Boy, if these temp readings are right on this forum, some of you are way colder than I want to be. Selma --- six degrees where you live??? This front is scheduled to arrive here later this afternoon, and drop our temps significantly, but I so hope not so much as you. I hope everyone is okay, and your brugs are tucked somewhere warmer than the outside temps. I just looked out my window, and see my little birds in a feeding frenzy, so they know "it" is on the way.

STAY WARM & SAFE !!!!

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

No Carrie, not 6, but we were in the teens last night, and 20 the night before!

Woke up this morning to 4* at the house and -1* at the airplort 

Allison
Sunset 5
USDA 8
Heat 2/3

It was 15F here this morning, but it's warmed up to a balmy 20 now...lol. I'm feeling a little nervous about the next front that's due in late this afternoon. It sounds like it could be the worst we've been hit with so far during this Arctic episode. My sangs are fried...probably permanently...but hey - they weren't cooperative about blooming anyway. I have other garden plants that I'm more concerned about with temps. this cold. Next year's garden is probably going to have a different look, due to plants that get winter-killed.

I am on my second day of non-stop snow, it is suppose to end some time Sunday night. It will be a white Christmas around here for sure. The snow is a good insulator for my perennials, but we have enough now, no more is required.


Sally
Zone 5b
heat zone 4
Enfield Connecticut



http://community.webshots.com/user/sallycummings

Well, the winds are beginning to shift here now, so I am certain that sometimes within the next couple of hours, I won't be at a balmy 60 degrees. I have been surprised at the plants that did not give under to the last prolonged spell of freezing temps, but me thinks this one may be a tad colder. Perhaps it won't last as long !!!

Stay warm and safe !!!!

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Actually Carrie, I looked at our thermometer after answering you, and it was "ten-teen" here at the house Yes, Patrick, I am not planning on going anywhere until Monday, and that may be questionable!

Yesterday it was 72 here but on Monday the highs are only going to be in the low forties, for NC that's cold!!

Melanie
Kittrell, NC
Zone 7b

This is cold for North Texas, Melanie, and trust me, I could live without it. Give me the heat of summer anyday !!

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Carrie, how is your weather? It does not feel like Christmas when you have the air on. Do you grow any peruvan daffodils? I bought some bulbs several years ago, they have the most interesting flower on it, to me it is really not a daffodil. What about some milk and wine lillies. I got mine out of my mothers yard after she passed away. I tried to dig one up last week for a friend. Carrie the bulb was bigger than a basket ball. I had no idea they got that big, but I have had them 18 years and I have no Idea when my mother planted them. larry

Larry, That milk & wine lily sounds awesome. Please post some pictures.

It was 20 below with the wind chill a couple days ago (4 above without it). The electric heater on my porch shut off & my tall cuttings in buckets had 1/2" of ice in them. I also had some 6 & 8 foot plants out there & my Epi (it bloomed twice this year) & all my Iochromas + some other plants. I'm hoping I don't lose too many. It's supposed to warm up for the next couple days (oh boy, mud for Christmas instead of snow).

Linda

Larry, we have had some very cold weather, but no snow or ice like Patrick and others, but back in the sixties today and the seventies tomorrow (my kind of weather) !! I have not grown that particular lily, but I have crinum Tropical Giant and their bulbs are very large as well.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

I'm not even going to say what the temps here have been because folks would want to throw rocks at me. :P

Maryjane
W Ga
Zone 8a

We can't find rocks, will snowballs work??

Funny, Selma!! Patrick sent me a wheelbarrow full for Chrstmas, but it was so warm here, it melted.....LOL>

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Ah, but things keep changing, Carrie! We're now in the low 40's & the rain has been melting the snow. The streets are becoming much more passable & the main roads are nearly bare. We have only a fraction of the snow remaining...yea!

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

You are so right, Patrick --- things do keep changing -- especially the weather here in Texas. If the predictions are correct, maybe we won't have the usually cold January and February we normally have. We have had very cold weather this season, but only for short periods of time. It has been warm enough that I have had to water the stored brugs more often than usual. Many in the plant room are blooming.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

it's 55 now & supposed to go to 65 today. I wish it would stay that way a week or two.

Linda

It's very windy here today in SW Ontario, at times it feels like it's over 100km/hr

Our temps have been above freezing for the past couple of days & we've had quite a bit of rain. I'm happy to report that our snow is about 80% gone!! I hope we don't get any more Arctic weather this winter...we had our White Christmas and I'm ready to see no more for a year or two. It's time to be thinking about a winter vacation to someplace warm & sunny, then come home & start the gardening season. In the meantime, I think I have brugs that are wanting some water.

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

It made it to 57 but now it's windy & blew the porch plastic loose. It's gonna be a looong winter.

Linda

Just in case no one has noticed ..... my temps have been at or just below freezing since last night sometimes. That is when the rain came in so I have icicles hanging off the trees, the house, the birdfeeders and anything else they can find to hang from. MN surely must enjoy watching me go from 80 degrees to freezing in only one day.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

We are in the middle of a Winter Storm Warning. There is a quarter inch of ice on everything. Very slippery & of course they canceled school. It got down to 29 last night but it is only 31 now. It will be in the lower 30s during the day & 20s at night until Sun when it is supposed to be in the 20s in the day & 10 to 15 at night. This is typical weather for here & I can take it if it isn't windy. I don't mind the snow so much but you can keep the ice. Come on spring!!!

Linda

This is interesting with the different temps. Carrie, going from 80* to freezing in one day is a shocker! Right now your temp is 37* & Patrick is 40*. I find this interesting as ppl think TX never gets frost or real cold. I think my temp now is 5*

Patty
Milwaukee, Wi
zone 5

Parts of Texas do not get frost or freezing weather, but here in North Texas, we get both. They are usually very short-lived, and we bounce back into an acceptable temp. This winter has been mild, but such a roller coaster of temps. My perennials are so confused. Just about the time they think Spring has sprung, we get another few hours of freezing temps.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Remember my "Get us thru the Winter" greenhouse pics? Things can sure change fast. I am now the owner of one big mess of dead and dying plants in that greenhouse. DH fell asleep unintentionally before lighting the heater in the greenhouse, and I was knocked out by meds due to some medical issues I've been battling. We had a good, hard 20 degree freeze. I woke up at 5am and felt something was wrong. I stumbled out to the greenhouse and saw ice on the walls inside it and freaked!

Tonight it's supposed to be 15.

Anyone have any experience with very tall brugs in large pots that have had all the growth frozen off them? Do ya think the roots could have survived...being in pots and above ground and frozen that long?

I am in tears here.

Maryjane
W Ga
Zone 8a

I had two brugs freeze on the deck last fall, I cut them back and brought them in. They have sent new growth up from the roots. The little bit of main stem that was left when I cut them back got slimy but the roots prevailed. I'm so sorry for your greenhouse mess, but don't give up on the plants. Goodluck Sally


Sally
Zone 5b
heat zone 4
Enfield Connecticut



http://community.webshots.com/user/sallycummings

I agree, your roots may be just fine. Cut the bad part of the stems off, if you have it, dust the cuts with garden sulphur and hope for the best.

Canada 5b
Forum editing tech

Maryjane, I have a bad habit of just sticking a cutting of "anything" I break off into the nearest available container that has soil in it.
One such item was a cutting (broken off by accident while watering) of Cypress Gardens. I forgot it and it stayed outside all winter in a shallow container, hanging basket as I recall, and imagine my surprise when I saw something emerging from that container last Spring.
Brugs are so much tougher than we give them credit for. I will think positive thoughts that all of yours will be just fine.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

OK Carrie, if they are so tough, howcome I have one melting in the basement, right next to about 5 others that are fine?

I don't have the answer to that one, Selma, but if I were to wager a guess, I would say, "not from freezing". Perhaps something else was going on with it. I have to watch my large ones in the plant room (that has six skylights in it) and open the door on warm days to keep the leaves from molding. Too much water, too little water ... just don't know !!!

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas

Carrie, I would love to see a pic of your plant room.
How come the emoticons aren't working for me?

Patty
Milwaukee, Wi
zone 5

Patty, my plant room is an addition to the south side of my house that I had built when we moved here 17 years ago. It is fully insulated, has eight windows and six skylights and I left it with a dirt floor. I have never had to use artificial heat in it, and everything seems to thrive. In fact, Harlot is blooming right now. I will search around for a photo.

USDA Zone 7/8
Copper Canyon
North Central Texas