Froze here last night

Ugg! Just when my gardens were starting to look good too.

I was getting ready for work this morning and the radio said we had 30 degrees last night, coldest in the nation. NOOOO!!! I ran outside half-dressed, hairbrush in hand to check on the tomatos and peppers. Ugg. Not a pretty sight, and I expect them to look even worse when I get home tonight. DH talked to our neighbor and he said his thermometer showed 26 degrees at 4:30 this morning. I won't be able to get into town until I get off work and I'm sure the garden centers will be all sold out, since it's late in the season and everyone will be rushing to replant.

What in the world is wrong with this weather?

I just had to whine a bit. Looks like I won't have any tomatoes and peppers this year. :( I think I can still replant the cucumbers and such from seed and get a harvest though. I'm hoping.

Joan, I'll send you some tomato suckers. They'll root and produce just like a seed grown plant would.

Let me see what can use thinning. I'll wait till Monday so they won't be stuck at the PO too long....they just might live if I pack them well with damp paper towels.

Thank you Mel! Were you going to trim off the suckers anyway? If so, I'd love to have them, but don't want you to harm your plants.

I'm going to make a mad dash for town when I get off work too, and see if there's anything left, but I'm not going to hold my breath. All those that live right in town and don't have to work will get there first.

Freezing on June 18th! I can't believe it. That's a month after our last frost date. Our season's short enough as it is.

I told DH that we are gonna move...SOON! He laughed. I don't think he realizes how serious I am about that. :)

Kentucky is about 90 degrees today...in the 70's at night now and will get hotter....Come on down!

My tomatoes are pretty rank at the moment, they'll never miss a few dozen suckers. It's rained so much that I can barely get in there, so it's a jungle at the moment.

I know I got Cherokee Purple, Kellogg Breakfast, Old Flame, Rose Beauty and Pruden's Purple that can stand thinning out.
They were my early plantings and have tennis ball sized tomatoes at the moment.

Will get a care package headed North first of the week.

Sounds like heaven Mel. We haven't seen really warm weather yet, and if it gets warm, it's also windy. I'll tell DH tonight that we are moving to Kentucky! He does like the derby. :)

Thank you so much for everything and I'll reimburse you the postage.

I feel for you Joan!! It would have happened to me too but my DH had the radio on at 1:30 and woke me. A little after 2:00 am we had all the plants in YET again. I'm at the point where I don't think we will be safe until July!!

Joan, I feel so bad for you. I'd offer you something from my garden but we've had a very slow start. I don't think the tomatoes like the 90 to 50 degree waves in temps. Very strange weather indeed.

Mel, your an absolute angel!

Hey Doll! Sorry and shocked about the freeze this time of year! I have about 100 tomato and pepper plants in 7 oz cups. My daughter has been selling them on weekends. I'd be happy to share. Let me know if you need them. And lots of hugs to you. Zone 4 would kill me! :(

joan im so sorry for you-UNREAL id be just sitting there cryin!!!

davesgardeners are thee BEST wish i had some extras but we are struggling here in mich with all the rain-so far behind!

GOOD LUCK GIRLIE!!!!

Joan, Are you looking for any special kinds that have not been offered? Just let me know.

Hi, Joan... I've got lots of tomato plants, as well, maybe even a pepper or two. I can send you some from tropical Alaska! LOL!

I'm only down the road aways ('bout 6-7 hrs.) and have 6 or more rutgers tomatoes and 8 cherry tomatoes (forget name - can look it up) about 3 inches high. Also have extra morning glories and a fuzzy pink bean vine extra. Do you have neighbors and/or friends you can share with? I think we all would rather someone could use our extras than dump them!

edited to add: we were fortunate, only got down to the high 30's last night. Heard Aberdeen and Pierre were gonna set cold records last night - freeze warnings for them too. Actually must be about 9 hrs. to you - you're farther west than I thought!



This message was edited Jun 19, 2004 10:32 AM

Hey, Joan... I'm serious. If you need tomato plants, just email me. I have about 6 or 7 different kinds, but most are early varieties, tending toward cherry varieties, since they are a greenhouse item here and our season is quite short. They are about 10-12 " high now, in 3/5" pots. I can drop some in the mail, if you need them. I must have about 100 plants.

Weez, the ones I have are all main to late season...she'll need some earlies to go with them. The bi-colors may not even make a crop for her...they're about 85 days. Just hoping what I had would get her some kind of harvest.

You all are the absolute BEST! Mel's right, my season just got shortened a whole bunch, so I do need some short seasoned ones.

Sorry Mel, but I don't think I can grow yours out this year, as much as I'd love to. Those heirlooms are really tugging at my heart though, since I didn't get to start any from seed this year with my Mom getting sick and dying at the time I would have been planting seeds under growlights. But, that's this year, next year will be different I hope. I guess it wouldn't have mattered anyway, since we had this really late freeze.

Lilypon, I am so glad you were able to save your plants. We had no warning at all that this was going to happen. So very strange indeed. The issued a freeze warning for last night also, but I think it was only to cover their butts for not issuing the one that happened. It didn't freeze last night and we had everything covered and ready.

Elsie and Dori, don't worry about it. I really wasn't asking for plants when I posted this, honest!!! I was just so down heartened that I needed to vent to someone that would understand. I know it's a struggle everywhere this year with the drought in places and flooding in others.

Marcia, I am not looking for any certain varieties at this point. DH and I went on the greenhouse tour yesterday and he asked me what kind I was looking for. I replied to him that at this point beggers can't be choosers, whatever is available is what we are getting. :) We did manage to snag enough bell peppers and jalapeno pepper plants. We also found 3 Early Girl and 1 Sweet 100 tomato plant. Got them all settled in today and I trimmed off the frozen parts of the plants still standing upright in hopes that the leader wouldn't have froze, but that is still to be determined.

Badseed, Kooger, Weezin? If you have any tomato plants that are short season, like under 70 days, I would LOVE to have them. Heck, I'm willing to go a bit longer and since my season just got cut very short, I could plant them in pots if I have to, and cover them with sheets in the fall, just to get the 'maters. My herb garden is also right up against the house and not full, so I can even put them in there and cover them every night. I can't imagine a winter without homemade salsa! I'd gladly reimburse the postage and the cost of the plants too. Just let me know.

Kooger, the morning glories and fuzzy pink bean vine would also be very welcome here. I would love to have them and I do have neighbors in this boat with me. I would love to pay for the shipping and the plants, as long as they are extras to you. I don't want to take them away from your gardens. But if they are indeed extras, I know I can find people in this area that would gladly grow them and love them. Please let me know if you are serious about that.

Again, you guys are just the best!!!! I truly love each and every one of you. I hope to get to meet all of you someday soon. I hope it doesn't sound like I'm asking for plants, because this really wasn't my intention. I only wanted to vent to some people who could understand how devistating this was. I feel so bad now, writing this. I would love to have any extras, but only if they un-needed by anyone else. Please forgive me if you took this as a beggging-for-plants post. If you did, please know that was not my intention at all.

Hugs and warm weather wishes to all of you.

Joan

Couldn't sleep so... just looked at the Rutgers and Cherry tom packages and both are 55-60 days so I'll get them sent out on Mon. Ok? Morning glories and fuzzy vine also. I've read MG don't like root disturbance - no experience with them myself, first year grower - so prolly have dirt on them.

I didn't get the feel at all that you were asking for plants. I've been trying to give these last ones away the past few weeks! Not glad you got frizzed but glad someone can use these! :)

Thanks Kooger! I feel better now. I got a bad feeling that this thread would be taken wrong and that was not my intention at all. I'll reimburse you the postage and whatever you think you need for the plants. Please let me know.

I don't mind that the morning glories and whatever will have dirt on them. Whatever keeps the plants happy is fine with me.

Hugs and Blessings,
Joan

I really don't need a thing for them. Someone did me a kindness recently when I lost a plant and refused payment or trade and I promised I'd pass on the generosity. So I'm glad I already have a chance to do that!

Thanks, you are so kind. :) I hope I get a chance to meet you someday.

Joan, pot up those heirlooms and baby them thru the winter in the house. If they a in too big a pot, take cuttings and hold them over in smaller containers. Maybe that is too much for you to do but it would get you started with the 'maters you want. I can usually make it to about Christmas before my potted tomatoes start to get too much for me in the house. Then I have to decide whether to just let them go or take cuttings.

I hadn't thought about bringing them in the house. That might be an idea too. Thanks Leaflady.

I truly believe that the joy of gardening is to have the ability and to be able to give away plants. You guys all seem great. Good luck with the tomatos.

Sheesh, you had frost!? Hard to believe (but I do). Very odd weather this year, isn't it? It just rains and rains and rains here.

HI, Did not even think you were asking--we all know about the weather and how the changes, whatever they are, can do to a wonderful crop. Now you just take care, stay warm and wait for the tomato "fuzzies" from your friends to head your way. I am glad they had extas. If you do end up with missing out on something---- And Evanovich's #10 is out on Tuesday Yeah!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome to DG Nada! The people here are great, as you can see. Thanks for the good luck wishes on the tomatoes.

Yes the weather has been really strange this year Joan, I'm glad you are getting rain though. We can't even seem to get that. If you have extra rain, you can send some of that this way. :) The weather seems more like October than June. Cool days and cold nights. I hope it warms up soon, but I'm afraid it's going to go from this straight into the 100's.

Evonovich's #10 comes out tomorrow? I gotta call the library and get my name on the list. Or maybe I'll just order it from Amazon.com. I could use a good read about now. Thanks for the info Marcia.

Suckers are on the way.

I picked 3 varieties that hopefully will produce this season. When you get them ,unwrap them and put them in water.

My box was just a little small, so they're sorta folded at the top....shouldn't affect them though.

Look for a box today, Joan. Went out Mon. Priority. Labeled on wrong, LMK when you get it and I'll tell you which one. :)

edited to add: not today, duh me! Wed....good grief, time goes fast enough already, don't need to speed it up!!

This message was edited Jun 22, 2004 3:14 PM

Mine will arrive on Thurs for you. Went out Priority today.

Thank you all so very much! I'll let you all know when they arrive and I'll reimburse the postage. Luv ya all!!!

Edited because I didn't include everything I wanted to say the first time.

This message was edited Jun 22, 2004 10:35 PM

Hope the Rose Beauty gets you a few tomatoes...it should. Those are the ones that started the Chow Chow thread you know.

I remember that Mel! How could I ever forget. LOL! What fun that was. I think I'm going to try planting the heirlooms in big pots so I can bring them in this fall and try to finish them out that way. I can't wait until the plants come so I can get busy again. I've been kind of in a slump since it froze, but with the new babies coming, I have something to look forward to.

I did make the chow chow last fall too. I love it, but nobody else in the house is real crazy about it. That's okay with me, because then I have more all to myself.

Good Grief!!!! Frost warnings again tonight. So...go cover what's still not froze and what's come up since I replanted?...or jump in the car and head south? I really hate this!

Okay, off to cover what I can and drag the brugs back into the house AGAIN!

Sorry to whine, but I'm getting mighty discouraged. If this keeps up, pretty soon it will be hard to tell summer from winter here.

We had frost last night as well....I've given up pulling them out for a couple more days. I think we should have just grown what echoes suggested in the Canadian Forum ... Spinach and Radishes (I'll add lettuce and peas). Just think first fall frost may be only 10 weeks away! :(((

This message was edited Jun 24, 2004 10:35 PM

Talkin' low 40s for us. It's getting old - can't complain 'bout the A/C bill tho. (always a bright side, I say! lol)

Lilypon, did you lose your gardens? Doesn't this just bite?

Everything dragable is back inside, and I covered the veggies. Left the potatoes, onions, lettuce, carrots, beets and spinach uncovered. They may be able to recover if they get bit. But, the flowers are on their own...I ran out of blankets and sheets. THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M DOING THIS!!! It's almost the first of July for cripes sake. I planted most of the tomato plants that Kooger, Weezin, and Mel sent me in large pots, so I will continue to drag them in and out until they just stay inside. Those I will not lose, they are just too precious.

Tonight when we were dragging stuff inside again, and covering the garden as best as we could, DH said, "Ya know Hun? They still sell most of this stuff in the grocery store." I'm contemplating starting to think like him. HE gets to go golfing in the morning. I have to uncover the veggies, go to work until noon, come home and drag out the potted plants, and survey the rest of the damage.

I was thinking. We have a crawl space under about half of our house. DIRT crawl space. Hang growlights from the floor joists and WHALA! Indoor garden. Yikes, I think I'm losing it.

Maybe I should go golfing with DH instead.

Yes, Joan, I can understand your frustration. It's pretty bad when you get replacement tomato plants from Alaska, isn't it! LOL!

I didn't lose mine but a number around town did. I am sooooooo tired of pulling plants in and out! :((( Since many of mine are tropicals and won't take temps lower than 6C (40F) I didn't dare leave them out. By the time they were all pulled in...covering the others wasn't too much more effort. From now on the forecast is looking better so this afternoon I planted the tropicals in the bigger heavier pots. I pray I'm right or else we will be reaching in the soil and pulling them up by the roots.

Here the greenhouses are still loaded with plants...it's rained for a month and with cool/cold temps no one has wanted to play in the mud. Those that lost will still have a really good selection here.

This must be so frustrating for you folks. We are having cool nights but nothing like you are having. Joan, that crawl space might not be such a bad idea if you just tweek it a bit. How about a platform on tracks or wheels that will let you put at least smaller pots and plants on it and roll them back under the house. You could perhaps cover them with something lightweight and also light absorbing. Like cheese cloth, old curtains, etc. Put plastic up to hang down in front to stop wind which is what carries the cold and does the most damage. Just some thoughts to maybe help you thru this valley.

Shoot! I lost this post. I still have about 90 plants, peppers and tomatoes in 7 oz cups. I'd be happy to send them to you but I don't know right off how long they take to fruit. :( I know I have beefsteak, golden jubilee, rutgers select, crud, where is my list?? Okay rio grande, san marzano and roma, don't know how many of each are left but you are welcome to them. Also have Jalepeno M, Jalapeno Picante and possible california wonder. Let me know and I will zip them off to you.

Thanks 'Chele, but I'm just flat out losing interest in the garden this year. It's been such a struggle with the cold and drought that I'm just going to concentrate on my flowerbeds and the 'bones' of the yard and try to keep them alive.

I have the 'maters that were sent to me in pots and I'm going to nurture them into producing if it kills me. :)

So, for this year, I'm not having fun trying to outguess all the weather predictions, and it's been so bad that I give up. Next year is another year and I'll hopefully still have it in me to try again.

This year was also a "brug-be-gone" year, and I'll miss them, but unless this weather straightens out into what used to be considered normal, I'm not going to try again. I missed the first night that it froze because I was tired and went to bed early and the frost/freeze wasn't predicted. Therefore, I lost them. I still have a couple left, and if they survive, then I'll be more than happy.

And no, I don't want any brugs this year. This spring has been just too stressful, and since Mother Nature isn't cooperating, I'm going to just keep my flower beds, trees and shrubs alive and see what happens next year. Plus the potted 'maters!!!

Time to drag out the golf clubs I think.