Not just frost but...

[beac]

a HARD FREEZE??? :( :( :( :( :(

It's supposed to get down to 26 degrees here tonight. I've brought in my little lettuce & arugula containers and a few other plants. Covered up the peas and the sweet peas (they started coming up this week after I'd given up on them) and hope they can tough it out, but I fear my gladioli bulbs may be sad-ioli after tonight.

I knew we'd have more frosts, but I didn't expect a HARD FREEZE! :scared:

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. We are touch and go in Raleigh - I've covered my three double rows of

lettuce, greens, peppers, eggplant and tomato seedlings with Reemay floating row cover. I think some clouds will keep us in the upper 30s - but this time of year is no fun with the dangerous low temps!! Good luck!

[beac]

2. And I know from your video, that was a LOT of covering!

They're calling for low 30's at night for the next ten days here. Looks like I'll be hauling in and out and covering/uncovering like a madwoman. Oh well, it's exercise, right? ;)

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. last night was OK...it is Sunday and Monday nights that have me really worried!

:scared:

[beac]

10. 25 and 29 predicted here on those nights.

BRRRRRRRR! :scared:

[dgibby]

3. Aren't you in the mountains of Va?

I moved back to my hometown(Clifton Forge) in Jan after being away for 42yrs, but IIRC, the last hard freeze usually occurs during the latter part Mar. Seems I remember freezing to death during the Sunrise services that were held on the mountain top. LOL!

Anyway, the daffodils, tuliips, and hyicinths are up, the Hawthorn, Cherry, Redbud, and Dogwood Trees are in bud, so spring can't be too far behind. Can't wait until my niece and I start the garden. Good luck with your plants-hope they make it.

[beac]

6. I got an earlier start with gardening this year, so my shock at the freeezes

(another one predicted tomorrow night!) might be from that.

The daffodils seem to have survived last night (and I picked several bunches yesterday evening, so the house is cheery with them too) and I'm hoping that the six inches of soil kept my glad bulbs from harm. I guess I'll know in July when they either come up or I have a barren patch of soil.

[LiberalEsto]

4. We're expecting snow in Maryland

A chance of snow tonight, and 60% chance on Sunday.

I was at Home Depot this morning and they had several carts of wilting tomato and basil plants outside the doors. What kind of idiots plant tomatoes in Maryland in March?

[beac]

5. I always feel so bad for the plants at Lowes and HD. They are either

out in the weather long before/after their 'prime' or dying of thirst on shelves that get an occasional wash of water.

I must admit that I sometimes haunt the "distressed plants" racks at the back of the Lowes garden department. Lots of pennies-on-the-dollar pitiful creatures that just need a little love to spring back to life. It's my guilt-free way to get a plant "fix" when I need one. After all, I'm not wasting money on more plants, I'm RESCUING plants in need, right? ;)

[LiberalEsto]

7. I do that too

On Labor Day weekend, when we visit my father-in-law in NJ, I go to the local Lowes and pick up distressed perennials. I use a lot of them in his garden to provide color for little cost and labor. And sometimes I take some home. Can't afford to buy plants at regular prices, because I've been unemployed for 2 1/2 years.

[Denninmi]

9. Yup, me too.

I stopped at the local chain garden center today during my lunch hour. They had racks of pansies and other cool weather things like primrose sitting inside looking lost. Ordinarily, I'd say it would probably be OK to plant pansies here now if they are properly hardened off. Not this weekend -- the cold front that blew through here has us way, way below normal -- right now, it's hazy sunshine but only 25 degrees, going down to about 8 tonight, around 30 tomorrow. At least not snow -- that's actually going SOUTH of us for the weekend, across Ohio and Indiana, or at least they claim.

[ellenrr]

11. I covered my pansies last night, and tonite I will cover everything.

So far everything has survived except one black hollyhock that germinated, but we've had 3 nites of lows in the low 20's..
and more forecast.
I ain't takin a chance.
My arugala is already planted in the garden and I haven't yet checked on that.
It is as another poster said - one expects a frost in March but NOT a deep freeze!

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. Well, I did it...moved 100 flats into the garage. Arggghhhh

28 deg Sunday night in Raleigh, close to freezing both nights either side. Hope this is the last one!

[beac]

13. Me too!

We had some snow/sleet flurries around mid-day today. That was SO depressing.

Debating about whether to haul my big pots of peas and sweet peas (both have a few sprouts up) inside too. So far, I've just covered them in the evening and left them covered until the temp gets about 32. As a gardening veteran, what's your advice? To haul ir not to haul (18 gallon pots, BTW)

I'm assuming that my Swiss Chard that hasn't sprouted yet can hack it. Or should I add his pot to the possible haul-in?

[trud]

14. where are these Lowe's with plants on sale...

I never see that at my Lowe's.

I have a J&P rose taking up my sink, because it arrived a few days ago, budding out, and it's cold as the Devil's heart outside. Maybe it would survive, but I'm not going out in that and digging it in :-)

I just hope the Antique Rose Emporium and Edmunds have enough sense not to ship yet or I'll be skipping baths for awhile..

[beac]

15. Maybe you could call the suppliers and double-check that they are aware it's Winter 2.0?

:shrug:

We had snow that actually accumulated this morning and well into the early afternoon. Then the sun cam out, snow melted and it warmed up about 20 degrees. Sun went down and so did the temp-- down to 25 tonight, so they say!


As for the discounted plants, I can only speak for my local Lowes but, in the very back of the garden center (the outside one they have going in-season) and off the the side, there is usually at LEAST one rack of sad, droopy, dried-out looking plants with discounted price tags on them. Sometimes the rack itself is marked as "SALE" or "DISTRESSED PLANTS SALE" but usually it's just a pitiful orphanage of forgotten flora-- like a little wall of shame that they don't mind if you find out about but aren't going to draw attention to either.

Hope this helps you suss out your own branch's woeful victims of neglect. Or maybe your Lowes employees aren't the rampant plant killers mine are. ;)

[trud]

16. thanks :-) n/t

[ellenrr]

17. I used to find wonderful sales at the big box stores around June, when

there is still plenty of time to salvage them.
I remember getting some beat-up geranium for $1.00, which then turned out beautifully.

But lately, they don't put anything on sale til August and the plants are so pitiable, that I don't bother. I guess the economy. Or they'd rather throw plants out, then let people get them for reasonable price.