Who to Believe?

[Ann B.]

My local weather service predicts 29 degrees F for a low tomorrow morning. This was changed today from a low of 32.

Accuweather predicts 33, and weather.com predicts 34.

The flood lights are on in the greenhouse. I will turn on the electric heater for the patio and the porch. The ground is still quite warm, so that should be enough.

I am seriously thinking about using the propane heater in the greehouse. Maybe so, maybe not... I'll check the temps in a couple of hours to see how well the floodlights are doing.

Looks like this winter is teasing us. The temps were around 33 this morning. Normally, I would see lots of burned leaves and melt down, but I didn't.

Just doing the best that I can, for now...

[Dazed_Lily]

I know the feeling.
This morning we had the sprinklers go on. It has been dry. When I went out to go to work, I saw that the water had frozen on the plants(most notably the glads and iris). Today was in the 50's and we are headed to 70's on Thanksgiving.
Your plants will probbaly be OK with the flood lights but don't quote me on that !:D

[Ann B.]

I asked the same question this morning. Who to believe?

Our local weather said it was 31 degrees. Weather.com and accuweather said it was 36.

My brugs have some tips of leaves that are frost bitten. A few other plants are frost bitten, but for the most part, everything seems to have made it just fine.

I still have BLOOMS!!! It will be nice to have blooms on Thangsgiving day, but that remains to be seen. All of the weather forecasts say a low of 35 in the morning.

Cathy, my babies in the greenhouse did just fine. I turned off the lights before I left this morning so that the gh wouldn't get too overheated.

Whew! I do have a lot for which to be thankful. I have 5 days off this year. Tomorrow, I'm going to REST and hopefully do a little more repotting before getting started on preparing for the big feast.

[Dazed_Lily]

Glad to hear 'crisis was averted' ! :D
This is Day 2 of my 2 days off(plus weekend). Yesterday I planted 7 hydrangeas. Today I planted 3 witch hazels, moved 5 huge limestone rocks ranging 50 to 100 pounds, and moved my water fountain under the umbrella tree(future site of my summer tropical garden--gingers, peace lilies, sword ferns and hostas.
I'm in on a break right now. I took 3 ibuprofens to ward off any back problems from lifting, rolling and cajoling those stones to their new place under a tree, so I can sit on them and look at the pond. My back is feeling a lilttle funny so I might break out the heating pad--or just get back yo work ! My neighbor was putting up Christmas lights and had the radio set to the local station that plays non-stop Christmas songs today(to get shoppers in the mood). And there I was planting trees to the sounds of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas ! I enjoyed the music and told my neighbor that we struck an amusing contrast in what we were doing. I said that I was pretty sure I ws the one in denial though. Looks like the next stage of significant temp drops is coming Thursday with highs only in the 30's on Friday. I'd say that the party is just about over. I still have at least 100 daff bulbs to plant-- I can do that anytime up to Christmas, but I will try yet this weekend. Off to make lunch........later !

[Ann B.]

Well, they are doing it again and have been for a couple of days.

You have to admit that there is a big difference between a forecasted 25 degrees F. and 41 degrees F. That is what weather.com and accuweather were predicting for this coming Friday morning.

Then weather.com kept adding to the 25 degrees, saying 27, etc. and now it says 31 while accuweather says 41. Our local forecast doesn't say that far in advance, so I'm curious as to what they will all say in a few days.

I sure hope that accuweather is correct. I would adore keeping my outside blooms for another 2 weeks.

[Ann B.]

Oh! How could I forget? I've also been checking wunderweather, and it says lower 40's for Friday.

Fingers crossed!!!!!

[Dazed_Lily]

Whew ! I have been on marathon pace the past 4 days trying to prep for winter. Planted 7 hydrangeas, 3 witch hazels, and 1 rose bush. Cotton seed hul mulched all daylilies. Bubble wrapped the potted daylilies and misc potted stuff and placed against south wall. Added leaves to the winter corral--no plastic I've decided.
Potted up a Shell Ginger from txbeyer. Dug up about 16 glads.
I need a day off ! But it's back to the salt mines tomorrow !(figuratively speaking, I know that Kansas has salt mines, but I don't work in one--although that might be preferable some days !). :D

[sue salley]

Cathy, You must have been having the nice weather we have been having. It has been around 70 during the daytime and sunny. I got all my babies settled in for winter ans where I wanted them. Got the pots and flats all put away and the yard straightened up. Started on the utility building yesterday. I had a lot of stuff stored there that didn't belong there. My little Jack Russell Terrier had a blast looking for a mouse in there. I on the other hand did not want to find a mouse. I found garden tools I had forgotten that I owned. Yea! Now when spring gets here maybe I can find what I need.
Ann, our highs are only supposed to be in the 40's Friday. We won't even talk about the lows. Maybe snow flurries. If not here there will be snow on the mountains. It is so pretty when the snow is on the mountain tops (and not here in the lower elevations).
I think today will probably be the last pretty day we have for a long time so I guess me and Shawnee are back to the utility building.

[Ann B.]

Somehow, I simply don't really trust what I see forecasted anymore.

At least weather.com has upped the low temps for Sat. morning to 37. The others are saying low and upper 40s.

Is it terribly selfish of me to hope that we can go another 10 days without a killing frost?

[txbeyer]

I feel your frustration - we are expecting our first freeze this evening or Friday and the forecasts vary from 28 to 34 in Austin depending on the source. The presence or absence of clouds or wind, barometer, humidity, etc can all affect what really happens. So, that is why I use the forecast as a guide only. It is an educated guess, subject to human error.

The first arctic blast of the winter season is expected to roll thru early in the morning so I have taken the necessary preparations to protect plants that might be harmed in the worse case scenario. Actually I have heard that the most damage to plants occurs at just above freezing so I build in a fudge factor and am ready to protect plants at 35 or below - just in case:eek:

[Dazed_Lily]

http://www.ksn.com/weather
I realize that link will update but as of today: high =25 low=11
Wind chill= u don't want to know !

I walked out of work to a totally different season.
Note to self: do NOT park the car facing north. I had to run my defroster and rear defroster for about 15 minutes b4 I could scrape about 1/2 " ice off my windshield. Good news ! I found my hat, scarf and gloves on the floor of my car when I went looking for the scraper.
Driving home was weird. I felt like the car was moving at times but couldn't figure if it was wind or ice.
B4 I left work, I recall saying, oh, I have only 1 overpass(=slippery) to drive over. NOT SO ! I counted at least 6 ! Funny how you notice things under certain conditions.
Everyone, bundle up , drive safe and park facing south !

[Ann B.]

Bob,

I usually start moving really tender plants as soon as the forecast goes down to 39. I have had real damage to garden plants at 39.

I have had hard frost/ice on my windshield and top of my car numerous times already this year, and I do see some frost bitten leaves. But, for the most part, everything looks well and happy, and I am so very grateful to still have blooms.

The leaves are now all gone off the pecan trees. That will lower my protection for plants that are located under them.

The frost/conditions phenomenum is quite fascinating when you watch the effects in person.

All of our forecasts are between 33 and 38 for this weekend. It remains to be seen what conditions will do. Everything tender is inside, but I still need to make some cuttings of brugs and confederate rose just in case. Those are promised, and I don't want to chance them being fozen back.

My south side brugs is filled with blooms. They should start opening in a couple of days. I am still contemplating a 5 gallon bucket of water to keep over winter. I just don't know about that, yet.

There is so much that I would have liked to have propagated before everything goes dormant, but time keeps running out.

I don't think I would survive up north. I suppose if I grew up with it, it would be easy, but 3 months of brown grass and dormant plants is about as much as I think I can take. There are times that I think I should move even further south.

Here's to wishing you luck with your first frost warning...

[Rebecca]

Ann,

Growing up in this kind of weather doesn't make one like it any more or be able to take it. I hate cold weather. I get cold with the first 40 and 50 degree days and stay that way until the heat of July gets here!

We have a cold front on it's way and it's bringing some really cold temps with it and snow. Not supposed to be any accumulation, but I have heard that before! Temp isn't even supposed to get above freezing on Friday and then plummet to 17 for the overnight. Burr! And I get to be out in it, I am so NOT happy about that! :mad:

So when all y'all think you're cold, send me your weather! It'll seem like a heat wave! Hey 3 months of this stuff would be nice, unfortunately we're stuck with it until May! April if we're lucky.

I went ahead and buttoned up the cold frame today, too much wind and it's already coming un-taped in places. it's a wrap-around spot so I am not worried about it now. First sunny day I'll re-tape it.

I miss summy already! :(

[txbeyer]

Ann, if you move further south of Mobile, better have your scuba gear on :D

[Ann B.]

Yes! 20 miles further south, and I would definitely need a house boat. I say 20 miles. I've never really sat down with a good map and figured it out, but that's a good estimate.

They've suddenly dropped the temps to the 31-33 level in the next day or two, so that means if I am going to take some cuttings, I'm going to have to remove some blooms tomorrow afternoon (high in the 50's, brrrrrrrh!). My brugs and confederate roses are really looking nice. I hate to see them go for the winter, but at least I know they will come back.

[Tom]

Well, here we are, on the last day of November, and the temp was 74 today. Tomorrow those numbers reverse to 47 for the high, then it's down to 30 for the night.

Today I went out and for the final time, enjoyed all that is left of the fall. There is a small, green leafed japanese maple just accross the driveway from my window. Most everything else has dropped it's leaves, and after tonights storms, I expect this one to be bare. So, for it's final hurah, here it is in all it's splendor:

[Ann B.]

Oh, Tom!

That is so beautiful!!!! It reminds me of all the beautiful trees in the northeast as they start to turn colors. I hate to admit it, but I have probably spent more time in the northeast than I have in your area even though you are closer.

Stay warm... My greenhouse lights are on. The heater is turned on in the entrance from the porch to the patio. Tonight will be okay here, but I am concerned about the hard freeze early next week. I need to get the stronger heaters ready.

I did manage to take some time to go around and view the colors in my garden before they turn brown. The pink camellia is loaded with blooms. A hard freeze will mar the blooms, but there are so many buds that it won't take long for them to look good again.

Such a sight! I love the cooler weather, but truly wish that the bitter cold could stay away. Mentally, I am just not ready for it...

[sue salley]

Tom, Thanks for the lovely picture. If you had the winds that we had yesterday the poor tree is bare today. When I walked the dog last night i had limbs and branches all over the place and all the persimmons are gone off the tree at work. Luckily most of the rain and the snaw went north of us. We did get a lot colder but at least the sun is out today.
I wonder how Cathy fared. I haven't seen her on line so I wonder if she has lost power. It looked like Witchita got hit with a lot of snow.
Everyone stay warm.

[Ann B.]

Cathy sent me a quick pm. She is in overload at work and will be for the rest of the week. I think everything is okay other than that.

I'm beginning to think you can't believe any of the forecast. Even though fuel costs are high, I'd rather the temps be higher than predicted rather than lower. Maybe, they are playing it safe.

We went into meltdown last night, but not the really hard freeze that was expected.

Freeze again in the morning, and I hope it is not lower than expected. Space heater is running in the patio/porch. One side of floodlights in the greenhouse. The right side all popped last night when I turned them on. The left side was left on all day with the doors shut, so I hope that the old gh warmed up enough to hold it through the morning. I don't have much in there that I am worried about. The tropical hibiscus are NOIDs and easy to replace. The gingers should be hardy enough to withstand a mild freeze. Other seedlings can be regrown. Amaryllis seedlings are protected in a warm area of the patio.

Winter has definitely arrived, even in the south!