palm. The tree is planted where I work and seedlings come up all around it. So far two of them have put out new fronds and the rest are just sitting there.

Maxcat, I was looking at your page and notice that you went from roses to tropical. I was more of a cottage and roses gardener and then during some work trips to Florida I started to drift more towards tropical type garding. My last trip was to Tampa where I was completely won over.

We have some relatively major yard renovations planned over the winter so I can put in two or three nice sized palms in the spring. The pindos seem to do very well around here so I think I will start with those.

From looking at pics on this forum I am also becoming fond of the spindle palms but would have to learn to keep plants in pots. I am much better with things I can plant in the ground.

I am including a link to a photobucket page with pics of the few palms that I have.

Here is a link that might be useful: palms and other stuff

Your palms and other cold hardy tropicals should be just fine with mulch during the winter. You are close enough to the coast to have a milder winter than western SC.

I didn't see any palms in your "bucket" to worry about. The Washie is iffy but they're cheap enough to replace.

Are you a member of www.SEpalms.org ?