Thank you so much for your response! That really helped to set my mind at ease. I was really, really worried about the trees, especially since one of the trees is showing no signs of life. I was afraid that the other two would quickly follow suit. Am I correct that we should be fertilizing during the summer months?

How did your palms over winter this past winter.

I'm in Toronto a block from Lake Ontario zone 6b.

• I just planted a Chinese palm, a Bismarck palm which i decided to bring in along with my 3 Majesty Palms for winter this year. Only the Chinese Palm will be outdoors all winter. I will wrap it with burp then with pipe heating wire which will be connected to a thermo cube that turns power on only when the temperature drops below 2c. (The cube needs to be in the shelter but not to close to the wire.) Then I will wrap it again with bubble wrap. Then build a R20 insulation box around it. I will also add 2 vents for those warm winter days so not to overheat the plant. my Chinese palm is about 7 to 8 feet tall at this time. The trunk is at ground level. My first winter test will be 2017/2018 winter. I will also be adding a wireless temperature guage to keep an eye on the high and low temperatures during the days and nights from inside my home.

• A guy in Kingston Ontario left his Chinese palm outside, covered with leaves and a garbage can unheated; while the temperature got -27c for several days both his Chinese palm and his in laws palms survived.

• Let me know you do.

  Yes fertilize 3 times, spring, summer and fall. My understanding is that the best fertilizer for the palms is 12-3-12, 13-4-13 or 8-2-12 are some suggestions I've seen. Just can't find any around here yet. I may have to contact manufacturers.

Hey KB, I'll be trying to protect palms for the first time this next winter too, but, I thought you put the thermocube outside. I have seen Youtube videos showing it outdoors of the protection. I guess outside you know your tree is warmer? I wondered if you can use more than 1 of the indoor/outdoor temp gauges, and they will all be accurate? If you have only 1 you would'nt know, but, what if you have more than 1 tree protected? I had 2 of them last year, but not in tree shelters, and one didn't work. I don't know if it was just a bad gauge or if you can't use more than 1, that the info gets messed up or something like that. If anyone knows are Windmill palms fussy about soil or nutrients, I just had a new 1 die on me or is near death. Maybe I watered it too much, it's in a pot with big drainage holes though.

Hi Poaky1.

I'm not sure if more than one guage will conflict, there may be a switch on them to set them to different frequencies. Not sure on that. With the cost of hydro up here in Ontario I'll be putting my thermocube in with the plant but not touching the plant. Plus 2c (35F) in the box is safe, I think the thermocube would be also protected inside the enclosure. It's a personal choice i guess, both will work. Now the question, do i use heating plumbing wire or do I use small lights. I'm leaning towards heating plumbing wire. I'm in zone 6b.

I know KB, I may try some pipe wire, but, I do know I'll need christmas lights for the 2 palms I have also. I should likely get C-9 lights for the 2 palms I have. I will be making protective structures for my 2 palms, 1 is a "Needle palm" and it is in apot, but, my Windmill palm" is in the ground in my yard next to my dogs yard, and in partial sun and shade. I think that this plant should do fine here, or at least hope so. That is other than thje hardiness zone info, I'm oinj zone 6a, and windmill pLM IS ZONE 7A.

Good morning.
I think you will be fine for what you plan on doing. If you go on YouTube type in Montreal Palms, there is a guy there who calls himself Coconut Mike who has dozens of palms in his yard. He's a landscaper and his yard looks great specially in the video with flowers planted throughout his palms. There is another guy in Kingston Ontario (YouTube it) who didn't use any heat at all just leaves and a garbage can over his palm. His Chinese Fan Palms survived -27c no heat at all. That's why I think you are on the right track and should do well. If you don't mind i would like to keep in contact so we can help each other out. I saw a video on YouTube the other day of another guy who's palms were in the low -30c and survived. I just can't recall which video it was. I think it was also from Quebec like Coconut Mike.

Hey KB, this is my second attempt to send you an email my computer froze up the first time, sigh :(. Anyways, i will be using some protection methods I've seen on Youtube from someone in Avella, Pa, near me sorta. It's all basically the same as the guys in Canada, and I have seen their videos of their protective boxes. I have purchased the wire fencing to make the structure, the tarp and heavy frostcloth, the tent stakes to make sure the shelter can withstand any heavy winds. I also have a ton of burlap fabric, it was on sale at Joann fabrics I have a bunch now. I just need to get the lights, and outdoor cords, I have the Thermocubes 2 of them.

I have seen that the Needle palm in the folks near Pittsburgh, Pa did fine with just leaves over them and no heat, but, the leaves looked yucky, so I may just use lights on it, the Windmill palm will need lights too under the shelter, for sure. I sent the above email because I didn't know if my computer would freeze up again. I have seen shelters by someone with smaller (like mine) Windmill palms and I will be using this same kinda metal fencing until my palms get bigger, using bubble wrap and covering the outside of the shelter well, wrapping the palm in burlap, using C-9 lights inside and the Thermocube. I had lost a Windmill palm that I had potted right after getting it, but, I have planted the next 1 I ordered in the ground and it's fine. I have seen the guys in Canadas palms, they are all great, but, I will be using different kinds of shelters, but, I have seen that these guys in Avella, Pa have used them for several years, and that's closer to me than Canada, so I am thinking that making shelters like the Avella, Pa guys use will be more reusable than any stryrofoam shelters. I just need to purchase lights and extension cords for the 2 palms I have (Needle and Windmill) palms. I currently use Christmas lights, ( non-led) lights on my Live oak tree, and have for the last 2 years. I will need to purchase 3 extension cords for outdoor lights, 1 with a triple plug in or 2 with enough plugs for my 3 plants that need plugged in. My mom's puppy chewed through the 1 for the Live oak in spring.

In case that was confusing, I have 1 Needle palm, and 1 Windmill palm now, and I will just get another cord to plug in some little non-LED lights to protect my Live oak.

Hi poaky1, I just joined a Facebook group called "Zone Pushers: Gardening Beyond Your Zone". There are people from all over here. Check it out. I have talked with a couple people already. Seems like a good place to ask questions and share stories.

Thanks KB, I said above about sending an email, but, I meant a post on here. I don't go on facebook, I've had old school friends badger me to go on, but, I would rather BS directly with any close friends. My good friend's have (all but 1 ) BEEN IN MY LIFE since High school. I just have 1 who moved to Maryland from my area in Pa. Okay, 1 is in Wv, but, we've been in constant contact, and my BFF has been in close contact with me since my graduation, and she is local. I recently spent time with the 1 who moved to Maryland this past July. Sorry, KB, it sounds like fun, but, I prefer to not have to use my real name. I may go on facebook, and check it out, but, I really do still talk to my close friends on the phone except for the 1 gal in Mary;land.

Hi poaky1.

Here is a person down in Ohio who's transformed his/her backyard into a living jungle. Look on YouTube for "Midwest Banana Farm". It looks like a jungle, lots bananas, caster bean plants, and elephant ear but I didn't see any palms.

Hey KB, I have a Musa Basjoo banana, and an Ensete banana, along with 3 Cannas and 3 Elephant ears. The Musa Basjoo and the 3 elephant ears should be able to overwinter in the ground this winter, I'll just need to dig up my Cannas 3 of em, and move my ensete banana and in my basement this winter, I also have a Pineapple lily that will need moved indoors in winter. I have "Pink china" elephant ears, and they are said to be truly zone 6 hardy. I have them mulched well. I've been overwintering Calla lilies for about 3 years now in a raised bed up[ against the house) but they are in a bunch of shade so only get a couple flowers on them. I will likely try to make a raised bed in more sun next year, right up against the foundation, and dig out some of the Calla lily plants. In more sun they should do well. I'll be looking for the "Midwest banana farm". BTW, my Windmill palm is doing great in my native soil, I will be making my shelters soon, I already have all the materials to make it. I just am not sure how I'll make the wire enclosures a nice circle without it being not a perfect round enclosure. You know how wire on a roll wants to kink? I'm sure it will work out. I still need to plant my Needle palm in the ground. I should do that ASAP, so it gets settled in the ground before winter. It's been fine in a pot, unlike the Windmill palm that hated being in a pot. My first purchased Windmill palm died from me watering it too much in a pot. WE were having 90'sF so I was afraid it would dry out in it's pot so I watered it everyday. My first Windmill palm did have a rotten middle stem, so it did die in the pot. I'll be checking the "Midwest banana farm" now thanks KB.