10th May 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Due to a spell of warmer weather, I have left the door to the polytunnel open for the past week, in an attempt to improve the air quality. Some of the plants that weren't looking at their best seem to have perked up a little, whereas the Areca catechu, which was looking very healthy and growing fast, seems to have slowed down a little and, whilst not looking unhealthy, doesn't look quite as healthy as it did. Temperatures in the polytunnel are lower at night with the door open, despite the warmer temperatures outside and little wind, but the biggest difference is reduced humidity, down from 70-95% to 55-75% and at reduced night time temperatures that is a big reduction in the dewpoint. I will continue to leave the door open for the remainder of the warm spell, which is forecast to drop off towards the end of next week, then go back to opening the door for a few hours every day or two until things warm up again.
Garden
The Phoenix dactylifera and loureiroi that were moved outside towards the end of April, seem to be coping with the change of environment. The dactylifera has a small amount of leaf burn, but the loureiroi seems totally unaffected. Otherwise things have been starting to grow a little with the warmer temperatures and all of the stems of the Musa basjoo seem to have come through the winter OK and are growing well. The Canna "Durban" is also slowly continuing with it's re-incarnation, still only one stem, but it should have some foliage by the time of the May gallery.

6th May 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Another couple of seeds have germinated, a second Asterogyne martiana and another of the Pholidostachys pulchra. The Asterogyne is the first seed to have germinated in one of the deep containers and the Pholidostachys was the first of that species to germinate in a baggy.
Garden
I have given all of the plants their first feed of the season. This is a little later than usual after a fairly cool April, but temperatures have warmed up considerably over the past few days, with a warmer than average spell forecast for the next week or so. I have also noticed the first, small sprout from the Canna "Durban". The Canna died back to the ground, fairly early in the winter period, having only been moved outside quite late in the season last year, so I'm quite pleased to see signs of life.

5th May 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
The Cycas taitungensis has just started to produce it's first flush for a few months. The new flush should be well on it's way by the time of the May gallery.

3rd May 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Asterogyne martiana.

2nd May 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
I have just potted up a few of the seeds that had germinated. An Asterogyne martiana, which has already produced it's first leaf, an Areca vestiaria, which looks as though it may have damped off already, but hopefully is still OK and a second Calytrogyne ghiesbreghtiana to add to the one that I potted up in April. All of these seeds have germinated using the baggy method, but I have also noticed that all four of the Pholidostachys pulchra in a shallow container have germinated. This may indicate that different species do better with different germination techniques, but further experimentation with larger numbers would be required to verify this. I have not potted up the Pholidostachys yet, as they have only just sprouted and I would prefer to leave them until the first leaf is at least partially formed.

1st May 2008:
Website updatess:
Homepage
May poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Carpoxylon macrospermum.

28th April 2008:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for April 2008.

26th April 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
After a colder than normal spell here for April, things are starting to warm up a little, so I decided it was time to move the two Phoenix palms (loureiroi and dactylifera) out of the polytunnel to take up permanent residence outside. This has given some much needed space in the polytunnel, although there are still more plants which will have to move outside at some point this year.
Garden
I have also resumed watering of the outside plants, which I normally do two or three weeks earlier in the year than this, but the colder than normal weather had deemed it unnecessary until now.

25th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Arenga obtusifolia.

24th April 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Unfortunately despite my efforts with fungicide the Geonoma schottiana did not recover, which is rather disappointing, being the only Geonoma seed that I had managed to germinate from 10-15 seeds each of two species. On a more positive note, the Aechmea gamosepala has started growing a few new suckers. I also received some new pre-filters for the reverse osmosis unit today, which had been a little overdue being replaced.
Website Updates:
Palms
As noted in the site news on the homepage, I have updated the palms section of the site to point to the database now, instead of the previous format, which was no longer being updated. There is a link at the bottom of the new page for those who still want to visit the old archive.

23rd April 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
There are lots of things happening at the moment. There have been seeds germinate of Areca vestiaria and Asterogyne martiana. I will leave these a little longer before potting up, maybe a week or two, in case any others in the same containers germinate in the meantime. Most of the Chamaedorea radicalis, both forms, and the Dypsis heteromorpha are producing new suckers. The largest of the Dypsis onilahensis seedlings has started to produce an offshoot near to the existing growing point. I'd imagine with this happening at such an early stage in it's life, it will divide back to ground level before it starts trunking. I will try to make as many of the changes/developments as possible visible in the April gallery.

20th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Arenga australasica. Unfortunately the two photo's that I have from Fairchild are virtually identical and neither give a very full view of the palm, which was obscured by other plants. I will continue to look for better examples of this palm to take pictures of.

18th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New records added to the Database for Aiphanes ulei and Archontophoenix myolensis. Information is fairly scarce on both species, however, the records are fairly complete. As with all species, I will add further information when available.

17th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Acanthophoenix rubra.

16th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Actinorhytis calapparia.

15th April 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Just an update to the situation I mentioned about powdery mildew on some of the plants, when I returned from Florida. The worst affected plants were the two largest Dypsis onilahensis, the Pinanga dicksonii and the Geonoma schottiana. I suspect the Dypsis will be OK, the Pinanga is still growing so I am also hopeful for this plant. The Geonoma on the other hand is still very small and has lost all except the newest two leaves, which also don't look very healthy. Whilst I remain hopeful for the Geonoma, I think recovery chamces are slim.

On a brighter note, there is a new addition to the collection in the polytunnel, Ravenea lakatra. It is a well rooted seedling, which I have potted in one of my usual 3ltr/1 Gal(US) tall pots. Look out for it in April's gallery.
14th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
I have updated the Database to include images from the Fairchild gallery.
13th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Gallery
New gallery added for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. This is the largest gallery to date featuring 574 photo's of palm trees and other exotics and includes many species not previously featured.
10th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Gallery
I have decided not to add a gallery for March. This decision was not taken lightly, but having been busy, since my return from Florida and with us already being nearly half way through April, it doesn't seem worthwhile. I will be adding April's gallery in another couple of weeks. The thing that really swung the decision is that, after spraying the plants in the polytunnel with fungicide yesterday, they are covered with deposits from the spray and look quite unsightly. Going by the previous application of the same fungicide, these deposits normally take a while to disappear, but I am hopeful that the plants will look normal again in time for the April gallery, which will happen either way. There will, however, be plenty of new content to add to the site, as a result of my time in Florida, so expect to see at least one new gallery from that trip before the end of the month.
9th April 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
During my time away, I had increased the amount of misting, so that the plants would be fine without any extra watering. This seems to have done the job for the most part, but quite a few species seem to have a build up of powdery mildew, particularly on older, dying leaves. I have given everything an extensive spray of fungicide, as well as wiping off the worst of the mildew and pruning any dead foliage. I have also reduced the misting times to hopefully stop it happening again.

8th April 2008:
Website updatess:
Homepage
April poll added.

7th April 2008:
Website Updates:
Homepage
New palm tree of the month, Calamus longipinna.

20th March 2008:
Website Updates:
General
This afternoon I will be leaving for an overnight stay in London prior to two weeks in Florida. Whilst I may have the opportunity to check on the site periodically, while I am there, there is unlikely to be anything much in the way of updates during that time. This will obviously delay the March gallery, as well as the April poll and "Palm Tree of the Month". I hope to address each of these shortly after my return. On the plus side I will be getting a lot more photos of palms and other exotics in Florida and there should be a substaintial amount of content to add to the site upon my return, including many species not yet covered. If anyone wants to get in contact with me during this time, email is probably still the best bet, via the online form, and I will endeavour to check it as often as possible.

19th March 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea plumosa. Again, there is only one photo available at the moment, and it is not as clear as I would like. The record is otherwise fairly complete, but there are a few more details to add. I am hoping to get a lot more palm photos over the next couple of weeks, which may include more of Chamaedorea plumosa.

18th March 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel & Garden
I took delivery today of some new pots ready to pot up some plants in spring. The Trachycarpus fortunei in the garden will be potted up and several plants in the polytunnel, some of which will be taking up permanent residence outside this year. I also received some pesticide (Doff All-In-One Garden Pest Killer), which I have sprayed in the polytunnel today.

17th March 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea oblongata.

13th March 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
After reporting on the 10th February that the Chamaedorea radicalis, that had suffered considerable leaf burn, were recovering and showing new growth, today I found one on it's side totally disconected from the roots. Although everything above ground still appeared green and healthy, it had rotted below ground. Whilst this is a disappointment, after showing signs of recovery, all of the other plants that had suffered similar damage, seem to be fine and recovering well. This plant had been the worst affected and was recovering more slowly that the others, so I don't anticipate problems with any of the other recovering plants.

11th March 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea microspadix (Bamboo Palm/Hardy Bamboo Palm).

10th March 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New records added to the Database for Chamaedorea metallica (Metallic Palm/Miniature Fishtail Palm) and Chamaedorea metallica (Split Leaf Form).

8th March 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea klotzschiana.

6th March 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea geonomiformis (Necklace Palm). The entry is relatively complete, however, there is only one photo at the moment, which is not as clear as I would have liked. Hopefully I will be able to rectify this in the near future.

4th March 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
I potted up the germinated Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana today, still the only seed from my recent batch to have germinated. The Areca catechu (Dwarf Form) has produced it's first partially divided leaf and continues to grow at a very healthy rate.

1st March 2008:
Website updatess:
Homepage
March poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Areca vestiaria.

29th February 2008:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for February 2008.

26th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea fragrans (Sangapilla Palm).

24th February 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Another sad day in the polytunnel. After watching the last Heterospathe scitula and the Heterospathe negrosensis decline, I had succumbed to putting them into the germination box, earlier in the week, in the hope that they may recover, but on checking them today, they were both covered in powdery mildew. I gently wiped off the mildew, but the plants just fell apart. I have had no success at all with this genus, despite the plants being kept warm enough. I suspect lack of humidity may be the problem, but with such a variety of plants in a confined area, it's always a question of trying to find a balance that everything can live with.

22nd February 2008:
Website Updates:
Forum
Quite a few more changes made to the default appearance of the Forum today. It's pretty much finished in terms of overall layout and appearance, I just want to replace some of the rather generic looking buttons, so that it really is a forum we can call our own. It may be some time before all of the buttons are replaced, as I still need to devote most of my time to adding content to the site.

21st February 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea ernesti-augusti (Ernest August Palm).

19th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea elegans (Parlour Palm).

18th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea elatior (Climbing Chamaedorea). This is another species rare in cultivation, so information is generally fairly lacking. The record is, however, reasonably complete, but I will endeavour to add the missing details in the future.

17th February 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
The Cycas taitungensis has just started to produce it's first flush for some months. The new flush should be well on it's way by the time of the February gallery. Space is still a concern, but hopefully the leaves of this flush will be a little more compact than the previous flush now that I have added another light source.

16th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea costaricana (Costa Rican Bamboo Palm). Unfortunately, the only photo's available at present are of the seedlings that I lost at a fairly early stage. Hopefully this will be rectified within a couple of months and there will be some better photo's of larger specimens to see.

15th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Links
I have updated the Links page to include a flag icon next to the commercial websites. Hopefully this will make it even easier for visitors to quickly identify sites more relevant to their location. I have also made a minor change to the index to make it a little more clear.

14th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Forum
I have made a few more changes to the default appearance of the Forum. There are still a few more changes that I would like to make, hopefully over the next few days.

12th February 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
I checked the propogator today and noticed that the first of the Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana seeds has sprouted. It is one of the seeds in a shallow container and I am interested to see if there are any trends that indicate a specific container promotes better or faster germination. I don't plan to remove and pot up the seed straight away, as there may be more about to sprout, which I can do at the same time. That said, with it being a shallow container, I won't be able to leave it for too long. This is my second attempt to germinate Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana, after zero germination last time, so naturally I am very happy to see one sprout. Hopefully, it is the first of many.

10th February 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
A mixture of good and bad news. The Chamaedorea radicalis that suffered considerable leaf burn from excess heat, all seem to be pushing up new green leaves. I am very pleased about this, as one in particular suffered in excess of 90% leaf damage. The plants that used to be in the germination box are now all residing in the main area of the polytunnel full time. Most are doing reasonably well, but noteable exceptions are the Heterospathe scitula. Having already lost one of the three plants a month or so ago, another is now pretty much dead. The third is still alive, but doesn't seem to be enjoying it's new environment. The other bad news is my other Heterospathe. The negrosensis seedling that I received last October, is not looking at all well and, although it has started to push a new leaf, growth seems to have stopped and the emergent leaf is turning brown. There is some green left on one of the older leaves, but I seriously doubt this palm will last much longer.

9th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Forum
I have updated the Forum to the latest software release and made a few minor tweaks to the appearance.

8th February 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea cataractarum (Cat Palm).

7th February 2008:
The Plants:
Garden
Today, I took delivery of some new plant labels. I only ordered six labels on this occasion, mainly for the larger plants outside, as it was the first time I have used these labels and I wanted to be sure I liked them before getting more. The labels, from 908 Ltd, who supply many Botanical Gardens and Local Authorities, are a matt black UV resistant plastic with white writing on an angled head support. Many other variations are available. I will endeavour to make them visible in the photo's for February's gallery. I have also added a link to the 908 Ltd website to the Garden Accessory Retailers section of the links page.

6th February 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
After having sprayed fungicide a few days ago, I have been reliably informed that it is actually a scale problem on my Dypsis heteromorpha and Chamaedorea cataractarum. I usually prefer to use biological controls for pests, but there isn't one available here yet for hard scale, which it appeared to be. As such I have sprayed everything with a contact/systemic insecticide. I was advised to use a Malathion based product, again none were available locally, so I used a Thiacloprid based product. As with the fingicide application, the polytunnel misting system was shut off for several hours after application to avoid diluting or washing of the insecticide, prior to it becoming rainfast.

4th February 2008:
Website updatess:
Links
I have made a few minor changes to the links page to hopefully more clearly define the nationality of commercial sites. I have also added Indian Rock Cycads And Palms to the Palm & Tropical Plant Nurseries section.

3rd February 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Whilst checking on the plants today I noticed that one of the Chamaedorea radicalis (Trunking Form) is producing it's first sucker. This is the first of this species to do so. The Licuala tryphilla that produced it's first inflorescence about a month ago, now seems to be entering the unfructescence stage. This is the first palm in my collection to start producing fruit and is an incredibly small palm to be flowering and fruiting, so I am quite intrigued to see what size the fruit will be.

2nd February 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Having noticed what looked like some kind of fungal growth spreading on the Dypsis heteromorpha and now affecting the neighbouring Chamaedorea cataractarum, I have sprayed a systemic fungicide throughout the polytunnel today after washing off the effected areas. I will back this up with ongoing fortnightly applications until hopefully it clears. To avoid the fungicide being washed off, I turned off the misters, which also gave me the opportunity to empty the stored RO water tank and plumb in the feed and outlet tubes properly.

1st February 2008:
Website updatess:
Homepage
February poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii.

31st January 2008:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for January 2008.

29th January 2008:
Website Updates:
Database
New record added to the Database for Chamaedorea alternans (Pacaya).

28th January 2008:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
The Dypsis albofarinosa has been looking unwell for some time and has been gradually declining. I think this is due to being one of the few palms that was still in the compost based medium that I used to use. As such, I have re-potted it into my new medium, a mix of coir (coco peat), perlite and composted bark chips. Rather than use the same pot, I used one of my taller 3ltr (1gal US) pots, which saves space and is a better shape for palm root development.

27th January 2008:
Website updatess:
Database
New record added to the Database for Ceroxylon quindiuense (Andean Wax Palm).

26th January 2008:
Website updatess:
Database
New record added to the Database for Caryota urens (Jaggery Palm).

25th January 2008:
The plants:
Polytunnel
Today I have installed a new double outdoor electrical socket, which has enabled me to get the two aquarium heaters that I ordered a couple of weeks ago into the RO water tank. I am a little doubtful that they will have enough power (300W each) to sufficiently warm the water in the RO tank, partly because of the volume of water, partly because the water is being constantly replaced, as it is being used by the misting system and partly because the tank is outside and uninsulated. I will give it a day or two and, if there is no noticeable increase in temperature, I will think of an alternative solution.

24th January 2008:
Website updatess:
Database
New record added to the Database for Caryota rumphiana (Australian Fishtail Palm).

22nd January 2008:
Website updatess:
Database
New record added to the Database for Caryota no (Giant Fishtail Palm).

18th January 2008:
The plants:
New Seeds
After the three day pre-soak of the new seeds, I have put them in some coir (coco peat) to germinate. I have used a combination of resealable bags and air tight containers and placed everything in a heated propogator in the polytunnel. I have changed quite a few things, since my last seed batch, including not having used bottom heat last time, so hopefully this will provide better results. I have taken many photo's throughout the process so far and I will add a germination gallery, when the seeds start to sprout.
Website updatess:
Database
New record added to the Database for Caryota mitis (Clustering Fishtail Palm). Information is fairly readily available for Caryota mitis and we, therefore, have a reasonably complete record. We currently only have photographs of juvenile plants, but this should be addressed in April.

15th January 2008:
The plants:
New Seeds
I have just taken delivery of a seed order from Rare Palm Seeds. The species on this order are Heterospathe (formerly Alsmithia) longipes, Areca vestiaria, Asterogyne martiana, Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana, Heterospathe minor, Pholidostachys pulchra and Pinanga glaucescens. After poor results with my previous seed order, I have only ordered seeds marked as new and I also intend to use the "baggy" method for germination this time, with a three day pre-soak. I have only ordered ten of each seed, although there are invariably one or two more of some species.

11th January 2008:
Website updatess:
Database
New record added to the Database for Caryota cumingii (Fishtail Palm). Unfortunately, information on this species is somewhat scarce, but I will continue to look for further reference material and will add more details to the record, as they become available.

10th January 2008:
The plants:
Polytunnel
In the polytunnel today, I noticed that the extra misting nozzles that I added last week are causing soil temperatures to drop, as the excess mist falls. To help combat this I have ordered a couple of aquarium heaters, which I will submerse into the tank with the stored RO water, just to warm it slightly. I will have to monitor what effect this has on air temperatures, but it should help to increase soil temperatures, partly because any moisture that falls will be warmer, but also because less water should fall, as warmer air can hold more moisture.

9th January 2008:
The plants:
Polytunnel
I have repotted the Areca catechu (Dwarf Form) into a deep 3ltr/1Gal(US) pot, 158mm/6¼" Dia x 205mm/8" Deep. I had thought it needed repotting since it's arrival, but wanted to wait until it was fully acclimatized with it's new surroundings.

8th January 2008:
The plants:
Polytunnel
I have added a second light fitting to the polytunnel. It is a 600W unit with a standard "Shiny" reflector, which is currently running a Sylvannia Grolux HPS lamp. I have ordered a replacement 600W Metal Halide lamp, as I don't think the Grolux offers sufficient blue spectrum light. Fortunately, it is a universal ballast, which can operate both HPS and MH lamps. The new fitting is mounted at the opposite end of the polytunnel to the existing 400W MH unit. I have set up the timers so that the original 400W fitting runs from 2am - 2pm and the new fitting runs from 12pm to 6pm. This means that both lamps will be on from 12pm to 2pm when light levels would normally be at about their highest and it also goes some way to creating the effect of a moving light source, as the sun would give. Equally the 600W unit is on for substantially less time, which I am hoping will be less of a shock to the plants that were previous receiving less light in the area that it is mounted.

6th January 2008:
Website updatess:
Database
New record added to the Database for Carpoxylon macrospermum (Aneityum Palm).

3rd January 2008:
The plants:
Polytunnel
I have just added an extra few nozzles to the misting system to combat the dryness caused by the heater working harder to maintain temperatures. Having removed most of the dead foliage from the Chamaedorea radicalis' that had been affected by the heater, I could see some healthy, new growth, which is very positive.

1st January 2008:
Website updatess:
Homepage
January poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Hedyscepe canterburyana.

30th December 2007:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for December 2007. As well as the Areca vestiaria (Red Form) and Calytrocalyx flabellatus, which have not survived, I have omitted the Canna "Durban" from the gallery, as there isn't really anything to see at the moment. I moved the Canna outside unprotected as an experiment, in the hope that it will come back from the roots in Spring, so I will include it in the gallery again, when new shoots appear.

29th December 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Whilst taking photo's for December's gallery, I noticed that the Aechmea gamosepala is looking somewhat stretched, so I have moved it to a location with a little more light. I had been keeping one of the Heterospathe scitula permanently outside of the germination box, but it has been steadily declining during that time. Today, whilst removing a dead leaf, the entire centre of the plant pulled out. I have left the roots potted, but I don't expect to see any new growth. The two that remained in the germination box, seem to be healthy still, although growth is quite slow.

25th December 2007:
Website updatess:
General
The website has been a little slow in terms of updates with much of my time recently being spent on Christmas preparations. May I take this opportunity to wish all of our visitors a happy Christmas and New Year. Hopefully 2008 will bring a good growing season for everyone with many new palms. There is plenty of new content scheduled for the site, so watch this space.
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Not the best Christmas present. The second of the Areca vestiaria (Red Form) has died. It managed to survive a few weeks longer than the other one, but had been on a steady decline ever since arriving here. On a brighter note, I have some seeds of a few species due to arrive in the near future, so hopefully we will be seeing some new additions to the monthly galleries in 2008.

20th December 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
The Licuala triphylla has started to produce it's first inflorescence. I find this quite staggering on a plant so small and imagine it may be a response to the stress induced by it's journey here, although information is fairly sparse on this species, so it may be normal behaviour. Due to a colder spell of weather the heater has been working overtime recently and, despite good circulation a warm spot in the polytunnel has lead to some browning of the leaves of some of the Chamaedorea radicalis and Dypsis onilahensis. This is actually quite severe in the case of the Chamaedoreas, so I have moved things about as much as possible to avoid direct exposure to the higher temperatures. Hopefully it will be sufficient for the plants to recover fully.

11th December 2007:
The Plants:
Garden
After mild weather for a couple of weeks the Musa basjoo had started to grow again, after having most of it's foliage killed off by our last freeze. Last night the temperature dropped again to -4°C/25°F, which spells the start of another cooler spell, although temperatures aren't forecast to drop that low again. The new growth on the Musa basjoo is still green at the moment, but this could easily change over the next couple of days.

5th December 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
The Cordyline "Lemon & Lime", which is fairly weak at the moment after a period with insufficient light, has started to produce offshoots at various points along the stem. This may be a stress reaction, but I'm happy to leave the new growth and see how it develops.

1st December 2007:
Website updatess:
Homepage
December poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Adonidia merrillii.

30th November 2007:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for November 2007.

29th November 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Whilst taking photos for the November gallery, I noticed that the larger of the two Dypsis psammophila is producing it's first pinnate leaf. The smaller Dypsis psammophila has been out of the germination for a couple of months now without any ill effects caused by the change of environment, so I have also now relocated the larger one to a similar position outside of the germination box.

25th November 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Both of the Cycas panzhihuaensis are producing new leaves. The one in perlite is producing it's first two leaf (mini) flush, while the plant in composted bark chips is producing one leaf, this despite the latter being the larger plant. A possible reason is that I have pruned some of the older leaves from the plant in perlite, which is something some growers do to promote larger flushes.

24th November 2007:
The Plants:
Garden
After an overnight low temperature of -6°C/21°F, which is the normal winter minimum here, the Musa basjoo and Canna "Durban" have both suffered browong of almost all foliage, something that I had hoped would not happen until a little later in the cold season. The outside palms all appear unaffected at this point.

23rd November 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
The Cycas taitungensis has just started to push another flush. That's the third flush since April, definitely one of the faster growing Cycads. It will probably still be in the fairly early stages of the flush by the time of the November gallery, but should be easily visible.
Website updates:
Database
The website may have looked a little lacking in updates recently. This is due to much of my time being invested in data entry for the database that I am adding to the site. There is a lot of work to do, but there are already quite a few palm species added. You can view the work in progress here.

12th November 2007:
The Plants
Polytunnel
The Calyptrocalyx flabellatus appears to be all but dead. It has never shown any signs of growth since arriving last month and, looking today, all of the remaining green foliage has turned brown. One of the Areca vestiaria (Red Form) seems to be heading the same way. Unfortunately, I don't think many species can cope with the journey here when they are so small. I rarely seem to have a problem with larger seedlings, but my success rate with the smaller plants after long journeys is generally poor. Whilst I do endeavour to get the largest plants available, my choices are usually very limited.

2nd November 2007:
The Plants
Polytunnel
I have moved the three Cordylines to a brighter area in the polytunnel, as they are showing severe signs of insufficient light. The previous position was fine throughout the summer, but with the lower light levels entering the polytunnel from outside and growth of other plants producing more shade, the light that they were receiving had dropped substantially. I am looking into adding another light source in the polytunnel.

1st November 2007:
Website updatess:
Homepage
November poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Ptychosperma elegans.

30th October 2007:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for October 2007.

26th October 2007:
Website updates:
Links
The Links page has been updated and is now fully indexed and categorized with a few new links added as well.

23th October 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Another new arrival today, Areca vestiaria (Red Form), two small seedlings. I have put both in the polytunnel, but one is in heavy shade and the other is in partial shade. Look out for them in the October Gallery coming soon.

20th October 2007:
Website updates:
Gallery
Palmetum Gallery pages changed to new format.

13th October 2007:
Website updates:
Palms
Dypsis onilahensis pages changed to new format and brought up to date.
Database
Over the past week I have been working on a new format for the palms, cycads and tropical sections, to allow the introduction of all of the species from the various related galleries. This example is just a layout plan at the moment, as I want to use a database to allow look up of species based on various criteria. This would allow users, for example, to search for all clumping species that don't grow above 5m (16') and then sort the results from shortest to tallest species or from most to least cold hardy, etc.

12th October 2007:
Website updates:
Palms
Dypsis psammophila pages changed to new format and brought up to date.

11th October 2007:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for National Botanic Garden, Wales from my August 2007 visit.

7th October 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Due to the space created by the plants that have gone to a new home, I have moved a few of the remaining plants around, in some cases to provide more space for growth, in others to a location with more appropriate light levels.
Website updates:
Palms
Geonoma schottiana pages changed to new format and brought up to date.

6th October 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
I have sent some plants off to a new home to make a little more space, the smallest of the Cycas panzhihuaensis, one of the Dypsis onilahensis, and one pot each of Chamaedorea microspadix, Chamaedorea radicalis (Standard Form) and Chamaedorea radicalis (Trunking Form). Hopefully they will do well in their new home, which is somewhere I visit regularly, so I may still post occasional updates on their progress.
Website updates:
Palms
Heterospathe minor pages changed to new format.

30th September 2007:
Website updatess:
Gallery
New gallery added for September 2007.
Homepage
October poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Pelagodoxa henryana.

27th September 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
While taking photos for the September gallery, I noticed that one of the Dypsis heteromorpha stems has produced it's first sucker. This obviously happened some time ago, because the new sucker is already fairly well developed, having a couple of mature leaves. I am quite surprised that I didn't notice it before, although the Dypsis heteromorpha is fairly well hidden behind other plants.

25th September 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
I took delivery of some new arrivals today, Areca catechu (Dwarf Form), Calyptrocalyx flabellatus, Heterospathe negrosensis, Licuala triphylla and Pinanga dicksonii. They are all at seedling stage and have taken up residence in the polytunnel. Look out for them in the September Gallery coming soon.
Website updates:
Forum
There has been a lot of configuration work on the forum over the past few days and today I have switched to the latest version of the forum software.

21st September 2007:
Website updates:
Forum
The Palm Life Forum has been created and added as a new site section. Hopefully it will provide a useful exchange of knowledge and ideas.

18th September 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
The Cycas taitungensis has just started to push a new flush within the past couple of days, it's first since April. This should be well on the way by the time of the September photo updates. Some of the Chamaedorea radicalis (Trunking Form) are producing their first partly pinnate leaves, which should also be visible in the September gallery.

16th September 2007:
Website updates:
Palms
Heterospathe scitula pages changed to new format and brought up to date.
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Having noticed quite a large rip on one of the seems of my polytunnel earlier this week, I ordered a new one. Rather than replace the old cover, I have put the new cover over it, which will reduce light transmission, but add an extra layer of insulation as we head towards colder weather.

14th September 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
I have installed a new misting system today, which is a pumped system running from my stored RO water. This should avoid the problems I had with my previous misting system leaving calcium deposits on the leaves. This system is also using a repeat cycle timer on for short bursts with a short delay between, which should help to avoid excessive wetting.

11th September 2007:
Website updates:
Palms
Jubaea X Butia & Jubaea chilensis pages changed to new format and brought up to date, including the final entry for the Jubaea chilensis, which died in June.

9th September 2007:
Website updates:
Palms
Phoenix canariensis 1, Phoenix canariensis 2 & Lytocaryum weddellianum pages changed to new format and brought up to date.
The Plants:
Polytunnel
First pinnate leaf opening on one of the Chamaedorea microspadix, will be visible in September's gallery later this month.

6th September 2007:
Website updates:
Palms
Phoenix dactylifera pages changed to new format and brought up to date.

5th September 2007:
Website updates:
Gallery
New gallery added for my most recent trip to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

1st September 2007:
Website updates:
Homepage
September poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Archontophoenix purpurea.

30th August 2007:
Website updates:
Gallery
Gallery Index changed to include a brief description of the gallery types.
Journal
Journal added as a new site section.

26th August 2007:
Website updates:
Gallery
New gallery added for August 2007.
Palms
Phoenix loureiroi, Pholidostachys pulchra and Trachycarpus fortunei pages changed to new format and brought up to date.

24th August 2007:
Field Trips:
NBG Wales
Visited the newly opened tropical glasshouse at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. New gallery to follow.

17th August 2007:
Website updates:
Gallery
New gallery added for my trip to Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley.

16th August 2007:
The Plants:
Polytunnel
Due to what looked like red spider mite damage, I released some Phytoseiulus persimilis, a predatory mite, onto the effected and neighbouring plants in the polytunnel.

31st July 2007:
Website updates:
Homepage
August poll added and a new Palm Tree Of The Month, Pseudophoenix sargentii.

30th July 2007:
Website updates:
Gallery
New gallery added for July 2007.

27th July 2007:
Field Trips:
RBG Kew
My fourth visit to The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. This time my visit was mainly centred around The Temperate House, which had been overlooked on my previous two visits, due to lack of time. New gallery to follow.
RHS Wisley
After visiting Kew I managed to get in a quick visit to the new glasshouse at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley. New gallery to follow.