Post #474698 by mick9 on Wed, Aug 5, 2009 7:20 AM

For the winter in the pacific northwest... Well for me it is south coast because Im in BC, You can wrap the trunk in christmas lights to keep it warm at night. Also Mulch,mulch , mulch. Then in the spring dig a few feet out all the way around the tree and compost with mushroom manure,peat,and good quality top soil. A friend of mine who is in horticulture said our cycle of warm winters are over and we may be looking at extremely cold bitter winters for the next 15 years or so.Remember the winters in the 60s and 70s? then the warm winters of the 80s and 90s? these are cycles, and unfortunately it will be very difficult to keep palm and banana without alot of prevention and care.I bring mine inside in the winters. Big pots. place a bunch of lava rock on the soil to keep the cats from digging in the pots.Good Luck.

Oh I forgot to mention a couple miles from my house were two Huge palms about 12-15 ft tall beside the hwy. The have been there many years. After last winter..Both dead.They pulled them down. I think the only place you will be able to keep palms is right on the ocean. Kits beach ,English Bay.The winters are going to be brutal.

[ Edited by: mick9 2009-08-05 09:13 ]