I just bought a Mexican Fan Palm from a nursery in Southern California on my way back to Utah. It was only 8 bucks so I figured eh, what the hell, you know? Anyway, I am confident it will thrive in the summer months, but I am going to need to find a way to keep it warm in December/January. Has anybody tried these things before? http://www.palmenheizung.de/index_engl.html I am tempted to buy one of those and see what happens... I could probably make my own if I tried. Anybody know where to get the heated cords? I know they sell the heated low voltage cords at the home centers to keep ice melted on the edge of the roofs, I was thinking of possibly using some of this to wrap the trunk. Also, what about the top of the palm (the crown?) those probably need to be heated some way as well. I saw another users on here "utahpalm" had several growing north of here in Salt Lake City with good results. Any ideas?
I have several mexican fan palms I just bought a shoplight with two 48 inch daylight bulbs and stuck it in a room that had controlled temp around 80 to 90 and then on sunny days I put them by the window. When I bought mine in october it measured about 27 inches and now it measures 72 inches, I live in North dakota which is more north, so it can be done. Also they threive on sandy organic soil. Which I bought at my local lowes they sell miracle grow organic potting soil and they also sell what is called desert sand and all I did was mix the 5lb bag of sand with the organic soil and they seem to love it. I hope this helps.
Good ideas, man... My only concern is the Mexi Fans can grow anywhere from 60-100 feet tall!!! You mentioned shop lights in your post... I was thinking I could use one of those 150w heat bulbs and just place the ground and I think it would keep it above freezing insize the palm shelter. I was reading on another post here and some guy got chicken wire and made a cylindrical enclosure then he put leaves inside the enclosure to insulate the palm... i was thinking I could get that transparent plastic and wrap it around the enclosure to make portable greenhouse. Something that would be cheap and easy to put up and take down. Possibly support the enclosure with guide wires to keep it standing straight and help the enclosure stay upright in fierce winds. That combined with the heat bulb I think I could keep it above 40 degrees fahrenheit inside the enclosure.
