- Wintering the hemp palm: When will the hemp palm get too cold?
- Winter hemp palm in the bed
- Overwinter hemp palm in a pot
- Care for the hemp palm after winter
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Even though the hemp palm comes from the tropics, it can survive our winters. We show you how to overwinter your hemp palm in a pot or bed.
Hemp palms (Trachycarpus) survive snow and sub-zero temperatures outdoors if properly prepared. But how exactly does the hemp palm have to be protected?
Palm trees are commonly associated with the beach, warmth and sunshine. But even in our region there are quite a few species that thrive in your own garden with the right care - the hemp palms are one of them. When older specimens are often ten meters in size, it will be difficult to find a place to overwinter anyway. That's why we're going to show you here how you can easily get your hemp palm tree through the winter.
Wintering the hemp palm: When will the hemp palm get too cold?
Since hemp palms still grow at high altitudes in the Himalayas, they are quite hardy when it comes to cold. They can withstand cold temperatures of up to -17 °C if they don’t last too long, and snow doesn’t harm them either. However, the leaves die off at such low temperatures if they are not properly protected. For this reason, you should winterize your plant when night-time temperatures fall below -10 °C or when temperatures drop below freezing for a longer period of time during the day.
Hemp palms that are younger than three years should be overwintered indoors, as they are even more sensitive. The species Trachycarpus kumaon and Trachycarpus nepal also do not tolerate such low temperatures. These species should be exposed to a maximum of -13 °C or -10 °C.
Winter hemp palm in the bed
Hemp palms have two particularly sensitive organs: the roots and the heart. It's a good idea to protect these two spots, especially if your palm is less than a meter tall.
- To protect the roots, you should cover a layer of mulch about 20 to 30 centimeters thickput the trunk on the ground. Straw or fir branches are also suitable. If the palm tree has been growing outdoors for several years, it has probably moved its roots far from the top layer of soil, which is vulnerable to frost, to deeper layers. Of course, this protection makes sense, especially for palm trees that were only planted last spring.
- The heart, i.e. the point where all the leaves come together, needs special protection from cold and moisture. To do this, tie the leaves together at the top, but please not too tightly so as not to damage the leaves. For additional protection, especially in cold regions, you can also fill the resulting cavity above the heart with straw and wrap it with light-colored winter fleece.
- During longer periods of rain, put a transparent bag over the crown to protect against moisture. However, make sure that any condensation water that forms can run off downwards and remove the bag again after the rainy season.
- In extreme cold, it makes sense to also protect the trunk and wrap it with fleece or hemp mats. In fact, a light hose also helps here, which also looks decorative in the dark months.
Overwinter hemp palm in a pot
If hemp palms are to be overwintered outside in a pot, the same applies as if they are overwintered in the bed. In addition, however, the pot must be wrapped with straw mats or the like to prevent the cold from penetrating from the side. More permeable and not soggy substrate makes it easier for the plant to survive frost unscathed. It is also best to protect your hemp palm in the bucket by placing it in a sunny location near a house wall, which can store heat and absorb the wind.
If you prefer to overwinter your hemp palm indoors, you should choose a cool location. Temperatures of 6 °C to 10 °C are absolutely fine, but in a location with little light, it should be colder than too warm. Since the air is often very dry in winter, especially indoors, you should occasionally spray the hemp palm with water to prevent spider mites.
Care for the hemp palm after winter
After the hemp palm was only able to grow slowly due to the cold and less light in winter, it can now really get going again in spring. Of course, it needs more nutrients and water than in winter. And as soon as it's back at night it's always positivetemperature range remains, she looks forward to a location outside. Work such as repotting that may be necessary is now on the agenda again.
You can find more information about caring for hemp palms here.