This morning brought that inevitable April blast of cold air that happens every year; like always, it's just a 36-hour thing, but enough to disrupt all of the best laid plans!
The greenhouse has quickly become the storage unit, jammed with as many plants as I could get inside, most notably the two "Lion's Head" Japanese Maples that will adorn the front porch at the Big House next week. I decided yesterday it was a time for "better safe than sorry," so anything that was still in a pot is either in the greenhouse or the garage. The garden is dotted with lots of plants wearing their little "frost hats"----everybody's praying to the Hydrangea goddess that it's not as bad as 2007, when we had virtually no blooms on the macrophyllas because of just this kind of a late freeze. The "Saratoga" gingko (which cost about the same as my car payment for a 5 gallon pot) is also hiding out in the garage.
It's hard to believe that it's 34 degrees at this moment in the Atlanta 'burbs, is going to freeze overnight tonight, but will be safely back in the 60's by tomorrow afternoon. Only 8 more days until tax day! I have no interest in giving the IRS anything, but it's always a good day since it's the historic time to plant in this part of the world.
I think I'm going to put on my parka and go hug the Gingko!
I took a chance and didn't cover anything except my shell ginger. They said the low here was 32 and it is usually higher than what they predict at our house. Tonight is supposed to be colder with a low of 30.
ReplyDeletevery good to find your blog...i have written
ReplyDeletehaiku this AM on very same subject-brrrr!
i have small organic farm 40 miles south of the city,and could tell you were close by.
i could have written the post for you..
house and greenhouse impossible to walk thru.
i make bonsai, all the tender little maples came inside,too...their new leaves get bitten by cold and wind. my main "job" seems to be tending to plants, little trees and veggies.
right now, have organic asparagus, they are producing well in spite of treading water all last week. interested?? i will enjoy reading another garden perspective from nearby. i am @720', right on the fall-line, so pretty much same climate as atlanta.
vty, johanna30233@yahoo
isnt it a curious thing that last frost here
ReplyDeletecomes at eastertime...yet easter moves all over the place. garden conundrum.
Half of my yard was covered last night with tarps, sheets...you name it! I am worried about all the plants just now coming up...I would hate to lose them!!!!!! I know the neighbors think I am nuts. I was out this morning in my housecoat removing sheets!! LOL!! oh well...I could really careless what they think of me or my housecoat!
ReplyDeleteMy garden looks like a bizarre plastic pot eruption. I covered what I could, but some things will just have to fend for themselves. I have my fingers crossed that the hydrangeas will be ok...mostly I worry about the Carolina lupine and the baptisia. Oh well, so much for gardening in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's really cold for Georgia! We had a big snowfall yesterday and now it's flurrying, but this IS Michigan! Did you really hug the ginkgo? Ours do fine here, but like us, they're used to the cold! (I also hug trees, if it's relevant.)
ReplyDeleteI deperately resisting the urge to plant anything tender out before the last frost date.
ReplyDeleteI know I'll regret it.
Rob