Malaysian coconut tree (forum)

Shaneo starts with ...
Hi,

I would like to try growing a Malaysian coconut tree here in southern Victoria.

Sounds bananas, right (we've got ripening bananas at the moment...)? Coconuts are a big ask, I know. But we're getting quite a few successes with some Northern trees with the right microclimate.

My idea for the coconut tree is (and we have hilly, slightly acidic, fertile soil) to create the hot humid microclimate it's after by putting a wall of corrugated iron around it.

Waddya reckon?

Shane

Time: 28th June 2014 9:10pm

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About the Author Shaneo
Latrobe Valley, Victoria
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Markmelb says...
surround it with water tanks - ive put my dwarf cavendish next to my tanks and they look better than last year - the tanks keep the nite temps more even directly around the plants

Time: 28th June 2014 10:06pm

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Original Post was last edited: 28th June 2014 10:05pm

About the Author Markmelb
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JohnMc1 says...
I'm thinking you'd have to build an artificially heated glasshouse over it to get through winter alive. Have you done any temp monitoring in the area you want to grow this palm in past winters? There's some excellent wireless set ups that record a wide range of weather conditions at user controlled intervals. You can then go back and dissect your data any way you want. I have heard that there is one fruiting coconut as far south as northern NSW. I have tried to grow Cacao here but you only needs one single slip up and it's bye bye. The last slip up was when I watered it with tap water, the cold shock was enough to knock it for a six.

Time: 29th June 2014 12:37am

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Warnervale NSW
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sternus1 says...
Coconuts are on those things that might or might not. They grow around sandgate at my way which gets down 3-4c sometimes, and are next to sea which gets some seriously bad wind chill.

Time: 29th June 2014 8:48am

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About the Author sternus1
Australia
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jakfruit etiquette says...
It can be done, go the tropical house at any Botanic Gardens to see an artificial climate.
Thats probably beyond your capabilities.
Its not just heating up a structure during the day with sunlight, its also retaining the heat overnight, and not going below the plants limit.
I would say soil temp is going to be far more important than the variance of air temp overall. Investigate heating cables in a very large pot, then enclose that in a glasshouse type structure. Solar hot water can also heat structures.
Heat retaining(Infra red) green house plastics may be useful.
ditto JohnMc1 esp about watering temps.

Time: 29th June 2014 8:56am

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About the Author jakfruit etiquette
vic
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JohnMc1 says...
My small polyhouse is heated overnight by a small thermostatically controlled industrial electric heater. The thermostat is set on 20

Time: 29th June 2014 10:20pm

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Shaneo says...
Ok, forget the powered stuff. Think of metal, plastic, scrap.

Any ideas......

Time: 30th June 2014 11:47pm

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About the Author Shaneo
Latrobe Valley, Victoria
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Mike Tr says...
It would be easier than trying to grow equatorials like durian and mangosteen but vastly more difficult than mangoes,jackfruit,jaboticaba,guava and others that go ok in the subtropics.The technical term for growing coconuts at your latitude is crazy.Malay dwarfs are more heatloving than standards and a kew gardens set up would help.

Time: 1st July 2014 7:07am

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About the Author Mike Tr
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JohnMc1 says...
Water is a good thermal retainer. Put the biggest water tank you can find next to your coconut tree and cover it up over night. You can also heat the water up during the day with one or several of those evacuated tubes or a solar collector.

Time: 1st July 2014 7:13am

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