Since I am lazy,I prefer to make it as easy as possible,really.
It has nothing to do with having over 60 palms/cactus to protect! LOL

Here are 4 methods I have tried and like,all but the
bigger "hoop" house are heated with X-mas lights...my favorite(:

All of them together.

O.k. really 5 ways,there may even be a few more in there somewhere.

I covered my Sequoia with this umbrella greenhouse,
I love these things but they take a lot of heat.
This is what I used the first year for the first
2 Trachys I ever planted.

I have no name for this but it is kinda my favorite...
one layer of green plastic coated fencing with 2 layers
1" clear bubble wrap and a layer of opaque foam between.
I use a trash can lid with a burlap coffee bag in-between
for insulation,it can also be draped over the south side
if the sun is heating them to much..15-20 7wt(x-mas) lights.

Large "Rose cones" protected all my Tree ferns etc.
8/7wt bulbs all hooked into a thermocube/on at 35F/off 45F.

Washys cover this way-same double b-wrap,thermocube etc,
I will need to add 2' to these this year-and more x-mas lights.

I opened the top on these when I could.

Heres what I did the first winter(-:
pretty wasteful but fun!
Now that the palms/etc have grown so much I can't afford to light up the neighborhood!-LOL

More insulation less lights these winters!

Anyway,that is some of what I have done over the years
(not all though)hopefully this will give some of us some better
ideas on how to improve protection-like me!

Temps in the garden have ranged between -18F and 106F over the past 4 years.

Its the fencing idea I like and the layers of protection. Lights are key as well for the fridgid nights.

Wetsuiter, here in NY zone 7a-b I cover mine by Thanksgiving to be on the safe side.

It is different every year but as Greg
mentioned Thanksgiving is usually the time to do it...
here anyway.

I basically look at if temps are going into the teens
or if the highs look to be below freezing and there
isn't any warmth or recovery back to above freezing likely.

Rainfall and below 20 in 48hrs can be another signal,
esp if temps have been mild in advance of this scenario.

For my area, I'm thinking I'll have to winterize the pindo closer to early to Mid December here. Our December average high is still 49 and average low 33 (January is 45/28). http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate.php?location=USDE0030.

We typically don't see any winter precip until after the New Year and any temps below 20 are thankfully rare. But I know my pindo won't much like those typical rainy 35 degree days any more than it would like a few inches of heavy wet snow or an occasional night around 18F.

I started protecting my palms last year in mid December and the year before it was mild enough for me to uncover my palms for Christmas and a few times in January and February as well. Thanksgiving is usually a little too early for me since I need a few weeks of doing nothing to recover from bringing all my plants indoors! I protect my plants when temperatures are forecasted to dip below 25F (just in case they end up dipping much lower), but if its a warm day that follows cold temperatures, then I will leave some of the palms, like the trachycarpus, unprotected from 25F. It all depends on the weather. I dont usually heat my palms when it snows (depending on the temperatures for that week), but I always cover them unless the snow is a very light dusting.

Thanks for posting pics Jim.
-Alex

Butia is one touch palm,mine has never pulled...knock on wood.

It easily takes down to 20F.

Wetsuiter

Luckily I don't have to do everything at once,the only
plants I start digging up(around now)are the ones coming inside,I don't want them
damaged and I give them time to adjust to potted life before being brought inside.

I let the Bananas going in the basement get frosted as their
leaves will be removed anyway,gives me more time to enjoy them.

I usually cover the cactus Oct 1,or at least put up the framework
to tarp them if it rains but it has been so dry the last 3 1/2 months that I will not
worry about it yet,they could actually use up to an inch of rain.
We have not had a single rain event over 1/2" in 3 months
and only about one of those per month!

Anyway,after everything is nuked by frost,I remove it and
I get to enjoy the palms and cactus for a while....
without all the clutter!-LOL

(-;

BTW

Check out how low the humidity has bottomed out the last 4 days.

Oct
1.20%
2.10%
3.4%
4.6%

Of the most "popular"/available T.ferns I think D.Fibrosa
D.Antarctica and C.Australis top the list.
You may see some argument there but some others I have read
about seem almost impossible to find.

This will be the last year I can use the same size Rose cones
on all of them because next year the Cooperi will be to big
(to much trunk),this presents a problem because they are
all on the same Thermocube...perhaps another one for the
Cooperi will solve the problem.
Since I remove most of the leaves it shouldn't be to big a
problem to cover them,the Washys will be tougher.
Washys will already need a 6' tall cover and next year could
be 9-10'+!

(-:

You can search for Umbrella greenhouses,mostly
now they say "out of stock" these days for some reason.
They work great but require a lot of heat as they are only one layer thick.
They would probably work well in warmer climate as
they are easy to remove and apply(-:

Jim,

Thanks for the detailed pics on your protection methods. You have always done a great job protecting all of your tropicals C&S Palms. etc. You definately know what you are doing and i might add...that you do a great job!!!

Wetsuiter,

You will have no problem protecting your Pindo this winter.

Like Greg and Alex, they have protected theirs and it will be easy for you too!

Im going to need the experience of Jim to protect my "Big Daddy" Agave that i planted in the ground this summer.

I think im going to throw frost cloth over it and maybe use christmas lights or heat tape to keep it comfy under the cloth...

Tarp too, JIM? What do you think? Do you take yours in every year? I cant remember...

Thanks!!!

Take care,

Laura in VB

Maybe you will need a tarp too,it just depends on how low the temps get...
I would use the C-7 lights and remember the more covers you
use the better the insulation/less warmth you need.
I have covered mine like that in fall if there
are just a few cold nights coming
and I don't want to remove it....
Remember,snow is your friend in winter if you have it covered
and will help keep the temps up in the protection.
I would put a remote sensor in there to see what the temps are,
once you do that for a while you will have a clear picture
of how much of a bump in temps your getting with various covers.
I would love to be able to leave this and my Sago out in winter
but I just have to much to cover already.

Heres a pic of my Americana from Oct 3,about 4' wide by 3' tall.

Hi JIm,

Thanks for the info!! I thought that i remembered that you brought in the "Big Boy!!" LOL...I understand about cutting the horz leaves to help prevent possible unwanted piercings ! I have had my share of pokes!!! : )

I think that i will make some sort of a tall barrier with stakes and then place a tarp over the Agave so it wont put to much weight on it during the winter. Maybe put some rebar around it to make a tent. I will watch the temps and then supplement heat when its needed. Maybe keep lights in there and just plug in when needed. Sounds like a plan!!!

Thanks for your tips!!

Hope all is well up and over in Iowa!

Thanks again!!!

Laura in VB

You will have no probs I'm sure!

This is fun stuff,nothing better than seeing
something that "shouldn't" be there in winter....
...............like a palm or cactus!