Exoten und Garten Forum
Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board
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John in CO
Message from Jim Wilmington DE 7a
What Colorado John wrote about was a pronounced "kink" at the base of Trachy trunks when young. As the tree ages and matures, the kink softens up a great deal and becomes much less noticeable.
The terminology he used was something like SFH, which stood for Soil Frost Heave, or maybe it was SHF, for Soil Heave Factor. Something like that.
Another pet thing for him was VSM: Volumetric Soil Moisture. He was a big proponent of the idea that if you kept your palms in drought-like conditions in the winter, you could add 5 degrees or more to the lethal cold temperature your palm could withstand.
He had much to say, and all of it useful.