Cold, Warm, and then Cold again

Actually, this is quite normal .. if you think back, we always get a warm up in the first part of January. I've given up winter sowing because of it. But yes indeed .. I love this weather.

X

X I think your right. All most every year the coldest is in Dec. and Jan. almost always gets a good warm up. General terms here.

Tomorrow I think I'm going to start my seeds I traded for or SASE'd. Might be a little earily but I want to get some good size plants to plant in the ground. Last year was a trial and error process for me as far as seeds. Whose kidding who. Last year was a trial and error event all across the board. LOL. Thanks for those who helped me out.

This year I'm trying to get a handle on flowers. I was paying attention in 2007 but time to see what I learned. Flowers are tricky to get the right colors at the right times and conditions etc. I'm sure some of you think nothing about it but I need to come up with a plan to fill things out.

Yeah now that you mention it, it does seem like we've had a week or two like this the last few years. Just seems in general a little warmer this year (until one of those fronts swings through).

What would be the best is if we warmed up to say the high 50's/low 60's. Enough to keep us comfortable but also keep our plants in dormancy. These highs and lows are hard on the plants.

ardesia...I totally agree with you ..I have a few tulips and muscari peeking out....arrghhhh :)~ I planted about 400 bulbs this fall in my front beds and am hoping this warm up doesn't ruin the spring show!

I haven't even potted my tulip bulbs yet because I'm as confused as the poor plants with this weather.

I think this is the phenom. referred to as the "January thaw". ...although, for us down south, it's more like the January "bake". :)
Did I mention I have some Snow Flakes blooming already? Weird.

Diehrd: Where'd you hear 35!??? Oh noooo. I hope they're wrong.
Deb

Well, here in Summerville we have one more day of 70's .. then it goes back down again. Here is our tenday Deb

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/29485?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

X

Whew!Not as bad as I feared. I thought if Diehrd was getting 35 down in Blufton, that we'd be in the freezing zone. Mid-30s...No so bad! :)
Thanks X.

Deb

scnewbie...lol - I hear you...I am confused too with this crazy weather but I am not going to complain because after spending half my life in the Adirondack Mountains this is a slice of (heaven)cake...

although I have to admit last springs late freeze really ruined the crape myrtle show and my grandfathers beard shrub took months to recover

Let me ask you all something for those that have lived in the south longer than I...do you keep your bulbs in the ground year round or do you pull them prior to summer heat? I have heard conflicting things about how to do this in the Carolinas and was curious what everyones experience was/is.

I had another good day in the greenhouse...I cleaned it and then set up some seeds - of course looking back now I should have done it the other way around...LOL I started a flat of Centaura Montana and another of Husker beardtongue...wish me luck! ok wish them luck...cause with me in control they are gonna need it :)~

I've got "newbie" questions, too. I was handed a box of bulbs yesterday, by someone who "didn't get around to them". So she passed the guilt on to me, now it's my fault. They are Narcissus, Allium, and Crocus, and all have little green sprouts (except one variety of allium, which looks like it's had it). What do I do with them? If I plant them now, do they have a chance? I considered refrigerating them until it was "safer". but , well, HELP!

Along those same lines..... will my tulip bulbs be ok if I put them in pots later this week, when it cools down, do you think?

In my experience in zone 8, I can't get bulbs to bloom unless I stick them in the Fridge for 6 weeks. The ground here just doesn't get cold enough.

X

I'm further north than you guys, but a few years back I planted tons of tulips and crocus, etc, in January, and they all bloomed fine in spring, crocus still bloom every year.

I'd plant them personally...got nothing to lose at this point. It might not hurt to wait until it gets cold, then mulch them to keep them cool?


This message was edited Jan 10, 2008 9:22 PM

That's what I'm thinking, too. Thanks!!

Are any of you thinking about going to the spring May 3 round up in Asheville? I want to go and have never been to one before and was curious what I should bring to be prepared to trade etc (like how many seedlings vs seeds?)

Catmad- I had someone give me 2 bags of Narcissus too! They had 2" of growth on them so instead of putting them in the ground I put them in a lg oval vase with rocks and water and am hoping to see some blooms by Feb....

rednyr, I'll be there. In terms of what to bring, someone will open a thread for trading at some point when it gets a little closer. There you can list the specifics of what you have available and see what other folks have, most trades are set up before the RU. Last year was very laid back and fun and sometimes people bring extras, here's the tradelist from the Raleigh RU to give you an idea:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/759910/

if you have any questions let me know :)

Rednyr: My experience with bulbs is that Tulips will usually bloom the first year after being planted around Thanksgiving, but they rarely come back a second time. I'm told they will repeat if you dig and chill them. Also some species tulips supposedly can do well her without having to dig them.

On the other hand: Several types of daffs and narcissus do great staying in the ground year round for me, as do Louisiana Iris, Blue Flag iris, gladiolus, & Asiatic lilies.

Catmad: Me, too. I'd stick 'em in the ground. :)

Deb

Holy Cow Tropicana...that was a cool thread...talk about bargaining ...I felt like I was at Jockey Lot Barnyard Flea market down in Cola..LOL have you grown any sedums yet? I see that was on your want list last year...I have enough seeds to feed a baby for a week if you still need any LOL

I appreciate everyones feedback on the bulbs...My Emporer tulips came back a second season...if they don't come back a third I'll know I was just darn lucky and to pull my tulips this fall...

Okay, guess that's my project for this weekend. Thanks, all. I felt bad for them, but maybe they'll live after all:) I'd better find out where they like to live...

catmad, feel good about it, bulbs are tough

rednyr, I might start a thread for trading today, someone else asked. I grow as many sedums as will survive here, I have a dry area that even sedums and salvias have to fight for their lives in

Rednyr: It's possible the squirrels ate some or most of my tulip bulbs. They certainly eat the flowers! Hope your luck with them continues.
Deb

Deb

I bet you're right about the squirrels too! I have found some bulbs in the "beds" just laying there and thought.,..what the heck...I bet my cats interupted the rascals mid steal....I know I had a horrbile mole problem last year...I had 3 Dianthus that were doing awesome in spring - getting so big I knew I could divide and then poof...come out one day and the blooms are withered and when I checked the plants the roots were all gone and when I pulled them up each had a 3" hole that when I put the hose in it went pretty far down! I started leaving a few cat treats in the area to get my kittens and cats interested in the spot...since then I have not seen them back

Deanna

Deanna, that sounds more like voles to me. Moles will tunnel under your plants looking for grubs and often leave the roots exposed to air so the plants die but voles will actually eat the roots of plants and I believe they like bulbs too.

I bought a cheap bb rifle. It's got enough umph to bruise the little buggers but won't actually penetrate them. It seems to be working. All i have to do now is open the door, start pumping the rifle and the few fearless ones that venture into my yard leave immediately.

X

X, you're givin' me ideas. ;->

i do that but once i hit the neighbor's window..... no damage thankfully.... now i'm more careful..... :-)

ardesia - I bet your right! I know my carrots and beets I left in the ground last winter were gone when I went to dig some up for a meal one time...I have learned that lesson and don't leave anything in the ground after its ready now

diehrd - boy I hope you have nice neighbors...LOL

we actually have had people in the past stop and pull off on the front of our drive and shoot at the deer that live behind our house...I went outside one nite with my gun and shot up in the air and yelled the next one won't miss ...I have not had a problem since but I guess my annie oakley imitation could have backfired...no pun intended...ok it was intended... but the sheer audacity of some people just irks me...one of my kids bedrooms faces the road...what if that idiot had missed?

anyways..thanks for the advice on the voles...I will make it a point to read up on them..

i dont think they were home when it happened. i shot at a tree which blocked their view of me so they wouldn't be able to tell who it was

diehard...i'm telling on you LOL :)~

Hey I was really excited tonite when I got home from work (worked on cuttings for most of the morning and then spent two hours re-arranging all the fruit trees so they were grouped in order - I work at a nursery part time)....after this funky weather we'd been having I was worried my seeds would have germ. issues especially with the heater malfunction I had last week...but...the trays that have Zinnias, Carnations, Asters, Cardinal Vine, Sunflower and BES vines in them started to sprout...that truly made my day...two more trays to go and I can sigh some relief for a bit....

Suppose to get cold again tonite...anyone else have frost this morning?

We had some frost. I could see it on the roof of our neighbor's house. Nothing heavy.
Covered up a few things again. Looks like 2 nights in the mid 20s for us.

looks like we'll get 29 on sunday night

sleet on Thursday for us and tonite 20's to low 30's so I brought my seed trays in just in case

Last night seems to have been too much for my Queen palm. It'll survive but the fronds have distinctly brown-ish hue this evening.
Deb

aww Deb that stinks...

Sorry to hear that Deb. I know my poor Sago's look dead now. I just hope they keep growing in the spring.

The roller coaster ride continues.

Our HIGH on Thurs is going to be 37. Insulation time!

This message was edited Jan 15, 2008 7:06 PM

my kids are already drooling with thoughts of sleet and no school...if i hear one more time do you think we'll have school on Thursday I think I will go insane..wait I'm already insane...do you think that will make me sane then...LOL

Well, hey - if we have to be cold anyway, then a snow day wouldn't be a bad thing! :) I could stay home and get something done.

I should've wrapped that Queen. I could've but I thought the lights would be enough. I guess after the 3 nights-in-a-row freezing week before last, this was just one freezing night too many. :( It's gonna be ugly, but I think it will make it.
My Chinese Fan is also burnt, but that happened last year and it grew back ok. My largest alpinia also decided to give up on staying green. Ah well. That's gardening!
Deb

Don't worry about that Sago John; if it browns off just prune all the fronds off and wait. As long as the ball stays hard your sago is fine. Sometimes the new fronds pop right out and sometimes it takes a while.

Thanks, I'll keep my fingers crossed. I covered them up last night and will again tonight with blankets. I also mulched my chinese fan palm right next to the house with a bunch of straw and covered it too. Deb, I hope mine comes back like yours did. I think it's OK near the ground... just the top leaves got hurt. Glad I brought the big one in (I had left it in it's pot).

I'm somewhat concerned about my Alocasia in the ground too. With the cold weather and these hard freezes, the ground seems like ice in the morning. I really hope all my bulbs are OK. I mulched the remaining portion of one stalk last night to be safe. They say they can get to 5F... so I'll hope they return in the spring too.