Cold nights

I hoped this wouldn't happen but of course now we are going to have 2 nights of temps. below 32. I have tons of annual seedlings and some perennials that have been growing most of the winter and think its spring. Now I am afraid the annuals at least will be killed by this small blast of winter. I went out today and found some pretty large sized drummond phlox growing in of all places... the middle of my lawn? Do you think since its been damp and the ground is pretty warm they might make it?
C

I covered some things up and moved others into the garage to hopefully minimize the damage.

I moved in potted plants and put some of my winter sown milk jugs near the house but the seedlings are just too many to try and cover, they are on their own the next two nights. I suspect only the really tender annuals will be affected. plains coreopsis, drummond phlox, R. hirta and about a billion cowpen daisy
Just going to keep my fingers crossed. This whole winter has been different and this is just another gardening experiment for me.

I also have some spinach and spring mix salad greens sprouted and growing.

I hope they make it

Me too, this is so weird, but we can't save everything, my garage is full and i have four tarps outside, we shall see, I hate the cold.

We have gotten into the 20s many times this winter, not as many times or as cold as most winters. It intrigues me how diverse the climate is here. I know its a big state but there is just no way to make generalizations. As for the lettuce and spinach they should be fine, mine always are. They may get burned around the edges but they'll come back.

21 very chilly degrees here with some brutal W/C forecast for today ,the high is only to be barely above freezing My fall garden has survived some colder nights but now is much more advanced so this will likely spell doom

16 very chilly degrees here this morning but we are goingto have a bright sunny day ,and if the wind don't blow should be able to at least get out and inspect the garden

Not sure just how cold it got but just by looking from the window I can see some of the plants are damaged.
C

I covered a bunch of stuff. I hope it helped.

I brought things in but didn't cover. Bulbines look damaged and so do some of the other plants that are more than an inch off the ground.

Cheryl, I hope for your best outcome. The last two winters, I found out what it's like to hav everything ruined. My lettuces and broccoli did fine during those hard freezes and the chard was OK until the freeze lasted 5 days without warming up. Bulbines did not make it thru those 2 winters here.

a little warmer here right now but snow is in our future for the overnight looks like most of the winter plants are done in ,my Camelia is burnt with all the blooms being black today

We hauled out the potted plants a few days ago because it was so nice. Hauled 'em all back into the sunroom day before yesterday. :( Now they're forecasting snow and sleet. We certainly don't need this!

I believe today, Sunday the 12th, has been
the coldest so far this "winter"

I have never lived any farther North than
this and we have been here 26 years.

Since the horrid winter we had last
season, had been fervently praying
for a mild winter and am not complaining now !

But I can remember o ther mild winters
here in north central TX , and there is
always that possibilty but more like a
PROBABILITY of that March surprise ...

But plants are generally pretty tough
little critters thank God !

DOnt give up, they could grow out !

And wind is a GOOD THANG, the
air movement keeps the little plants
from dehydrating, which is the worst
effect of a hard frreeze.

Dont be too hasty about pulling up
your plants and seedlings.

I usuallt start a very few romatoes and
peppers and cukes and call them
"sacrificial" just in case a freeze gets
them, with seeds reserved to plant more,
if necessary !

Suerte

It doesn't seem right that wind prevents drying out. It seems like it would speed up the drying like if you hang clothes out on the line on a windy day, they dry faster. Ive heard that wind prevents radiation cooling of the earth and the temp on still nights is likely to go lower. Could you explain more?

You are correct

the radiation also occurs when it is still ,,,

Not sore of the scienrific explanation
but just jave observed it

two examples:

1
in the Valley in the citrus orchards,
huge fans are set up to jeep the air

2

when expecting a hard freeze, if you
cover endangered plants with even
a bedsheet, it eill help, and a
bedsheet is not a thick enough barrier
to caise temps to be THAT much
warmer than outside that sheet.



moving

Start throwin the covers over everything and dig in guys- northers a comin- and there is no spring until Easter, brrrr

Snow on the ground here this morning

We had a bit of sleet last evening, but not much, it is raining lightly now and 36 degrees.

Last night I enjoyed looking at a few snow drops ...
but I really did enjoyed more the snow didn't stick in the ground.
It was strange: the snow was falling down ... and the temperature was 38F ...
Today has been raining a lot ... finally !!

The whole event didn't do much to my plants and I hope it's our last one for the winter!
C

me too !!
No snow, no frost ... nothing ....
Winter is finished !!

I took the tenders out of the garage today. They are heavy so I hope I dont have to bring them back in. We've had a freeze in the past between Feb 15 and Mar 15 but the reports said this winter would be mild. Im taking a chance but worst case, I just bring them back in. I think the operative word for me is "back". Mine hurts just thinking about it.

I think there will be one or two small freeze ... but not a big deal.
I am positive ...

I think we got this. The chill requirement for fruits seems to be filled on most of the Apples, Blueberries, Huckleberries and Quince. It was a big concern that we wouldnt get enough cold for blooms. We will see how the Pears and Plums do next. By the way, my Washington Seedless Navel Orange is about to burst into thousands of flowers and the Meyers Lemon is being as precocious as always.

Now we will expect pix Jujube nothing else compares to Citrus flowers for the fragrance alone

Another day or two and it will be in full picture-worthy swing.