What does your pond look like ... Today?

[sissy]

I am amazed at what some people do with their ponds ,bonsai what next .I would not have thought they could live like that .But you never know until you try it .I wish I had the time for that .

 

[j.w]

Pond partially frozen, net broken on one side again. Pretty tho. Warmed up to 35f so far.

 

[sissy]

If I don't see more snow this year I will be happy

 

[CSMcMullen1]

If I don't see more snow this year I will be happy

I haven't had any to speak of really. It got cold for a few days that's about it..

 

[sissy]

We had 1 snow storm but snow only lasted 1 day which is fine with me

 

[brokensword]

Pond partially frozen, net broken on one side again. Pretty tho. Warmed up to 35f so far.

View attachment 108441
View attachment 108442

jw; does that palm I'm seeing actually survive freezing temps? If so, what kind is it? Didn't think palms were that hardy...might have to see about one for my yard!

So, memories of Michigan been satiated now? Are you ready to go back to reporting r**in???

Michael

 

[j.w]

Yes it makes it through our freezes. It is a Chinese Windmill Palm. Not sure how cold it can go tho. It gets lots colder in Michigan then here and for longer periods. I started 3 from seeds many yrs ago and two died after I put them out in the ground. They were only a couple feet tall when they died and it was in the winter. I was covering them in the Winter as when young they need to become well established before they can survive the cold. Maybe if started by seed outside they would be more hardy.
Here is an article that might help you:
http://botanyboy.org/the-windmill-palm-trachycarpus-fortunei-king-of-the-cold-hardy-palms/

And no I am never ready to go back to rain. Michigan winters are way colder than here. I do not miss Michigan winters or Summers. I'm just fine here and perhaps we will do more traveling to warmer climates in Winters to come. We need a new truck and a 5th wheel.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

A little bit of plant growth in the bog. Nothing significant, but it's still nice to see, even though it's only February.

This is Bottle Gentian. I had it in my native garden last year but moved it over to my bog in Autumn, since I only had two plants and they were going to be out-competed by other, larger species in my native garden. Hopefully it'll work in my bog. Looks like it made it just fine through winter.

 

[Patfish]

Yes it makes it through our freezes. It is a Chinese Windmill Palm. Not sure how cold it can go tho. It gets lots colder in Michigan then here and for longer periods. I started 3 from seeds many yrs ago and two died after I put them out in the ground. They were only a couple feet tall when they died and it was in the winter. I was covering them in the Winter as when young they need to become well established before they can survive the cold. Maybe if started by seed outside they would be more hardy.
Here is an article that might help you:
http://botanyboy.org/the-windmill-palm-trachycarpus-fortunei-king-of-the-cold-hardy-palms/

And no I am never ready to go back to rain. Michigan winters are way colder than here. I do not miss Michigan winters or Summers. I'm just fine here and perhaps we will do more traveling to warmer climates in Winters to come. We need a new truck and a 5th wheel.

Now I want a palm tree!
How old is the one in the picture?
How tall is it?
You started it from seeed?
I see seeds on ebay for $1.90 and free shipping

 

[brokensword]

Pat; read the link jw posted; I think anything less than zone 7 is iffy re keeping these alive. It's the prolonged cold, not just cold, that does them in. I've decided to forego a palm as I'm in zone 5, which they didn't even give an honorable mention. Still, if you try, I'll be keeping tabs on your progress to see if it makes it through a zone 6 winter.

 

[j.w]

It's prolly about 8 or 9 yrs old if you count when 1st put seeds in pots and about 6ft tall. Yep I went to our Zoo here in Seattle one year in early Spring and picked up a few and planted them in pots in my greenhouse. 3 sprouted after many months, maybe even a year. I should have scarified them and they would have sprouted sooner I found out later. Oh well. When they got about a foot tall I transplanted them outside one Spring. We had a winter a couple years after I planted them that killed two of them. Thankfully one made it and is doing great now.
Here are some growth photos from when 1st planted till now.
You will need fresh seeds and hope they are fertile.
Other wise buy them at already grown plants somewhere online. Might not be cheap tho.
Taken in August 2011

Taken in July 2012

Taken Aug 2013

Taken August 2014

Taken March 2015

Taken August 2015

Taken Dec 2016

Taken May 2017

And this Winter February 2018

 

[sissy]

I have the same looking palm that is cold hardy .I have 2 of them .It gets black seeds one it that fall to the ground and make babies

 

[j.w]

Again w/more snow last night...................I thought all was lost but alas I get another winter wonderland walk in today!
Need lots of exercise now to work off all that crab I ate last night

 

[sissy]

JW does your palm get black seeds on it that drop to the ground and grow .I have tried picking the seeds but they won't grow but if they drop to the ground they grow

 

[j.w]

My palm is too young yet to get seeds. I only have one palm and I hear you need a male and a female plant to get fertile seeds. Sometimes they say they will turn into a hermaphrodite plant that will self pollinate but that is rare. If you scarify the seeds before you plant them they might grow in a pot. Mine took forever when I grew them in a pot cuz I did not do that. If they grow when on the ground why not just let them and then pluck them up if you want to move them?