I brought my kafir lime and curry trees onto my back porch last night, but that was all, besides harvesting all that I could. It got down to 47° on the porch, but I'm not sure about outside; the only plants that look really bad are my EB eggplants - the ones in the ground seem fine, and the EB peppers, as well as the rest don't seem to have been bothered. Even the basil wasn't really killed by it, and that is usually the first thing to go. I was expecting much worse.
The only thing I had covered was my row of greens, but that was to keep rabbits out!
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pepperhead212
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applestar
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6:11 am, 1 hr+ to sunrise, and the official temp dropped to 31°F instead of the forecasted 39, possibly 38°F 
Lots of container plants still out there on the patio -- was thinking I'll bring them all in this week end.... Rushed out to cover them all with double layer of floating covers. Luckily, patio temp is 35°F ATM. (At least I wrestled the big banana, as well as three more bagged peppers to overwinter, into the garage yesterday -- feeling it today too)
...Am NOT going out in the dark to cover a few other things I left out in the garden beds and had told myself to take care of "tomorrow" (meaning today)
They had issued a "FOG warning" for this morning's commute hours -- yeah, I imagine that's gonna be turning into frost all over....
Lots of container plants still out there on the patio -- was thinking I'll bring them all in this week end.... Rushed out to cover them all with double layer of floating covers. Luckily, patio temp is 35°F ATM. (At least I wrestled the big banana, as well as three more bagged peppers to overwinter, into the garage yesterday -- feeling it today too)
...Am NOT going out in the dark to cover a few other things I left out in the garden beds and had told myself to take care of "tomorrow" (meaning today)
They had issued a "FOG warning" for this morning's commute hours -- yeah, I imagine that's gonna be turning into frost all over....
It has been a very odd October. Odd earlier in September given that I now know what October has looked like.
I cut down most of the dahlias yesterday and way later than usual. The plants vary from looking like they would be covered with blooms if given a week of warmth to dead to the ground!! And, why? Because they were first hit by frost September 10th and harder the next morning! What is it, 7weeks ago?!
No special cold in the forecast. It's likely to snow soon!
Nothing really has grown in the last month, even frost-hardy plants. It's too cold and there is too little sunshine ... mostly none . I'm concerned about the quality of the dahlia roots. I don't like to leave them until die back is so complete and don't like to cut them down when they are green to the top and covered with buds. I'm doing both in every bed!
Steve
I cut down most of the dahlias yesterday and way later than usual. The plants vary from looking like they would be covered with blooms if given a week of warmth to dead to the ground!! And, why? Because they were first hit by frost September 10th and harder the next morning! What is it, 7weeks ago?!
No special cold in the forecast. It's likely to snow soon!
Nothing really has grown in the last month, even frost-hardy plants. It's too cold and there is too little sunshine ... mostly none
. I'm concerned about the quality of the dahlia roots. I don't like to leave them until die back is so complete and don't like to cut them down when they are green to the top and covered with buds. I'm doing both in every bed!Steve
It was a record high of 55 ° on Sunday. A beautiful sunny, blue sky day -- a little cooler -- came along, Monday. I saw the stars that night for the first time in what seems like months!
Now, mostly never outta the 30's but never colder either ... the ground is frozen. Against all reason, I looked to see if there was a green lilac bud. No.
We will never get outta this weather! Please! Prove to me that the world hasn't creaked and groaned to a stop ...
Steve
Now, mostly never outta the 30's but never colder either ... the ground is frozen. Against all reason, I looked to see if there was a green lilac bud. No.
We will never get outta this weather! Please! Prove to me that the world hasn't creaked and groaned to a stop ...
Steve
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applestar
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I realize it's colder in some areas than this but plenty cold for me here. Outside, it's 8°F with windchill of -6°F at the moment. 
28°F in my Garage V8 Nursery according to the receiver on the wall by the door to the laundry room with wired sensor on the other side.
AAAND -- We now have Sunday forecast for DAYTIME HIGH of 18°F and overnight low of 0°F accompanied by high wind watch ...no doubt with corresponding windchill in the negative digits....
28°F in my Garage V8 Nursery according to the receiver on the wall by the door to the laundry room with wired sensor on the other side.AAAND -- We now have Sunday forecast for DAYTIME HIGH of 18°F and overnight low of 0°F accompanied by high wind watch ...no doubt with corresponding windchill in the negative digits....
It is currently 69 degrees with a high expected of around 77. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain. I am sure it will be raining somewhere. It actually has been drier than usual. The mango and lychee blossoms are out so that means that it is also the season for high winds to knock them down. It has been breezy with winds in the teens with gusts up to the 40's. A lot of bananas went down a few weeks ago from high winds and a few street trees lost some limbs. It is easy to predict "Mostly sunny with windward and mauka showers", but rain doesn't always come on time, it may be spot on or a few hours late.
I am hoping since the garden is having its' first sale of the year on Valentine's day, it will be a few hours late or be very early and pass through the night.
I am hoping since the garden is having its' first sale of the year on Valentine's day, it will be a few hours late or be very early and pass through the night.
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rainbowgardener
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Lindsaylew82
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It is Valentine's Day and our first sale at the garden for the year. Frankly, I was surprised, our regulars still came out and a few new people as well. The wind has been whipping around since yesterday and it had gotten worse overnight with winds up to 40 mph. Our usual trades are 10-15 mph. It is strong enough to blow some things around and my shade cover is in need of repair again. It rained during the night and with a couple of drenching cloudbursts that was actually blowing sideways for a couple of times today. Right now the sun is out and it is warm but the wind is still gusting through my closed windows at close to 30 mph. It is a fast moving system and should be sunny and calmer tomorrow with the winds down to 9 mph. I guess I won't have to go and water my community garden tomorrow, so I can repair my shade and pick up the pots that have been blown around instead.
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Lindsaylew82
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IIIIIYIYIYI! The weather is gettin ready to go to junk. Temps are dropping quickly and we have been getting wind gusts in the 60mph range. I hear our brand new shingles flapping around up there and my old house is sounding it's complaints with a little "creak" sound here and there.
There's currently a 90% chance it's gonna snow 3-6 inches Monday night. Gonna make the hospital a mad house! If you want French toast anytime in the next 5 days, you better go get your bread, milk, and eggs NOW! Our grocery stores are about to become barren wastelands!
There's currently a 90% chance it's gonna snow 3-6 inches Monday night. Gonna make the hospital a mad house! If you want French toast anytime in the next 5 days, you better go get your bread, milk, and eggs NOW! Our grocery stores are about to become barren wastelands!
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applestar
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It's ZERO degrees Fahrenheit outside !!!
When the window looks like this, YOU KNOW, it's cold out there:
23°F in the garage V8 nursery and overwintering area.
I turned on a space heater in the garage as soon as I woke up, but it remains to be seen if especially the overwintering plants (bananas, fig, pineapple sage, peppers, pomegranates, celery, rosemary, cereus, snapdragon....) will make it.
I intentionally left the lights on for the V8 nursery plants for a modicum of warmth. At first glance, it looked as though they might have already hardened enough. We are looking at kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, Swiss chard, tatsoi, lettuce, onions.....
When the window looks like this, YOU KNOW, it's cold out there:
23°F in the garage V8 nursery and overwintering area.
I turned on a space heater in the garage as soon as I woke up, but it remains to be seen if especially the overwintering plants (bananas, fig, pineapple sage, peppers, pomegranates, celery, rosemary, cereus, snapdragon....) will make it.
I intentionally left the lights on for the V8 nursery plants for a modicum of warmth. At first glance, it looked as though they might have already hardened enough. We are looking at kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, Swiss chard, tatsoi, lettuce, onions.....
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rainbowgardener
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It's kind of pretty...
If they were hardened to it, most of that cool weather stuff should be ok. I would worry more about the lettuce than the stuff like chard, spinach, broccoli.
I don't have experience with overwintering the stuff like bananas, figs, poms, etc. I will assume that they are fully dormant and will come through. I think the pomegranate is more cold hardy than the other stuff in that group, so it should definitely be fine.
But the space heater is a good idea. I think the cold is harder on plants when it goes on and on than when it just dips down for a bit. You and I are usually in fairly similar weather situations and I know where I am, we don't get anywhere UP close to freezing until SATURDAY, and Wed nite we are in negative numbers. If you are the same, you will definitely need to add heat out there. Those negative numbers are pretty killer for even the hardiest stuff.
If they were hardened to it, most of that cool weather stuff should be ok. I would worry more about the lettuce than the stuff like chard, spinach, broccoli.
I don't have experience with overwintering the stuff like bananas, figs, poms, etc. I will assume that they are fully dormant and will come through. I think the pomegranate is more cold hardy than the other stuff in that group, so it should definitely be fine.
But the space heater is a good idea. I think the cold is harder on plants when it goes on and on than when it just dips down for a bit. You and I are usually in fairly similar weather situations and I know where I am, we don't get anywhere UP close to freezing until SATURDAY, and Wed nite we are in negative numbers. If you are the same, you will definitely need to add heat out there. Those negative numbers are pretty killer for even the hardiest stuff.
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Lindsaylew82
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Today was a nice sunny day with just trade winds around 78 degrees.
Two days ago the rain came down sideways. The rain was heavy but brief so it didn't really soak much, but the wind blew everything around. I spent 6 hours yesterday putting my shade covering back over my orchid benches. I think some of the orchids still got burned, they were starting to turn yellow, but I couldn't do anything about it except fix the shade. My roll up blinds are a wreck. I will wait until the windy season is over before I put up new ones. I really need a better solution. My can container got knocked over and a few of the empty plastic pots were blown around. I had to close all my windows the rain was throwing mud and dust on my walls.
This is mango blossom season and the trees were loaded with blossoms. The winds will knock out half of the fruit, but that is how it usually is. I think it will be another strange year weather wise. We have been having a storm roll by once a week, but with a couple of exceptions, most of the rain hasn't been enough to soak in. This morning it was 59 degrees and a week ago it was 68 at around the same time. I tried planting out some peppers anyway and I have had some germinate. My seeds could have been old though. I will still wait for more stable temperatures before planting out the ghost peppers because I know they do better when it is 80 degrees.
Two days ago the rain came down sideways. The rain was heavy but brief so it didn't really soak much, but the wind blew everything around. I spent 6 hours yesterday putting my shade covering back over my orchid benches. I think some of the orchids still got burned, they were starting to turn yellow, but I couldn't do anything about it except fix the shade. My roll up blinds are a wreck. I will wait until the windy season is over before I put up new ones. I really need a better solution. My can container got knocked over and a few of the empty plastic pots were blown around. I had to close all my windows the rain was throwing mud and dust on my walls.
This is mango blossom season and the trees were loaded with blossoms. The winds will knock out half of the fruit, but that is how it usually is. I think it will be another strange year weather wise. We have been having a storm roll by once a week, but with a couple of exceptions, most of the rain hasn't been enough to soak in. This morning it was 59 degrees and a week ago it was 68 at around the same time. I tried planting out some peppers anyway and I have had some germinate. My seeds could have been old though. I will still wait for more stable temperatures before planting out the ghost peppers because I know they do better when it is 80 degrees.
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Lindsaylew82
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Lindsaylew82
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rainbowgardener
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Colder than the north pole. Wow.
Yesterday, it rained so I couldn't do that much, I just got soaked. Today it started out cold at 60 degrees at 5 a.m. but right now it is 74 degrees and only a light breeze so I got a few hours this morning to dig weeds out of the mud. I broke my garden rocker seat. It got stuck in the mud and I was pivoting on the seat I heard a crack and a few minutes later I leaned over too much and it snapped and I ended up with my butt in the mud. I had that seat for over ten years so I guess the plastic got brittle. Now, I will have to find another one. I was able to salvage the cushion. It is frayed around the edges but still usable.
Yesterday, it rained so I couldn't do that much, I just got soaked. Today it started out cold at 60 degrees at 5 a.m. but right now it is 74 degrees and only a light breeze so I got a few hours this morning to dig weeds out of the mud. I broke my garden rocker seat. It got stuck in the mud and I was pivoting on the seat I heard a crack and a few minutes later I leaned over too much and it snapped and I ended up with my butt in the mud. I had that seat for over ten years so I guess the plastic got brittle. Now, I will have to find another one. I was able to salvage the cushion. It is frayed around the edges but still usable.
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Lindsaylew82
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Rose bloom
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Lindsaylew82
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Rose bloom
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rainbowgardener
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rainbowgardener
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Those look like below zero numbers the way they are written, Susan.
Have you wondered about this? The Washington Post published a crowd-sourced map:
How much snow it takes to cancel school in your area (link).
Far from canceling school in this corner of the Wild West. There is only a tiny skiff of snow in the shadiest parts of the yard and may be 60°f by Sunday afternoon!
Steve
Have you wondered about this? The Washington Post published a crowd-sourced map:
How much snow it takes to cancel school in your area (link).
Far from canceling school in this corner of the Wild West. There is only a tiny skiff of snow in the shadiest parts of the yard and may be 60°f by Sunday afternoon!
Steve
Oops! What happens when you type with fingers and not head. dash meant to be spacers.
Cancelling school a combo of things. By yesterday PM things looking bad going worse, so schools called, as well as a number of businesses. Now we have a combo of ice, snow and very cold. Most everyone hunkered down. Actually it is wonderfully quiet! Between snow absorbing sound, and very little traffic is quiet.
Cancelling school a combo of things. By yesterday PM things looking bad going worse, so schools called, as well as a number of businesses. Now we have a combo of ice, snow and very cold. Most everyone hunkered down. Actually it is wonderfully quiet! Between snow absorbing sound, and very little traffic is quiet.
Not anything like what you are getting but it is a chilly 64 degrees right now. The water is warmer. Last night it went down to 56 degrees. My cat tried to steal my heating pad.
According to NOAA it was another record month for average warm temperatures. Although the Eastern part of the U.S. has been rainy and half frozen most of the time, the West coast warm temperatures raised the average.
My group just checked our beehives yesterday. A couple of them have queen cells and one of the hives had a whole frame of drones. We are getting an early honey flow so I guess the bees are expecting it to warm up more. The orchids are blooming early and the cucumber and squash are flowering and putting on fruit so I guess the plants think so too.
I think except for the storms that came earlier, there hasn't been that much rain.
According to NOAA it was another record month for average warm temperatures. Although the Eastern part of the U.S. has been rainy and half frozen most of the time, the West coast warm temperatures raised the average.
My group just checked our beehives yesterday. A couple of them have queen cells and one of the hives had a whole frame of drones. We are getting an early honey flow so I guess the bees are expecting it to warm up more. The orchids are blooming early and the cucumber and squash are flowering and putting on fruit so I guess the plants think so too.
I think except for the storms that came earlier, there hasn't been that much rain.
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Lindsaylew82
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