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Started By
Message
re: Louisiana Tropical Fruit Gardening - Experiences and Updates
Posted on 1/21/26 at 10:24 pm to TimeOutdoors
Posted on 1/21/26 at 10:24 pm to TimeOutdoors
quote:
How long will a propane tank last with one of the single heating units on it?
Highly recommend Chat GPT for things like this. Questions about physics, efficiency, etc. is something it's actually good at.
To answer your question, one of those top heaters (single burner not double) will run for about 36 hours on the lowest setting (11,000 BTU) on a 20 gallon tank. This is twice the heating power of a 1500W electric space heater.
I have been running around for 2 days trying to get my stuff in order.
To anyone reading this thread thinking about growing tropicals, you just have to grit it out in January. By far the least enjoyable stretch of this hobby. The problem solving and engineering are fun for the first couple of freeze events. Then the next 6 not so much. In 4-5 weeks winter should be over then it's fun times again. This post was edited on 1/22/26 at 9:54 am
1
Posted on 1/22/26 at 8:34 pm to Tigerlaff
OK so this right here? This is some bullshite.
Never signed up for that. It was hot on Christmas. This is south Louisiana. That is 6 years in a row of hard freezes 20F or under. My palm trees looked amazing when I moved into my house in 2019. Fried every winter since and limp back to health just to be fried again. The average measured winter minimum in zone 9a is 20-25F. It would stand to reason that we'd stop testing the very bottom limit every year at least about half the time. We're gonna be put back into 8b at this rate. End rant.
At least I've got a flamethrower frond opening up indoors. Good luck to everyone. Bad time to be a tropical plant in Louisiana these next 10 days.
Never signed up for that. It was hot on Christmas. This is south Louisiana. That is 6 years in a row of hard freezes 20F or under. My palm trees looked amazing when I moved into my house in 2019. Fried every winter since and limp back to health just to be fried again. The average measured winter minimum in zone 9a is 20-25F. It would stand to reason that we'd stop testing the very bottom limit every year at least about half the time. We're gonna be put back into 8b at this rate. End rant.
At least I've got a flamethrower frond opening up indoors. Good luck to everyone. Bad time to be a tropical plant in Louisiana these next 10 days.
This post was edited on 1/23/26 at 4:30 am
Posted on 1/23/26 at 7:28 am to Tigerlaff
shite man, I was pissed that our temps are going from the 80s to the 60s for a while coming up. Yall are going to die.
I am sure you are preparing. I just held off on all my outdoor planting until its over. right now, out forecast is showing highs in the 60's and lows in the 40's through the first week of February. I know that can change but that sucks.
\
A lot of my friends are still in north Georgia and are going to be covered in Ice after the weekend. I do not miss that I promise you.
Good luck down there to all of you
I am sure you are preparing. I just held off on all my outdoor planting until its over. right now, out forecast is showing highs in the 60's and lows in the 40's through the first week of February. I know that can change but that sucks.
\
A lot of my friends are still in north Georgia and are going to be covered in Ice after the weekend. I do not miss that I promise you.
Good luck down there to all of you
Posted on 1/23/26 at 8:45 am to Tigerlaff
quote:nobody hates cold weather more than I do but honestly without a hard freeze at least once a winter my landscape gets completely out of control. If my numerous perennials don’t die all the way back I’ll spend the rest of the year trying to muscle them down before they take over. Plus they flower better on new growth. And let’s not forget about mosquitoes and other pests that can make living here a lot less pleasant.
That is 6 years in a row of hard freezes 20F or under.
I might not even go outside next week but summer is coming. A permanent greenhouse is on my project list for 2026 so maybe I’ll join you in zone pushing after that.
Posted on 1/23/26 at 9:01 am to cgrand
I actually love the cold. The whole reason I started zone pushing was to find some way to enjoy 9 months of tropical humid summer. Otherwise I would have moved.
My only gripe is that we are consistently getting much colder than what the zone is defined by. Last year was measured at 10.4F in my neighborhood for the snowstorm. Calling for 18F this weekend. And we have hit or broke the 20F line for 6 years straight. Where are the warmer years to make the 9a math work? I can remember when these record breaking lows were a once every 5-7 year thing. I can remember most winters never seeing icicles and it was a huge event as a kid when we did. I haven't moved to a colder area. Warmer actually due to Lake Pontchartrain. And this is even a La Nina year. I have to believe eventually this cycle will be replaced with something else.
Anyway good luck to you and thanks for the sympathy. I become a moody bitch this time of year. Just pisses me off so much.
My only gripe is that we are consistently getting much colder than what the zone is defined by. Last year was measured at 10.4F in my neighborhood for the snowstorm. Calling for 18F this weekend. And we have hit or broke the 20F line for 6 years straight. Where are the warmer years to make the 9a math work? I can remember when these record breaking lows were a once every 5-7 year thing. I can remember most winters never seeing icicles and it was a huge event as a kid when we did. I haven't moved to a colder area. Warmer actually due to Lake Pontchartrain. And this is even a La Nina year. I have to believe eventually this cycle will be replaced with something else.
Anyway good luck to you and thanks for the sympathy. I become a moody bitch this time of year. Just pisses me off so much.
Posted on 1/23/26 at 10:46 am to Tigerlaff
forecast for Hammond just got revised, lows now in the 20’s for 7 of 8 days starting Sunday. Cant say I recall anything like that recently.
there will be botanical casualties
there will be botanical casualties
Posted on 1/23/26 at 3:22 pm to cgrand
quote:
nobody hates cold weather more than I do
You and I can fight about that if you want but I have tell you, I am a big old boy and I have old man strength.
I moved to south Florida because Georgia was too cold for me. I despise it.
Posted on 1/23/26 at 3:26 pm to Tigerlaff
I have been wanting to buy a couple small bottle palms to plant in my back yard. Most places that have them are big. Min 25 gallons
Right now, Home depot has 4 that look amazing and are 15 gallons each. Perfect size and the fronds look great and healthy. I am thinking about going by tomorrow and buying them. My problem is that our weather is going to cool off on Monday as well. We are at 80 now and have been all week. Looks like we are about to have 10-12 days of highs in the low 60s and lows around 40-45 every night.
Will those things be fine just sitting around my pool in the 15 gallon containers they come in with that weather? I imagine they would be. We are not schedule for any freezing stuff for sure. And it is going to be sunny
I am pretty sure they will be gone in a few days as they dont last long up there that size. I will plant them in the ground in a few weeks when the weather stabilizes.
Right now, Home depot has 4 that look amazing and are 15 gallons each. Perfect size and the fronds look great and healthy. I am thinking about going by tomorrow and buying them. My problem is that our weather is going to cool off on Monday as well. We are at 80 now and have been all week. Looks like we are about to have 10-12 days of highs in the low 60s and lows around 40-45 every night.
Will those things be fine just sitting around my pool in the 15 gallon containers they come in with that weather? I imagine they would be. We are not schedule for any freezing stuff for sure. And it is going to be sunny
I am pretty sure they will be gone in a few days as they dont last long up there that size. I will plant them in the ground in a few weeks when the weather stabilizes.
Posted on 1/23/26 at 5:07 pm to LanierSpots
going to be more than 12 hours below freezing in new orleans tuesday night. a bunch of outdoor tropicals are going to get nuked
Posted on 1/23/26 at 5:49 pm to cgrand
quote:
going to be more than 12 hours below freezing in new orleans tuesday night. a bunch of outdoor tropicals are going to get nuked
Sucks. I guess there really is nothing to do to save them. Unless you have a heated green house.
It has been a shite winter here. Colder than normal and the colder air has come farther south than normal. Upper Florida got reamed too.
Posted on 1/23/26 at 7:40 pm to LanierSpots
Welp, I'm beat. F this cold. Still more to prep for tomorrow but probably 80% done. I added an extra tarp on top of each greenhouse and it made a huge difference upon testing. With my grow lights alone running (no heater), I am getting 5-6 degrees above ambient. Hugely significant when pushing a zone.
Lychee is flowering.
Lychee is flowering.
This post was edited on 1/23/26 at 9:55 pm
Posted on 1/24/26 at 5:30 am to Tigerlaff
Well I thought I was done but I like the second tarp idea. I have the probe for my thermostat in the soil and set at 55 degrees. Greenhouse is staying around 53.6 degrees with it being 36 degrees outside. I have a smaller heater running 24/7.
My trees don’t reach the top of the greenhouse so I used the telescoping poles to lower it 6-8 inches. That gives me a little more lip at the bottom of the greenhouse to seal it with. In Alaska we used straw bales around the outside perimeter of the greenhouse. I’ve considered pine straw bales around it over the winter and then use them as mulch in the spring, but I don’t like the idea of straw or anything that will burn easily.
My trees don’t reach the top of the greenhouse so I used the telescoping poles to lower it 6-8 inches. That gives me a little more lip at the bottom of the greenhouse to seal it with. In Alaska we used straw bales around the outside perimeter of the greenhouse. I’ve considered pine straw bales around it over the winter and then use them as mulch in the spring, but I don’t like the idea of straw or anything that will burn easily.
This post was edited on 1/24/26 at 7:40 am
Posted on 1/24/26 at 12:11 pm to TimeOutdoors
Done. As long as I have my electrical spaced out correctly on the breakers I should be able to run everything without tripping them. Next electric bill is gonna be wild. All covers on, bibs wrapped, pots moved, lights set, etc. Only thing left to do is strap in for 8-10 consecutive days of freezing weather, something I have never seen before in my life. If the power fails, it's propane to save the greenhouses and everything else is done for.
9pm ETA: breaker test passed. Everything runs. Good luck my dudes.
All covers on, bibs wrapped, pots moved, lights set, etc. Only thing left to do is strap in for 8-10 consecutive days of freezing weather, something I have never seen before in my life. If the power fails, it's propane to save the greenhouses and everything else is done for. 9pm ETA: breaker test passed. Everything runs. Good luck my dudes.
This post was edited on 1/24/26 at 9:02 pm
Posted on 1/24/26 at 12:12 pm to TimeOutdoors
Fill some 5 gallon buckets with hot water from your tub and put those in the greenhouse each night. Makes a huge difference.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 2:21 pm to Tigerlaff
yikes
Posted on 1/25/26 at 6:03 pm to cgrand
quote:
18F
Posted on 1/25/26 at 9:48 pm to Tigerlaff
Current forecast has Tampa well below freezing this time next week. Still a lot of time for it to be adjusted; but, if that forecast holds true Central Florida’s Ag is fricked. Strawberries will be ruined. Citrus won’t be happy either. Anything tropical is begging for trouble.
Posted on 1/25/26 at 10:54 pm to wiltznucs
It's been a bad couple of years to be a tropical plant. Hope y'all don't get hit with that weather. Low of 21 here tomorrow night.
Posted on 1/26/26 at 5:32 am to wiltznucs
quote:
Current forecast has Tampa well below freezing this time next week. Still a lot of time for it to be adjusted; but, if that forecast holds true Central Florida’s Ag is fricked. Strawberries will be ruined. Citrus won’t be happy either. Anything tropical is begging for trouble.
Yep, we are at 70 right now and that is our high for the day and for the next 15 days according to the forecast. Tonight it even dropping in the 30's here. Glad I have not done any buying or planting yet. Pulling in my Majestic palm today and leaving it inside for a few weeks along with a few small ones I have. Looks like 3 nights in the 30's. I cant remember a stretch of days with highs in the 50s and lower 60s like we have coming. Lows in the 30s a bunch of nights. Its nothing like up north but its very odd for us.
Posted on 1/26/26 at 6:21 am to Tigerlaff
22 degrees currently and the greenhouse is around 47 degreees.
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