Coming out of the closet

last year

last modified: last year

Tomorrow, will be bringing out the subtropicals from the garage/greenhouse..., Cycads, Citrus, Palms, Oleanders, Agaves, loquats, olives, hardy bananas, etc. here in NJ (Zone 7b).

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41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
Original Author

last year

last modified: last year

Been doing this for some 30 years at least. I can't keep up with watering when it starts getting warmer and the sun starts to bake the south-facing garage. I am not putting "tender" plants out as they have been enduring chilly temps all winter in the garage. My garage collection is limited to mostly subtropicals with some degree of cold tolerance (Cycas revoluta, Dioon edule, Washingtonia, Butia (Pindo Palms), Eriobotra japonica (loquats), Phoenix canariensis, Syagrus/Queen palms, Even my White Giant Bird (Strelitzia nicoli) and Chamaedorea (a genus with many mountain species) have been doing fine, The only ones I may have to lug in again are the Citrus, but they were all so dry on the verge of death. I I have lost more plants over the years from under-watering than the cold, so this mild week of heavy rain will help them. Meantime, temps into the two week for the East are mild and WET into mid March. Today was in the mid-upper 60's and I see nothing under 40 as a minimum into the extended.

P.S., Hardy bananas will not come out until some time in April, depending.

P.S.2. Wow, just checked your local forecast in PNW8/9, that is cold. Typical for the West to be cold when the East is warm and vice versa. However, the Northeast is a global warming HOT spot, with winter warming especially fast in New England. Also the region with THE greatest increase in annual precip.. Scientists not sure why, may be related to record high ocean temps in the Northwest Atlantic, so off the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.

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Comments (10)

poncirusguy6b452xx
last year
Mine are going out today.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
I'm in a much milder zone but we are nowhere near read to move tender stuff outside. Nighttime temps still hover right around freezing or slightly above (a hail storm and some light snow last night - only 37F now at 8:30 am) and I never move out anything until nighttime temps maintain at at least 45 degrees, if not higher.
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popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
last year
You're so lucky! I can't put anything out until after Memorial Day. I was trying to console my Ficus Audrey yesterday because she really wants to go outside!
41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Ficus are mostly super tropical, would NEVER put one outside here this early. Only subtropical Ficus I know, are the cold hardy (here), true FIGS (F. carica) and the creeping fig but I have NEVER kept the creeping one alive for more than a few hours, they need constant watering, and I have 0 time or patience for that! I love most Ficus though.

P.S., Climate in Colorado is NUTS! Had and East coast friend who moved out to Colorado Springs, loves it, but says that she can NEVER alternate SUMMER vs. WINTER clothes as you can be warm in mid Winter and freezing in May! My growing season is pretty long, especially in more recent years..., so like 220 plus days at least. This winter was especially mild my camellia are now at peak and will soon shut down tiil next November. So, yeah, pretty much like northern Alabama here now, climatologically speaking.
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
last year
Beautiful! We can't even grow Camelias here. I'm really jealous.
41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
They have never been at peak here, at 41 North, this early (February-early March), normally mid to late March. Popmoma, not just your climate, they are pH acid loving big time. I LOVE them too! Most of the plants I love seem to be acid-loving; gardenias, hydrangeas, rhododendrons , magnolias, azaleas, etc...

M. grandiflora 'Victoria'
41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
Original Author
last year

Still in peak, this year, they started to bloom in November into December. then January into February, but March is the peak, once it get past mid April, they are off for the summer, so strictly flower in the cold or chilly months. I just bought another, this one, double, medium pink. So far, liking this Spring, it has been moderate without any real cold, have had all my subtropicals (Citrus, palms) out since March 1st. Went back for yet another, all sold out within a week.
Meyermike(Zone 6a Ma.)
last year
All my citrus are outside here in New England. Even with snow on them during our snow storm last week which we didn’t get all winter. They did well. I keep them on the cold side all winter anyways, so they are use to it.
My camellia blooms like crazy on my cold porch. But once the temps warm too much they wither away so outside it went. Smells so good.
I can’t wait for the temps to be consistently above the forties which isn’t until May. Even then we are know to get a frost here and there and I refuse to play musical chairs with mine. Ha
Mike
41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Gotta say, I liked this Spring! No late arctic air masses (thank you CANADA!) Most of my tropicals/subtropicals came out on March 2nd (Citrus, Cycads, Date palms, fan palms, loquats, gingers, Queens, Pindos). Many years I hated April WORST for sending in subfreezing temps in April.