Washington robusta

Help my palms looks like its dying I have them pot planted and they are outside I bought winter fleece covers to keep warm like advised but since I put hem on they are growing and looming a bit limp I have taken the Blankets off and created a shelter for them and that's as far as I got I can't put them indoors as I have young kids

 

Washingtonia is not one of the hardiest palms available, especially when young.

Fleece helps, but anything lower than -5C is likely to kill a young pot growing plant.

It does however have one of the best powers of recovery of almost any palm we can grow here, its fast moving in good conditions.
I find keeping the crown of the plant dry is one of the best ways of getting them through a cold spell alive, but probably still damaged.

 

Pardon my ignorance as I am still a novice to majority of gardening plants what is the crown of he plant, luckily where I am located it hasn hit -5 yet but I don't think it will be much longer until we do

 

What I call the "crown" is the part where the new leaves come from, if you can keep that part and the stem alive it will grow three or four new leaves next summer.

Often water collects in the growing point and freezes causing the centre to rot.

Drastic advice, but if all the leaves appear dead you could cut them off now and move the plants into a shed or similar.

 

So how would you tackle the issue I got wrap the top only and leave the pot exposed, it's not a plastic pot or terracotta but is thick and is very heavy

 

Wrapping is not a good idea, it also causes rot.
I just put a plastic cover over the top of mine, to keep the rain off, but allow air flow.

Then on only really cold nights do I throw a blanket over the whole thing.

 

Ok cool I'll keep hoe I have mine at the moment then as I have 2 chairs back to back with the fleece cover floating over the top of them as it's the type that allows light through and some water thankyou for your help hopefully it will pick up soon also what food do you recommend for it I'm told bonemeal but would rather advice from someone who has them then a member of the local b&q

 

Dont expect much in the way of it picking up until about April/May.

No feeding until atleast then or better mid summer.

Then just use a balanced liquid feed.

 

Mine which has been planted for three years has gone brown after just a few frosts but unless we have -4c or under for days it will be ok and regrow in the summer, As Pete has said Washys often defoliate in our climate so don't worry about it yet.
Last October.


Now.

 

Yeah mine looks like the bottom photo but the leaves are touching the ground

 

And mine is not that old I had from summer it's not mature yet but still young

 

If you can, put the pots right up against the side of the house. It will give them extra protection and possibly some heat through the walls.

 

Ok been out to have a look at the palms a wrap the crown have I done this correctly


And do you think they will come back in spring? Please excuse the wood in background that's the gazebo and deck I started to build

 

Jason, it might work, but you need to keep the plants dry.
That wrapping is OK, but it will get soggy and cause rot.

 

Ok thanks I'll put a little shelter up for it I got some old clear poly tunnel I'll use