Well While many of you are having spring....here in the Buffalo area...we are expecting..SNOW! Not just a late seasonal overnight snow...but a full weeks worth of crappy cold Weather. I have so many plants coming out of the ground and I fear for thier lil green lives! I know many of them are very tolorent to this weather but....my question is. How do I find out what plants will really be affected by this cold spell? And is there anyway to protect them?
Well one good thing is...all my Brugs are still safe on top of my Dishwasher! I just can't wait for Springtime here in Buffalo..... Just Make This Go Away!!!!
Wayne Thompson
North Tonawanda,NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
This message has been edited by magicman2u on Apr 4, 2007 6:51 AM
Wayne we are also under a winter storm watch. Two inches fell last night and 8 more expected tonight. It's snowing now so who knows how much we will actually get.
If you have perennials coming up they should be ok. The snow acts as an insulator against the cold temps.
Tulips, Daffodils, crocus etc should be fine.
I worry more when there is no snow and extreme cold temps.
Without knowing what you have coming up and how cold you will get it's hard to say what might not make it.
I feel bad for you guys getting snow in the East. We have 27 degrees right now and high winds, but at least no accumulating snow. Flurries don't count. LOL! I hope your plants will all be okay. I agree with Terry. Snow makes a great insulator. I hope your temps don't go too low. Luckily at this time of the year, most snow doesn't stay around long. Lot's of luck to you both and your plants.
Do you think if I put empty containers over them it would help? I wonder if I could leave them covered for 5 days!
I am not worried about alot of the flowers....just a few more tender ones!
Wayne Thompson
North Tonawanda,NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
I'm in the same boat. We are supposed to get a hard freeze through Sunday with a chance of snow. I just had some friends help move container plants back inside and will toss a tarp over some flats but a number of my plants that are already in bloom are going to freeze. This year has been miserable weather-wise so far.
Karyn
I'm really not sure Wayne. I've covered roses and Frittilaria with containers before when they were budded out to protect them from some cold nights but I'm not sure about leaving them covered for 5 days.
I think with the ground so wet this time of year I'd be afraid they would rot if not exposed to air for that long.
If you use plastic be careful that it doesn't touch the plant. Where ever it touches will rot the leaves/plant.I learned this the hard way.
If I use plastic or a tarp I make a teepee so it's not touching.
Woke up this morning to about 6 inches of snow.
I agree Karyn, it's been a miserable year and turning into a miserable spring.
And we set a record high temp for the date, today! I haven't heard the specifics, but it was somewhere between 76-78F. You can bet I spent the whole afternoon in my backyard! I didn't accomplish many things, but what I did was slow & painstaking and I really needed to get it done.
Tomorrow will be down in the 60's and cloudy with some chance of rain...but still an improvement over what the past several weeks have given us.
Patrick
Brug Moderator
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place
Had about 10 minutes of snow flurries here a bit ago, and I am hoping that is it for the season. We still have not frozen or frosted, but we still have tonight to go!!! Weatherman said we have had April snow in Texas only twice since records have been kept - last time was in 1938! Oh, yeah, the weather is changing !!!!
I thought we were s'posed to be into global warming! About a week ago, we set a record high of 80!! And, few days later dropped to freezing. This is the first yr my tulips & daffodils fell over from cold...I won't see them bloom this year.. they are all laying flat on ground! If there was some snow, they would be fine. My pond is now ice covered too. All my plants are dying to be outside.
Who knows what I lost out there.....I don't even want to look! Next year I am installing a complete..Yard Climate Control System! I hope to keep it set at about 75 degrees. For more info..please contact me in San Diago,Cali ....LOL!
Wayne Thompson
North Tonawanda,NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
I am so sorry - believe me, I know what it is like to see something get mushed that I know will not bloom again until NEXT season. Maybe your brugs will more than make up for your disappointment. I dodged the bullet here, so to speak, as it reached a low of only 37 degrees. Everything looks great - I had it covered, just in case, and had to spend a lot of yesterday UNCOVERING so it would not get too hot. MN --- go figure!!!!
We've been in the 20's at night for a number of days and even had a couple inches of snow on Sat but it doesn't appear that I've lost anything. I'm surprised because most of my spring bulbs are in full bloom. Some of the regular hyacinth are a bit floppy but I don't know if that's from the temps or from being top heavy. They local farmers are really worried about the strawberry crop. They've been icing their fields. It's weird that there's a number of strawberry fields, peach and apple orchards around me and I'm only 11 miles outside of DC. Our warm-up is supposed to start Wed. I'll believe it when I feel it. I really hope this was our last cold snap. Forget about my yard, we're already so far behind at the farm. I hope all of us are in for some consistantly nice weather from here on out. We deserve it!
Karyn
This has been a very unusal winter and Spring for many of us. I really feel for those of you that have been having really cold nights again. I went throug that about three weeks ago, but we are about back to normal for this time of the year. We had weathercoming down from Alaska over the weekend, and though we didn't get real cold, we had alot of wind. I had pollinated my B. painted lady with anticipation of being able to share alot of crosses with everyone, but I lost half the brand new little pods that were forming. I do have a few more buds that will bloom with a week or two, so I will re-pollinate and try it again. I am really hoping and praying for a really good growing season for all of us. Last years season was such a disappointment.
We are having lows in 20's all week with storm watch/warning in effect. Calling for 4 -8 inches of snow.
I thought I was just getting over a cold (5th one since Nov!!), but since Sun night, have chills, aches, cramps, fever ...a new flu bug. I ate 3 saltines in last 2 days & lots of 7UP & bed time. Did you ever get so sick that your hair hurt???
I need sunshine & warm weather REAL bad. Plants need watering, but gotta go back to bed now.. too weak
And, I haven't had a cold in YEARS.
I am so sorry you feel rotten. I hope you feel better soon. Perhaps the plants can wait another day, go back to bed and snooze, sounds like that is what the weather wants you to do. Get well quick.
I thought things were getting better, but today's weather tells us that northern Iowa could get 8-12 inches of blowing snow. Down as close as 50 miles from me, there could be 1-3 inches of snow. Luckily, we have warmed enough that if we get any snow, it will melt off quickly. It sure couldn't do any more damage than the cold/windy weather already did. Basically, most of Iowa will have no tulips, daffs, lilacs, and other spring flowers. Perennials are damaged, but should bloom this summer. Not sure about the sedum. They are pretty burnt. I'm going to push my brugs to give me blooms as early as possible and will go to the nursery and buy annuals for early color. LOL!
Thank you Selma. Shirley, I feel bad about your plants... I only lost tulip & daffodil blooms.
We are getting heavy wet snow tomorrow up to 8 inches, so I will bury myself under covers & hope it all goes away LOL... I won't have energy to shovel.
I hear Cleveland got something like 30 inches!!!? In fact, because Milwaukee Brewers are playing in Fl., and our Miller Park has a retractable dome, the Cl. Indians & Angels used our stadium to play ball today!
Snow Snow Go Away!!!
I think Spring is FINALLY here for me, but I can feel the pain of those where the cold just will not go away. Such a strange season - hope it gets better soon!!
Patty, are you getting snow again? It's snowing here. We have probably had about three inches, most of it now melted, but it's snowing fairly hard again. I'm hearing that there will be another system coming through on Friday and Saturday that may or may not stay south of us. It's supposed to be stronger than this one was and our northern Iowa counties got pounded pretty good today. Guess that means it could be a doozy.
I feel sorry for you poor frozen people waiting for spring to arrive. I have decided to put my baby brugs outside, hopefully it will stay nice enough for them. It is a decision between the outside temperatures, and the inside cat, who likes to take the best leaves off one by one. So the poor little brugs are going to have to take their chances. S
Airport said we got 8 inches, but it was not so bad here as I live only few blocks from Lake Michigan which keeps us warmer in winter (sometimes). Few miles west there were big drifts, but here was heavy WET blowing snow so, less than 8". Lots of accidents today.
Threw up 3 times this AM (how? nothing in me but 7UP & saltines LOL) & went back to bed. Here's a pic of what it looked like out in front today at 1:30 PM! It's so dark, you can't see the snow blowing... branches hanging from weight of snow. Can hardly see trees in park across the street. Street very slushy/slippery.
Isn't this ugly?
I remember several years at this time, I had half my veggie garden planted!!
Had my first meal tonight in 3 days - can of chicken noodle soup & starting to feel better. Now, I gotta work on getting back on sleep schedule! S'posed to get warmer by next week.
Glad to know you are feeling better, Patty, but you would NOT want to be outside in this weather anyway. Stay warm, and Spring will show up for you soon--- always does - sooner or later!!!!
I will not complain about our cool rainy weather any more after seeing the picture Patty sent. I got goose bumps just looking at it. It is in the low 50's here today and we are expecting rain this afternoon. That is lots better than snow. How long is this darned winter going to hang around anyway????
Well, we are in our SEVERE weather pattern now, never can tell what's coming at us --- tomorrow, high winds, hail, rain and possiby a tornado --- MN is really on the rampage with all of us this year !!!!!! to you MN !!!
I am on it, Patrick, and I hear the weathercasters are calling this one the 20 year storm. At the present, most of it is to the north of us into Oklahoma, but there is still more out west moving our way.
I have neither, Shirley, but MN spared me this time. Many other areas near me were not so fortunate, however, and there was one death (so far) and numerous injuries from several tornados, hail and high wind. It is "that time of year" in Texas. The Panhandle got snow and 90+ an hour winds. MN had a litte something for everyone!!!!!
MN is not being nice anywhere this year. Stay safe from the storms Carrie.
There is a nor easter heading this way for Sunday and Monday. The news said we could get a foot or more of snow and 50 mph winds. Winter just doesn't want to give up this year.
Well Well...I am sorry to see this thread get so much use....yuck. So far the Buffalo Area has been lucky this round. We are expecting some snow ...but not nearly as bad as some of you ...this time! However I do believe this should be the last round of Ol'Man Winter! Last year this time we had a late one too. Erie, PA had a foot of Snow. All I can say about this is "WHATA YA GONNA DO". As for everyone in the path of this Storm...Stay Safe and Warm and please....No Gardening in the Snow!
Wayne Thompson
North Tonawanda,NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
Terry, I saw what is heading your way, YUK! We are on the outer edges of it and just to get 2" of snow over night tonight. I don't care, I remover the top 2 feet of insulation on 3 sides of the GH today anyway and moved (25 some odd)seedlings I had up here in the house back down to the GH. I have company coming next week and needed my 2 bedrooms back as bedrooms.
Yes Ruth Ann we are preparing for a major nor'easter.
Tomorrow morning I'll be filling everything up with water as they are expecting power outages.
With the heavy snow and the 50-60mph winds that they are predicting I'm sure there will be many trees down on power lines. Not looking forward to this one.
Sorry so many of you are having such bad weather. I's pretty good here in NC. Not quiet up to normal but still OK. Getting some much needed rain. I was at Wal-Mart last weekend and saw some things that looked like cone shaped styrofoam coolers. They were pretty good size and made for covering plants. Wouldn't be much good for a whole bed of plants though. I didn't notice the price of them. Maybe in a few days when it warms up even more they'll put them on clearance.
I can't believe that some of you are still getting significant snow. It's halfway to May for goodness sake! It's still 20-30 degrees below normal here, with no warm up predicted anytime soon but no snow. We had what I hope was our last snowfall (only an inch or two) a week ago. This weather is really getting depressing.
Karyn
Hang in there everyone. I hope everything is okay in your neck of the woods. Storms have been jumping here and there all over the country. Just stay safe.
We had a beautiful spring day here today, after a very chilly Saturday - had to dig out a winter jacket with a hood. Lows in the 30's yesterday and highs in the 70's today --- no wonder the little plants are so confused.
I have complained about the weather so much, but after reading the posts, I will keep my mouth shut. All of my brugs. are in the ground and about 3 feet tall. No snow here, but it is the strangest weather in I don't when. It was 39 last night,don't laugh cause that is cold here. The average per news is day,77, night 55. What is so crazy is they are saying by Wed. it will be 87. Yesterdays high was 57. It just does not make sense. I have said before, my son was 10 Sunday and he has never seen it snow.
After watching weather today, I feel sorry for all the North Eastern states! Unbelievable amounts of snow. It must be same stuff that went over midwest here, but it picked up speed & more snow & came there with a vengeance. We had sun today & snow is melted now, but high's of low 50's.
Well, I for one, will be glad when we can get back to talking about our brugs blooming, and not how we are having to protect them. I think our cold weather is over, but not our spring storms. We are in for another round of them today, and predicting some will be severe. Larry, last Saturday, I had a lady come by from a plant swap to dig up some plants, and I had to dig out my winter jacket with a hood. It was in the high 30's and windy, which gave us a wind chill....CRAZY!!!!!!
If there was some snow, they would be fine. My pond is now ice covered too. All my plants are dying to be outside.
So the poor little brugs are going to have to take their chances. S
to you MN !!!
