BOTANIX - Broadway Gardens & Rice Road Greenhouses

new plants for 2008

Some great new plants arrived this week. See below for details.

Hardy Tropicals

Hardy tropical's is a confusing term but we understand it to mean out of zone plants that will survive here with some protection. The Niagara Region is usually a zone 7a or 6b depending on the winter. Growing plants outside their usual hardiness zone provides a few challenges, but there is also a satisfaction to be gained from succeeding with something most books tell you shouldn't grow here. Do your own research, explore, experiment and have fun.

***Broadway Gardens does not guarantee these plants over winter.

Shipping:

Broadway Gardens will ship plants up to a 7gal. pot (max. height 48") to areas within Canada. We will charge you for the plant, the shipping charges that we are charged and $15.00 or $25.00 for packaging ($25.00 is for 7gal. pots).

hardy palms

Palm Trees in Niagara?

Sure! There are a few types of palm trees that will survive down to about –18 C. Palm trees are very slow growing evergreens. That means you must protect them in winter to protect the existing foliage.

How Hardy Are They?

I just had a look around my garden today (March 14, 2007). Now that the snow has melted away and revealed what was left of my first year palm transplants I found it interesting to note that the Trachycarpus has browned into non-existence, the Sabals have brown tips and the Needles are as green as last fall. None of these plants had any winter protection nor extra mulch. The Trachys would have survived had they been properly insulated. They may yet send up new spears, so I'll leave them for now and keep you posted. I don't advise that you leave these plants unprotected, they will survive much better under a thick layer of leaf mulch or other insulating material.

* Update on June 8: The Needle is looking a little tired (although still green) and I am waiting to see new shoots emerge. I sacrificed one of the Windmills to the knife to see what was happening on the inside... No green anywhere, so I pulled the other two out as well. I will protect them next winter. (I didn't this time.) The Sabal has browned some more since March but is still green at the base. I've had this for two winters and it sent out new leaves last summer after doing the same browning trick in spring.

Update on July 25: No new growth on the Needle yet but otherwise fine. The Sabal is producing new growth (finally).

Update on August 27: I was surprised to see two new fans emerging from my sad little Needle Palm. While I suppose it isn't thrilling to have to wait until nearly September for new growth, I am nevertheless amazed that the thing not only survived last winter (its first in the garden) with no protection, but that it produced new growth. The Sabal's new fans continue to grow.

Update on October 19: The new leaves on the Needle have been chewed off. *&#* rabbit!

Tips for insulating palms as suggested by experimental gardeners who have tried.

Use loose leaf mulch piled to cover all parts of the palm. This still allows them to breath while protecting foliage against drying air and sunburn.

Use a fungicide in the crown (before piling on the mulch) to protect against rot. The last thing you want to see in spring is a new spear which will never grow because it has rotted at the base.

If you use plastic coverings remember not to put it on too early and to lift it on warm, sunny winter days (yes we have those) otherwise your palm can "cook"