Sunny California? Record lows cause Brrrrug Woes...

This is a BIG DEAL to me! The hose is frozen all the way to the faucet, along with everything in it's path. :-( 20 degrees, feels like 17... never heard of this here.

It's weird weather everywhere. We go from teens at night to 70's during the days sometimes.

This is the coldest weather we have had in ten years. I had a brug. in a large pot on the patio. Even with covering it with a blanket last night, the pod still froze.

Patricia

I found some sandbags that were blowing out of a truck on the road.. I covered several plants with them... even though they were plastic, they worked better than the "frost cloth" that I doubled on Maya! Still melted her to the ground.. Every brug outside is melted.. cuttings included. The carport and closed in porch didn't protect them.

I'm still being postive here.. NOW I HAVE ROOM FOR ALL MY SEEDLINGS! LOL

I am really sorry for you guys!
(But, lol Joyce anyway!)
I know that freezing weather pattern too well. It stinks, even if you expect it.
I have to move everybody I want to save into dormancy, usually in early October. They don't get to see the outside until sometime in May. This year was so warm, they didn't want to go to sleep, so I have been plagued with spider mites on a few when the cold will usually kill them. We are finally around freezing (32 degrees) with temps in the teens expected this upcoming week.
I hope everybody makes out OK, and things return to "normal," if there is such a thing anymore.
You're right Ada, things sure are weird with the weather in most parts.

So you got hit hard Patricia? Frozen pod. Shoot. Here I got up at 6am just to check temp and it was 32 so no 24 as predicted. Tom came home early yesterday to help me cover everything. We worked so hard and all he would say is I HATE PLANTS!! LOL! I used every blanket, towel and sheet I had. My yard is hysterical. My neighbors must think I am so odd. We have at least 5 more freezing nights forecasted. This is the coldest it has been for now. So much for global warming.

I was just out, it is 49 degrees and just lovely. Crisp and sunny!
I hope we all make it thru this week.

Here is Ruthie, I cut half down from her canopy and made a frost covered lollipop out of her. All my brugs out front look like this. White lollipop city. LOL Kind of reminiscent of ghosts.

BRRRRRRRRR is 81 here today

Rub it in, Paul! I'm in long sleeves out here.

All my Brugs are in pots and safely (Unless I run out of propane) in the greenhouse, but I was sore for days after lugging in all those pots. I plan to plant a good number in the ground this spring. If the weather next winter is anything like this week (A high of 33ºF - 35ºF the rest of the week), I had better visit the local thrift shop for old blankets and stock up for next winter. I went on a cleaning frenzy this past summer and got rid of all but 3 sets of sheets and blankets.

I live in Zone 8b though and maybe I should concentrate on protecting a small section of trunk and the root system. A dip in temperatures down to the upper teens can be a common occurance. Has anyone used plastic over a blanket when rain or sleet is predicted? And how well does it work?

LOL @ Veronica. That's funny about the cleaning frenzy.. I was considering the same thing when I had sheets and table cloths in every color in the book out front.. LOL
Sorry I can't answer that Veronica, This whole thing was more than I could even imagine. We have never had it this cold... at least not since I can remember and I've been here 44 years! We had a wind chill down to 17 the other day..... just way more than I can comprehend.
The one thing I can say is that freeze cloth is a waste of money.. I used those plastic burlap sandbags and they worked better than the freeze cloth even doubled..

Kell, When I was driving around our area yesterday, I saw that I wasn't the only one trying to keep plants alive by covering them. I saw several yards with blankets thrown over their precious plants out in their front yards. I just keep telling myself, not to get upset over it, just means I get to shop for new plants this Spring. I sure hope these freezing temps. kill off any lingering spider mites that were out in the yard,

I'm sorry to hear about all your losses. Prayers are in for tonight...
Mickey

Gosh Patricia, wouldn't that take the cake if after all of this, the spider mites still lived. LOL, what a terrible thought.

I had to break off the ice on my dogs outside water dish. My mutt is probably trying to call the SPCA about it now. Don't worry he has a comfy spot inside the house. He likes to steal my husbands spot on the couch every time Harry gets up.

Okay .... Who's ready for Spring?!

This weather sucks. Sorry for all the damage, you guys. Kell, I am really impressed with that wrap job. That was really sweet of Tom to help you even though he hates plants. That just shows that he loves you. It is supposed to get warmer slightly for a while -- at least here. It's predicted to be 38 tonight. I'd never thought I'd be glad to see 38.

LOL, Mary! I just envisioned your dog trying to make a phone call;-D LOL!

Stay warm, everyone.

Oh good Clare, I'm glad your not gonna get anymore torture at least tonight!

It's gonna be 25 here again tonight.. I've gotta stop dwelling on what I lost and keep my mind on my seedlings for this year. They make me warm and fuzzy. LOL

Yeah Mary! You've got the right attitude!

i feel bad for every one that lost so many Brugs its never gotten that cold here [yet] that ive lost any . about 4 years ago i bought six tri pod lights that have 2 light sockets each. i also have heat light lamps for the tri pods in case i need to use theam if we get a bad freeze here regards paul ps lowes or home depot seels theam about 35 each

Well.... I couldn't wait till Spring.... Look what I just got at Walmart to cheer me up! Hot Pink for $13. bucks.. Love it.. even though it's not a brug. Red Sister Cordyline

All of you covering your plants should put Xmas lights under the covers .
Right now OSH has the light sockets with ALunium refectors for about $5 .
Light bulbs I use start at 7 1/2 watt to 34 watt [ I don't want to burn plants ]
I am going to check my homemade greenhouse which is probably closer to a cold frame when I get off computer .

Things are still pretty bad here. 34 tonight. I thought I had escaped lots of damage for after the worst 2 nights things still looked so good. But I do not know if it is a delayed reaction but I have so much damage now. My lantanas maybe gone for good. My EEs are gone, my bananas are fried. I could go on and on. Lots of brug damage too, some gone to the ground it looks like. The saddest is my big tibouchinas. Fried. My huge vines too are so fried on top. Probably OK though. Well, my huge bougie still looks like it is half alive. So I guess I shouldn't complain.

Just goes to remind me these plants do not belong to me, just on loan to enjoy. I had no room for even 1 more plant, now I will have lots. Do not tell Tom I said that. LOL!

Hey Sue, when are we going shopping???

We are still pretty cold here at night too. Our nights have been aroud 27 and we have been in the high 50's during the day. I am so thankful for the warmer days, since I had to pull every plant out of the greenhouse yesterday and spray for mites, broad mites and aphids. I sprayed every plant before putting them into the greenhouse, but when we started getting so cold, without thinking I started putting plants from outside in there without dipping and spraying them. That was a big mistake.I do have a couple brugs. blooming, so that is keeping my spirits up.

I do feel sorry for all of you but now you have a taste of what we go through EVERY YEAR I hope all your plants make it.

Patricia,
what kind of greenhouse do you have? Is it heated? I have a rion greenhouse and I had to put a heater in it this year. Now I'm scared for the electric bill. lol
I love shopping for plants but I hate loosing the ones I started from seeds and have been treating like babies. Most of the brugs I have I started from seeds and now I probably won't get to see them bloom. Maybe I should just beg for cuttings or ask where is the best place to get brugs.
The real problem is we are not equiped for this kind of weather. I don't ever remember it being this cold for this long.
Linda

Hi Linda, I ordered my greenhouse from B.C. Greenhouses. The last two years, I heated it with a electric heater which was pretty expensive. I was not heating it this year, and up until last week when we started getting so cold, it looked as is it had been costing me around $300. a month at the same time last year to heat the greenhouse. I am only turning the heater on this winter when the nights get below freezing. If it is 34 or above, I don't turn it on and the brugs. seem to handle that fine, although some tropicals won't. I don't use any lights in there, just the natural light.

If you need a few brugs. I am sure I have some extra cuttings rooted or rooting that I can share with you.

Patricia

The difference is Doris is that our yards are planted for much milder winters. We are not supposed to have this cold. So it is quite devastating to them as our plants die that we have had for years and years. I think this is the worse weather I have had in 30 years here.

Too bad Linda but things might start popping up in spring and summer. At least that is what I keep telling myself. LOL Patricia, I hope your heating bill is not too bad. It will be interesting to see what mine is. I have the heater going every night all night since early November, it cycles on and off. If Tom says squat I will give him the LOOK! I wonder how often that bill comes.

Kell,even with heating it on the coldest nights, I still have brugs. setting buds in there. My B. susanne is loaded with blooms and buds, in fact I was just out dabbing her with pollens. Golden Lady is getting ready to bloom also, so I have my pollens all picked out. I have had better luck pollinating this Fall and winter in the greenhouse than I was outside.

I wish a LOOK ! would work with my husband. It did the first couple years, but not anymore.

oh... I fell so sorry for you guys... poor brugs.... Kell, I have 3 cuttings yellow and 3 pink... if you need I will give you some... mine are doing really well... I am planting them in a gallon pots tomorrow... I am so excited... some gardening to make my little heart happy... I was going to plant some seeds, but I decided not to... I will do that in march when the weather gets better and my sister karla will be here to help me... now, my sister Christina keeps telling me that I have too many plants inside... but I told her oh well, they will all be outdoors next year... (not all .... oh well !!!!)

my 3 rose cuttings are doing well also... 3 tropicanas.... and Mi lincoln is showing a little growht also... lady banks didn't make it... poor thing...

Kell, I agree with you. It is one thing if you get this weather every year or are supposed to get these lows every year. One can prepare for these lows if they are expected. When they are unexpected, it is devastating. It was 32 here again the night before last and 35 last night. I bought two new greenhouses which should arrive Monday, and I'll set them up Monday.

I too have plumeria seedlings, which I have grown from seeds and which are several years old but have not flowered yet. It would be a great loss to me if I lost them. I think I only have leaf damage at this point on my brugs and plumerias, but my Lantanas look just awful too. My Brunfelsia americana was in the ground and looks brown too as does my Tabernaemontana.

I've already decided that I won't replace anything that doesn't make it and will just be content with what I have for now -- which is more than enough to keep me busy. I too have my heater on in the greenhouse but am only running it during this cold period. Last year, our electric bill was $400 a month when I was running it in my larger greenhouse.

Well if my bill is $400 a month since November, I will not only have to give him the LOOK but also follow it up with the GROWL. That is my do not mess with me buddy signal. After almost 30 years of marriage, we have the nonverbal communication down pat. LOL I think the PG&E bill comes every 3 months, shoot, a loud GROWL is needed for sure. And if that does not stop the beast in him, a HISS will work. Oh I mean a KISS. LOL

I have a couple blooming too Patrica in the hoophouse and on the porch. But they are not at their best looking. Maybe I should cross them too. I was thinking no way they would take right now.

Actually, if we had this weather all the time, my yard would not be planted with tropicals for sure! Woe is me. Clare, I hope your plumies thrive. It would be too sad if you lost your seedlings.

There is also no sense to what froze. I took this pic yesterday of a schefflera I put outside many years ago, maybe 15. I thought it would die the first winter. Here it is all these years later and it has grown above my house. And not even one leaf is hurt from the freezes. How odd is that?

Thanks, Kell. I'll be able to send you some things in the spring to hopefully replace some of what you've lost. Congrats on 30 years, girl. That is amazing and wonderful.