Warm weather envy!!

[Northernfox]

I am full of envy right now!! I see lots of you are out in the garden!

I envy you! I so want to get out there and do some garden work! I have so many things I want to get done

My garden today



I do have live plants in my basement though

[sepeters]

Maybe the snow is a blessing. With the new baby coming you won't even think about the garden for the first few weeks! Are you guys on a count down yet?

[Northernfox]

Blessing or curse! We nearly went to the hospital today. The little monster was not loving a whole lot. Then I guess he woke up!

We go to the doctor Monday to get the induction date! It is getting exciting!

I guess I want to work in the garden to pass the time! It is so hard to wait !!! Arg!!!

[Francis Barnswallow]

mid to upper 80's in my area next week.

*flees out of topic as fast as possible*

[Northernfox]

Lol I wish!! It was -42 where I grew up today.

Luckily it is in the mid 20s here today

[prettygurl]

Looks like you have a good start there.

[valley]

Northernfox, We have several feet of snow here at the mountain place. I feel a type of envy when I read of people talking about picking tomatoes and having too many. Well, gata go get the fire going again.

Richard

Your light setup looks good.

[Gary350]

Maybe you should think about building a green house. You can get FREE windows from most window replacement companies. They throw all the old windows into a dumpster.

I got about 50 free windows from a window replacement company in TN. They put them on the truck very carefully not to break any of the glass that just makes them a mess to clean up. Then they haul all the windows to the shop where they unload them into a trash dumpster. I was told to come at 7am they unload the truck in the morning before they go to the next job. They unloaded 60 windows into my SUV and utility trailer. I got enough windows all the exact same size to build a green house 10 ft wide 20 ft long.

If it is 10 degree outside, cloudy and very over cast it will be 70 degrees F inside the green house. On a bright sunny 30 degree winter day it will be 100 degrees inside the green house. A bright sunny 95 deg summer day it will be 210 degrees in the green house.

You can get a garden started a few months early then move it outside. There are many things you can grow all winter in a green house.

[Northernfox]

Do you think it would work in small cases? I have a 10' by 3' bed that I want to put strawberries in there. they could benefit from a few extra weeks of heat

[cynthia_h]

Although I'm sure there must be an updated edition, I'd like to suggest that you take a look at Eliot Coleman's Four-Season Harvest, ISBN 1-890132-27-6. The first printing was in September 1999; the publisher was

Chelsea Green Publishing Company
P.O. Box 428
White River Junction, Vermont 05001
(800) 639-4099 (don't know whether the 800 number works for all of North America, but they didn't provide an alternate)
www.chelseagreen.com Results of a search on "Coleman" at Chelsea Green

His four-season garden lies in Maine, 44 deg. North--"the same latitude," Coleman points out on page 2 of Chapter 1, "as Avignon in southern France and Genoa on the warm Ligurian coast of Italy. That means we have the same daylength and amount of sun they do."

I know that Ft. S is 9 degrees more northerly than Coleman's garden, but perhaps some of his practices will help extend your gardening season so that the "shoulder" months aren't as frustrating?

HTH.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Northernfox]

Oh it sounds like I have some reeding to do! I am very interested in minimizing the months between spring and fall

[Northernfox]

Thanks by the way

[hendi_alex]

Low of 48 tonight, in the 70's all week. Back to unseasonably cold next week though. Will have to bring the plants in overnight, with lows dipping down to below freezing. Hopefully weather will settle into our spring pattern in a couple of weeks, with lows staying 40 degrees or warmer.

[Northernfox]

Mr. Alex please send it north. We got 18" of snow in the last 24 hours.


Want to help shovel?

I miss seeing the yard

[Joyfirst]

It is in 60s here, sorry. But look at some positives -there are many plants, that need chill period, and don't grow here. I love herbaceous peonies, but I will never be able to grow them here.

[Northernfox]

I have Peonies the struggle along but do live here

I am a fruit and veggie gardener. and it is -15C here today. not very nice today

[Ozark Lady]

It goes warm and then cold and then warm... back and forth, really hard on the system.
Last Monday it was freezing overnight and high of 34? Today it was high of 77 F so quite the contrast.

It is not safe to put tender plants outside yet, and 77 degrees is so very tempting to jump ahead and try.

Heater on one day, fan or a/c on the next... it is crazy!

[Northernfox]

We are just about to hit that cycle. it wil be super Hot and then jump to cold in a matter of an hour

but that much of a swing! I wish!!

I was looking at some pictures I took over the last two years. It looks like April 1-15 I should be snow free and able to work the earth! and then the fun starts!!!

[cynthia_h]

Do the chinooks blow that far north? I remember them from when I was a kid in Cheyenne. One day, snow everywhere, the back door snowed in. The next, the chinooks are there and the ground is nothing but mud. Snow? What snow?

Being a kid, I don't remember what *month* the chinooks tended to blow....

Cynthia

[sepeters]

Don't be too envious of the warm weather! It has been so erratic that it's done more harm than good to my plants. Two weeks ago snow and hail fell on my garden and the purple beauty bells died (temps were in 70sF the week before). Yesterday it was 91F; I got a wicked sunburn and all of the indigo apple and lush queen tomatoes from the seed giveaway died in a matter of hours while I was at work.Unreal! I'm just thankful the AAA solanos are powering through!

[Northernfox]

I guess I should enjoy my relatively predictable weather

I do have hot pepper fruit coming in my basement ! I look forward to eating them!

[Northernfox]

So my wife and I are in the hospital for the birth of our son. What has to happen today... 8" of snow in 5 hours.

Warm weather I wish you would come an stay

[rainbowgardener]

Yeah, here it is officially spring. And tonight it is going down to NINETEEN degrees! I have trays and trays of cool weather plants that have been waiting and waiting and waiting for suitable planting time (and some that did get planted in the ground and died in all the severe weather we had since then).

[Northernfox]

Enjoy.... We have waist high snow right now ...

[valley]

Maybe you should think about building a green house. You can get FREE windows from most window replacement companies. They throw all the old windows into a dumpster.

I got about 50 free windows from a window replacement company in TN. They put them on the truck very carefully not to break any of the glass that just makes them a mess to clean up. Then they haul all the windows to the shop where they unload them into a trash dumpster. I was told to come at 7am they unload the truck in the morning before they go to the next job. They unloaded 60 windows into my SUV and utility trailer. I got enough windows all the exact same size to build a green house 10 ft wide 20 ft long.

If it is 10 degree outside, cloudy and very over cast it will be 70 degrees F inside the green house. On a bright sunny 30 degree winter day it will be 100 degrees inside the green house. A bright sunny 95 deg summer day it will be 210

degrees in the green house.

You can get a garden started a few months early then move it outside. There are many things you can grow all winter in a green house.

We do have a greenhouse here at the upper ranch, it isn't heated. I'm going out right now and check the temp, today is warmer sun is out,I'll check again tonight, it gets very cold at night. I'll get back to you, we don't usually get things going in the greenhouse this early.

[valley]

Greetings Gary350, Just dug up to the greenhouse, dug the snow away from the door. 9:52am it is 26degrees outside. Inside the greenhouse it is 51degrees. I closed the window and will check it again later.
I have a little gun thermometer, the temperature varies some places the raised beds inside the house is 22degrees one stud that gets direct sunlight is 72degrees.

richard

[ElizabethB]

Actually got up to 80 degrees this week. Then dropped back down to the upper 40s. Oh well =- I will take that over snow any day. Had to get the soaker hose in the garden because I did not want to hand water. Bright sun, warm temps and March winds = dry soil.

Eat your heart out. Of course I will be whining in the heat of summer.

[valley]

Actually got up to 80 degrees this week. Then dropped back down to the upper 40s. Oh well =- I will take that over snow any day. Had to get the soaker hose in the garden because I did not want to hand water. Bright sun, warm temps and March winds = dry soil.

Eat your heart out. Of course I will be whining in the heat of summer.

Elizabeth, We're still skiing. Wifey is on the mountain as we write, teaching. The kids are home schooled, someone has to be home, tomorrow we'll all be up skiing.

We have those hot temps at the lower ranch up to 110, last year our main garden was there, it did wonderful.

Northernfox, Hope you don't mind my rambling on. It may be time for you to have a greenhouse. I'm guessing a heater maybe even heating mats under the soil to make it work.

richard

[jal_ut]

Warm weather? What's that?

Today 27° and snowing. Oh well, it is March after all.

[Northernfox]

Oh I love it ! With my sons arrival I might be a little while. When I get home I want to pass by you all a small hybrid design for my strawberry bed

[cedillamuerta]

I've always been envious of the cooler weather y'all get up north. The summers here are oppressive enough that being snowed in sounds like a more pleasant experience. It's only been this year that I've actually found a reason to look forward to spring.

[valley]

jal ut, we're between 6000 and 7000 ft on a mountain side, the higher up back you go. We had snow yesterday, not much.

The temp in the greenhouse goes up and down, the trees are big up here and shade the sunlight as the day goes on. Need a few more days before the greenhouse can be of use.

Ski season is almost over, than we'll migrate, to 4300ft for a bit, animals and all.

[rainbowgardener]

Jeez.... it is making me crazy.... ordinarily I would have been planting outdoors a couple weeks ago. Here's my forecast for tomorrow (3/24!!):

Details for Sunday, March 24
Windy...a light wintry mix in the morning changing to rain, mixed with snow at times in the afternoon. Cold. High 37F. Winds ENE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precip 70%.
Evening: Rain and snow in the evening turning to all snow late. Low 32F. ENE winds shifting to SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 70%. Snow accumulating 2 to 4 inches.

I took my 6 trays of cabbage broccoli and celery out for a few hours yesterday to get a little sun and so I could water them (they are all now in trays with holes in them) and then hauled them all back in. I've been bringing them in and out for almost a month now. They are looking the worse for wear and I'm tired of it!

More snow in the forecast Mon and Tues. The frustrating part is that the cabbage and broccoli could withstand a little snow and frost if hardened off and in the ground. I just can't get the little bit of break to get them to that point. About the time we are getting close, it goes back down to 19.... Where is spring?! And the longer it waits to get here, the more likely we go straight from winter to summer, with hardly any spring in between!

[LA47]

I thought I was starting my seeds too late but, with the weather we're having, I may be too early! In the last 2 days we've gotten 6 inches of snow, then freezing rain, and temps with highs in the mid twenties and the lows near 0. I'm not a happy gardener!

[gixxerific]

Warm weather, my big stinky booty. Anywhere from 6 - 12 inches of snow coming tommorow. I hope I didin't jump the gun with my onions.

[jal_ut]

Yep, 22° F here this morning and 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground. I am not in gardening mode yet.

[Northernfox]

I've always been envious of the cooler weather y'all get up north. The summers here are oppressive enough that being snowed in sounds like a more pleasant experience. It's only been this year that I've actually found a reason to look forward to spring.

It is nice in the summer I don't really have to worry too much about over heat but the winter is just so long here makes it tough!

[Northernfox]

I am not sure but I think lots of North America is having a long winter. Oh well my Son I here I have wine brewed and hot peppers producing in the basement I guess I'll make do. It was just a little overwhelming looking at nearly 3 feet of snow two weeks ago lol.

[valley]

We got about a foot but the roads are clear now, and there are patches of ground showing. I went out to check inside the greenhouse, see if it's warm enough. Where there is snow it's 3-4ft deep. I was wearing ug boots, got half way up to the greenhouse, Ug boots are slippery, I started sliding, threw the shovel I was carrying, made it to the bottom in one piece. Our place is a mountain side and the greenhouse is on a rise, well, you should a been there. I told the girls about skiing to down on my boots, they wanted to put down their school work and go out to try it.

2nd week in May is planting time here, a bit earlier in the greenhouse. It's the same at the lower ranch frost wise. but trees are sprouting down there when there is still snow up here. I came up and dug a couple apple trees out of the snow, took them down and planted them there, in two days they were sprouting, it was that warm.
When we get the greenhouse down there it will be great, doesn't frost in a greenhouse!

Richard

[Northernfox]

I agree with the girls. That sound like a fun sliding hill

I have not been outside much since the snow slammed us here. I have been in the hospital with my wife as son since Thursday. Should be interesting to see what has happened when I go home tomorrow.

I am thinking more and more about a small season extender system on my strawberry bed and then a small green house somewhere in my garden area

Son is awake time to dance the night away