Why Palms? A Childhood Obsession
People often ask me, “Why are you so obsessed with palm trees?” My answer goes back to childhood. I can still remember looking up from the pool on vacation, mesmerized by the palmetto fronds swaying above. Growing up in the 1970s in Northern Georgia, I wished I could have palms in my yard, but they were rare back then. Now, when I visit my parents in metro Atlanta, palms are everywhere!
In my adult life, I moved to New York State, which seemed to be the opposite of palm-friendly. But to my surprise, I discovered that deer would leave tropical plants alone, while most other plants were fair game. So, I became a tropical plant hoarder! During the summer, my yard overflowed with vibrant, lush foliage, and come winter, tropical plants filled every room in my house.
My First Outdoor Palms
After reading about Trachycarpus fortunei, also known as the Windmill Palm, I became obsessed with the idea of growing hardy palms outdoors in New York. In 2015, I moved to a new home in Zone 6B, with a blank canvas of a yard and even bamboo groves nearby. It felt like a tiny slice of the tropics! This move marked the beginning of my journey into "zone-pushing" – challenging the limits of cold-hardy tropical plants.
That’s when I found Island Wide Palms, a company in Long Island, NY, that sold large Trachycarpus fortunei and winterization kits. Thanks to them, I had my first real success with keeping palms alive outdoors through a New York winter.
Winterizing Palms: Trial and Error
The Windmill palms are resilient, and with some effort, I learned how to get them through the winter. Here’s my method:
- Frost Cloth and Christmas Lights: I use C9 Christmas lights for warmth, and wrap frost cloth around the palms for insulation.
- PVC Frame: I build a PVC frame around each palm, anchored firmly to withstand wind. PVC screws are essential – otherwise, the wind will tear the structure apart.
With smaller palms under 6 feet, I’ve found they sometimes need extra protection. One smaller palm suffered a "spear pull" (when the growing spear dies), so I upgraded its protection.
Taking It Further: The Canary Island Date Palm Experiment
I thought I’d be satisfied with a few large Trachycarpus in the yard, but I couldn’t stop there. I had a small Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) in a pot for 10 years. Curious to see how it would do in the ground, I researched winterizing techniques for “true tropical” palms. I built a box frame around it with 2-inch foam insulation boards and added Christmas lights. This setup was overkill, but it worked – my Canary Island Date Palm started growing and thriving, and so did my Washingtonia robusta!
Refining My Winter Protection Methods
Over the years, I refined my approach to make the structures lighter, easier to store, and less costly:
- Lighter Frames: I switched from solid wood frames to 1.5” x 2” boards, and reduced foam board thickness from 2 inches to 1 inch.
- 2-Sided Frames: Now, I only use two wood frames, anchoring them around the palm. I let the foam board create the other two sides. This setup is lighter, cheaper, and easier to store.
Next up in the “Palm Construction Lab” is experimenting with a PVC frame that foam boards can screw into, a design that should be even easier to manage as my palms grow.
The Joy of a Tropical Garden in New York
Now, with 15 palms permanently in the ground, I’ve turned my yard into a little tropical paradise on the Hudson River. It’s a labor of love, but it brings me endless joy to feel like I’m on a tropical vacation, right in New York!
If you’d like to see more of my garden or learn about my latest zone-pushing experiments, check out my YouTube Channel, “New York Tropical Garden”, or follow me on Instagram under the same name. I love connecting with other gardeners who share my passion for bringing the tropics to unexpected places.
