I got my palm from Pike last week, and my question is when I should take my palm out of that pot and plant it outside? Associate at Pike told me I should plant it out side in mid Apr this year even its in 5gal pot would that be any problem doing that or it will survive coming winter of Atlanta, GA? And if so what is the best way to cover, protect my palm? Can someone help Please? Thanks Parth A.
Depends on what species of palm it is. Hardy palms like Rhapidophyllum hystrix (Needle Palm), Trachycarpus fortunei (Chusan Palm) and Serenoa repens (Saw Palmetto) should be OK without any additional protection; others might need some covering.
I believe Atlanta and Vancouver are both in zone 8. It's common to see Trachycarpus fortunei planted outside here. Some people opt to protect their trees, many don't. The protective measures could be insurance against unexpected cold snaps or for colder microclimates.
You should be able to plant it outside at that size, but you may need to mulch it for the first winter or two. With the weather Atlanta has been having, there shouldn't be any problem with planting it out within a week or two. For more info, you should check out the "Hardy Palm & Subtropical Board".
Seems to be about a 10F cutoff. Below that you might want to provide protection, if you don't want the top to get burned.
