Today's Weather in Your Garden - 18

Overcast but warmer at 54 degrees. Looks like we got about two inches of the liquid gold around here. You can almost see the grass grow. They say a more normal weather pattern for the next few weeks, whatever that means these days.

The sun should be out by this afternoon but I'm thrilled with the rain.

I'm looking across the street at my neighbor's expansive yard, and I LOVE the green of that grass! I don't think it ever has this kind of deep, rich color at any other time of year but now. April showers do so much for a place!

I'm enjoying the rain. I spread grass seed this weekend and haven't had to water!

Patti, your trip to NO sounds delicious! You had my mouth watering just reading about it.

I just hope the grass seed doesn't wash away, Harper.

It rained most of the night and still coming down. But seems a tad brighter out. I did go out and start the count as requested by Victor. I did it via a system I learned in Papua New Guinea. One, Two, Three, More and Many. I got "Many" which must equal what I planted. Patti

You could count like my son used to...
"One, two, skip a few, 99, 100"

Great method, Patti! I'm convinced.

Dark and dismal still. Alternating between a bit of brightness, light showers and very heavy downpours. Temp has dropped a little to 48 degrees.

We went UP to 46 degrees!
Still raining.

What ever its doing out there its doing. What matters is we have been stuck in the house for 2 days!

"April ,the cruelest month"
Sun out,light fluffy cloude
temp47*
cold and windy.

Still raining, with some real downpours moving through.

I just potted up a bunch of coop plugs and some Castor plants that I seeded last fall into cow pots in the GH. But the GH is really full, so they will get moved to the living room when they stop dripping. But I would love to get out side and plant the last order of lily bulbs that I got yesterday from a coop. They haven't spouted so no real hurry. But I want to get them in before I start planting plants.

Getting really dark again. Greens are getting intense. Dogs don't even want to be outside.

I think I may start potting up calla lilies, but I need to read first. Patti

April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.

Mostly sunny and windy now - 59 degrees.

Wind picked up and the sun came out, blue skies. Lasted about 15 minutes, now is overcast dark and looks like rain again. Got a pic of Ladies Mantle in between the darkness. Can't beat this plant after a shower. Close up of the fan shaped leaf covered with raindrops.

Nice pic, Pat. We received a total of 1 1/2 inches. Was hoping for a bit more but I'll take it!

Nice pic ngam!

Temp 54.1, Wind N 7.7 mph. ☺

Sun just came out here.

Very nice photo, ngam.

Sun just came out here, too, but it's windy out there!

Wet & cold. I hope that wet ground makes it easier to pull weeds.

It's sunny and in the mid 50s. The rain over the last couple of days was just perfect and everything looks fresh. I liked your picture, ngam.

we have a frost warning tonight... got everything either in or bundled up

Sunny but cool today, only 1/2 " of rain yesterday, maybe more tomorrow.

we have a frost warning here, too. Do you think i need to cover the brussel sprout and cauliflower and lettuce seedlings?

Yes for the lettuce. The others should be able to take it unless they've just been planted. I might cover them for safety.

If you could put a box over them with a brick on top that should work out fine.

This message was edited Apr 29, 2008 5:57 PM

Excuse the beginner question here, but when you have a frost warning, do you have to worry about covering up your perennials that are up? Like Astilbe, Cimicifuga, ferns, etc?

No. They'll make it through just fine.

I just hope those greenhouse stand plastic covers are enough.... i am thinking of putting something else over the top of that

I had the question about frost and perennials also. It is supposed to go down to 28 degrees tonight and i was worried about the perennials and roses cause they are mostly all up and have leaves. Tomorrow night it is even supposed to go lower, 26 degrees. I always worry this time of year about a frost killing all of the plants in my garden. I have a couple of containers of annuals but I moved them into the garage. Pansies should be able to take temps in the upper 20's right????? Eleanor

Wow, Eleanor, things are looking good. I can't tell you about that much cold. Someone will know.

ngam, lovely shot.

It has now cleared here with one of those magical light as the sun broke through the clouds. I wish I had taken a picture of the color. I will wait to go out in the morning to plant as I am now making labels for all the new stuff that has come in lately. Patti

Eleanor, I sure hope those cold temps won't have an effect on all your leafed out perennials. Earlier today I was reading the Hallson Garden Hosta Forum and there was a thread there about protecting your hosta so I got all paranoid and ran out and tried to cover things with pots, because some of my hosta are pretty far up and starting to unfurl. Well, forget it- the wind kicked up and started blowing the pots around and I figured that was likely to do more damage than anything. I don't see how I can keep a sheet from blowing off, either, or crushing the leaves, So I guess I am taking my chances there...we are supposed to get down to right around freezing tonight and tomorrow, but not as cold as you. I find this a very stressful time of year, I have to say. You get excited seeing your plants start to grow, then you have an anxiety attack anytime the forecast calls for a cold snap. Doesn't Mother Nature have all this worked out for us, anyway? I've been covering and uncovering my macrophylla hydrangea every day and I'm thoroughly sick of it! I just want summer to get here already.

The only thing I worry about when there is a frost warning this time of year after things have started to leaf out are annuals in pots if I have any ( pansies don't count) and the hydrangeas that bloom on old wood. The cold could zap the buds and I could lose some of the flowers since it is actively growing now.

Lilies too, can be damaged, so if you have any of those up, and can cover them, do. The perennials will be fine.

Yeah, that's what my hydrangea is and it's why I still have a large box on top of it.

But people on the hosta forum were implying that hosta leaves could be harmed by frost, too, and I get worried about that since that's what I have the most of in my garden. But, I know my father in law sure isn't out there covering up his hosta and as far as I know, he's never had a problem. I guess I'm just susceptible to peer pressure, lol.

Even if the hosta leaves were damaged, and they probably will not be, it's so early that more will grow to replace them.

I made sure my bird feeders were full so that the birds have breakfast in the cold am! ☺

We're supposed to go down to 35 here.

Yes, but Victor, would the hosta be AS fabulous as they would have been had they not been hit by frost? Tis the question. This is my third year with many of them, so I am hoping and expecting to see marked growth this season.

I'm sure I must have had frosts over the years since I've been growing them and can't recall any problems. But if it's no big deal to cover, then why not do it?

we had bad frost nights here for a week straight after everything was popping up last year... the established stuff will be just fine