But if it's no big deal to cover, then why not do it?
Can't put rocks on top of the pots? It's always a good idea to get some cloches when they're on sale.
I tried that, but the whole setup still seemed pretty unstable and I think a gust would still knock them over because they are so topheavy....wish I had more low containers with wider mouths. I ended up piling up as much pine needles as I could rake up, which I put on a few of my smaller, newer hosta. Then I used those green wire plant supports to sort of lightly hold down the pine needles, since those also tend to blow away. I think the temps should actually stay above freezing for us tonight, so I guess this is sort of a trial run for tomorrow, which is supposed to be colder.
I have plastic cloches with 'lips' that can be weighed down.
http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=10536&cat=2,2030,33141
I wouldn't be surprised if we get a short snow squall. ☺
Victor, I just saw those at my local nursery. They were sort of pricey, but it's not like you can't re-use them. The lip would help a lot to hold it in place. Hm... Maybe I should stop tomorrow and pick up a set. You would cover the hole at the top though, wouldn't you?
If it will be real cold, yes. I have hardly ever used mine.
suddenly clear, and getting cold here. to 30 degrees tonight. the plant that always suffers for me is kirengshoma, whose new leaves blacken.. but then it makes another set, after looking pathetic for a while
loved the ladies mantle pic, ngam...
sarah
Temp 49.6°↓, Wind NW 10.6 mph, Windchill 37.4°.
I am so happy my Dahlias are nice and warm... Thanks pirl! ☺
It was Steve, the dahlia guy from the Mid Island Dahlia Society, who mentioned that to start them in spring they want heat more than water so he gets the credit. Glad they're doing so well for you, WC!
wow that's cool... how long can they stay in the pans?
They've got sphagnum moss and are developing a root system... they're staying in there until it's safe to go in the ground! hee Hee!
Temp 48.9°, Windchill 36.8°. ☺
Good morning all
33* and a projected hi of 55*
It was a stillcloudless night.
I didn't think frost came with wind.
now that daylight is here I can see a thin layer of ice on the birdbath.
Poohy (:-
My garden is going to be real happy now with all the rain we got - unfortunately, now it will have to hunker down...
FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM EDT THURSDAY
Includes the Counties: Northwestern Suffolk, Southwestern Suffolk
Wednesday...Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.
Thursday...Areas of frost early in the morning. Mostly sunny in the morning...Then mostly cloudy with a chance of rain in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Friday...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Highs in the lower 60s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday...Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Highs in the upper 50s.
Sunday...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Highs in the lower 60s.
Monday...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain in the morning...Then partly sunny in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Tuesday...Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.
42 and sunny.
45 now, going to 58 but the low for 32 tonight is an example of why we don't plant out early though we're two weeks past the last frost date. It's just too risky.
Bright and sunny, warming to 38 degrees now from 28 early this am. Tonight may be as or more chance of frost.
It's sunny and breezy and feels like a brisk Fall day. Would be great.. if it was Fall.
Frost expected tonight. Anyone know if I should cover herbaceous and tree peonies with buds? Now where did I put the rags in the move?
Chilly out there. Will wait a while before going out. Frost warning here too for tonight. Your last frost date is that early, Pirl?
Yes, Victor.
Wow - I think ours is around May 15th.
No frost for us last night--maybe tonight--glad you are home, Pix & Patti--loved all the poems--nice of you to find the entire quote, amy, love the part about the lilacs. I have been busy babysitting for HayHay & Anni, so DIL can spend more time at UCONN. But it isn't good weather to be in the gardens--my grass seed germinated nicely, even before the rain. Then the tree remover's truck went right through it--deep ruts everywhere--oh, well. I planted my dahlias last week ---I'll keep updating their progress--or lack of--the peas look nice---my DH says peas, new potatoes, & salmon for 4th of July----is that a NH thing?
Sunny, windy and chilly today. The grass seed is still in place. How long does it take to germinate? Sorry to hear about yours with the tree remover's truck, Robin.
Here's a good site for determining your average last frost date. I sure wouldn't plant any annuals or things like dahlias outside until after those dates. This is only for NY state, but there are other states listed on the NCDC NOAA homepage.
http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20supp1/states/NY.pdf
I asked the guy at the nursery today when the last frost date was...he told me May 20, and I asked how he knew that. He said it had to do with the full moon? He also completely scoffed at the idea of covering my hosta up before a frost/freeze. So now I'm really confused why so many people on that other hosta forum so concerned about keeping them covered.
As I said, I have never bothered. But i have to laugh at him scoffing at anything when he connects the last frost date with the moon!
I know Victor, I take everything they tell me at that place with a grain of salt.
Polly, how did you find that page on NY's last frost...I went to the home page to look up Maine's data but I can't figure out how to find it on that site.
Last frost date up here in the mid-Hudson Valley is May 30th. I always try to push it, but by no more than 2 weeks.
My guideline for tropicals, tender annuals and summer veggies has been around Mothers Day.
Memorial Day is safe here for anything tender. Gives you the two week cushion after last frost date. Freeze and frost warnings for tonight. I just came in from covering the hydrangeas, lilies that are a foot high way early and threw a sheet over the lilac just cause it has buds and is also way early. Everything else will be okay unless it is a really heavy freeze then there could be some die-back or leaves going black. That's the problem with all the early warm sunny days.
I have read that it is usually colder when we have a full moon, so more chance of a frost?
True, ngam. The early warm days have too many people thinking they can put out their tropical plants or plant items best held until the soil warms up. I'd rather have too many plants inside and down in the basement (under lights) than face the heartbreak of dead plants due to rushing the season.
This message was edited Apr 30, 2008 5:47 PM
Debilu - I've never heard that one so I can't comment on it.
I don't believe there is any connection, Deb.
I know a lot of the old timers say not to plant anything tender until after the full moon in May. Have no idea if it is based in some scientific principle or just a good reminder of when it is reasonably safe to plant out the veggies and annuals.
The relatively new "science" of biodynamic growing, which is not much more than what our grand-daddies did the natural, old fashioned way, pegs many garden events to the phases of the moon. Biodynamic is "ultra-organic" and is a word most often used to describe "even more than organic" wine. But it applies to other things, too. Don't know much about it, but as I think more and more that the old ways are the best, am interested in it.
My feeling is people can believe whatever they want and act (and garden) accordingly. But the 'science' offered as 'proof' is pure hogwash, based mostly on astrology.
