The "Bummed" Thread

Is anyone else as bummed as I am? Last fall I planted 700+ bulbs. I got to see the crocus bloom and a few varieties of daffodil . . .

I had 200 pink tulips in a bed in the front of my house - all were about ready to pop open in full splendor the day of the first freeze. Also in the same bed is a gorgeous bright pink azalea that was just starting to open.

My DH, neighbor, and I spent all of Tuesday evening setting up a toga party in my yard, covering plants with bedsheets! But alas, the pink tulips and azalea are extremely droopy and have black on their leaves and buds. All of the new hydrangea growth is black. I was so bummed I could cry!

I thought there might still be hope for some perky looking red tulips and grape hyacinth in another bed, until I heard the forecast for Friday night - 13 degrees!

I am recovering from my bitterness - I was just so excited to see the blooms in their first year! Aahh - nature. Not in my nature to complain - so I have to finish on a positive note - at least the bugs should be killed off again!

I don't have near as many bulbs as you do, but I'm frustrated for another reason. I split my daff bulbs about three years ago, and have been waiting (im)patiently for them to finally bloom.

This year, they finally bloomed...of course there would be a cold spell to ruin it.

*Sigh* That's why I love indoor gardening.

Marsha.

I'm right there with you!!! I'm ready to go back to Texas.....I made it through my first Nebraska winter and I feel entitled to Spring!!! I so want to put something in the ground!

I'm new to Lincoln and to bulbs. All the flowers are drooping but I don't see any black on the leaves. Will they bloom again? I've got lilys everywhere and hostas and their leaves look fine. So you heard 13 degrees tonight? When I heard the frost date was in May I didn't want to believe it....I even bought some plants already to plant.....but I'm starting to BELIEVE!!! When do you start planting?

Robbi

Robbilyn - I think the problem this year in NE was that everything started warming up too fast and too early! The last frost date is supposed to be around mid-April - last year I planted tons in the middle of April and everything did fine. Bulbs were blooming 2-3 weeks later last year than this year . . .

If your blooms on your bulbs get too hard of a freeze they won't bloom - that is why I am fretting over the forecast for Fri and Sat night -

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?CityName=Lincoln&state=NE&site=OAX

I am not sure about everything else - I think perennials may have new growth burned off but should grow again. Not just NE that is experiencing this late winter surge, though - people across the country are getting freezing temps and snow!

Here in Northern Illinois, the temperature is a balmy 30 degrees right now.
Lows expected in the 20's tonight.

Here in northern Ohio it just made it to 31 degrees. The real problem, aside form the cold temps, is the unrelenting 25 mph wind. Tonight is forecasted mid 20's. No relief until Monday. I have early daffs with buds up but not opened. The tulips were just beginning to show buds. I think I will be allright in the bulb department. But, please don't ask me about the Weeping Higan cherry blooms, the Dr. Merill magnolia, the Japanese maples or the Lemon Wave hydrangea.

I'm right there with you NE ladies. I planted 300+ bulbs last fall and was really looking for a spectacular spring. My yard has been a work in progress over the past year and the neighbors have been watching and waiting. I went out Tuesday evening and cut some of my hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips that were already in bloom. I figured I might as well enjoy them in the house. As I was working Tuesday, one gentelman passerby commented on how things were just starting to bloom and now we were going to have cold weather again. I'm worried about some of my perennials that had already started to show new growth. Time will tell.

snapple, you are so right about the wind. My daffodil blooms are fine, except they are eating dirt. The wind has toppled them.

This is the stuff that makes life interesting, 80 degrees one week, snow the next! :o)

toofew

I feel your pain everyone... my flower beds look like a war zone. We had particularly high winds the other night and below freezing temps for several days. I hope everything can just hold on for another few days when temps should get back to normal. Keeping my fingers crossed that all is not lost.

Di

I share your pain, too.

First I lost 400 of my new crocus to rabbits and voles and now this freezing wind is killing off my Eremurus and lilies among other baby plants. I would cover them, but our weather forecast calls for six or seven nights of below freezing temps so I think it would be a futile effort.

I did plant 300 tulips in containers (already a little frostbitten) and I am going to go out tonight and put them into the garage for safekeeping.

I am surely beginning to believe that (midwest) gardening is not for the faint of heart.

Good luck to everyone!