Part of what makes my cold climate garden cold is the fact that we live in the bottom of a valley, and cold air flows downhill and settles all around us. So however cold the weatherman predicts it will get, it’s usually colder here. Often, ten degrees colder.
For example, on May 12th, when a light frost was predicted, the low temp in the morning was 28F(-2C). The following morning, it was 28.5F (-1.9C). I call those two hard frosts. And on the 19th, it was 25.5F(-3.6C). When it gets that low, I call it a freeze. And I believe all these recordings were on the high side, because the temperature sensor is located near the house, under an overhang (it’s not supposed to get sopping wet), in the general neighborhood of where we are raising a bunch of chicks, using two heat lamps to keep them warm.
So, what happens when we get an untimely freeze like that? Well, it depends…
Same Genus, Different Species
Trumpet lilies. Missed these for the first frost
I really don’t know what species or parentage these “trumpet” lilies are, but they are definitely the most frost tender lilies I have. Lilies only put out one set of leaves per year, so these plants are starting the growing season handicapped with less than a full complement of leaves. I don’t expect any blooms from them. I’ll be happy if they make it through another winter, and give me another chance.
Oriental lilies. Covered every time.
When I removed the containers that I had put over these Oriental lilies to protect them from the freeze, I could see frost in between the leaf layers. But a week later, they still don’t look damaged. This surprised me, because I remember them getting damaged by frost in other years.
Lilium henryi on bottom left was never covered, never damaged.
I didn’t realize the
Lilium henryi bulbs had emerged, so never considered covering them, and they made it through just fine.
Protected in Vain?
Arrow points to dahlia I foolishly planted last week, when the warm weather addled my brain.
Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to protect them from a 24F freeze.
Plants from tropical climates have their limits when it comes to cold tolerance. Whatever temperature it was inside that upturned flower pot, it was still below freezing. However, keep in mind the insulating properties of soil. As a result of a
timely comment, I was inspired by
this post to pile more dirt over the tuber after I planted it. This protected it sufficiently that it was able to send up new growth.
A week after the big freeze, the dahlia tuber is putting out new growth.
If the tuber itself had frozen, it would have died and no new growth would have been possible. Often in a cold climate, it pays to plant things a little deeper.
These bleeding hearts were also protected, but still suffered damage from the big freeze. I think some flower buds made it through, but bloom will be reduced.
Sometimes the most you can accomplish is reducing your losses. The more undamaged foliage there is, the more that foliage can feed the roots, building up the plant for a bigger, better display next year.
Continued in Part 2, where I illustrate how appearances can be deceiving, what happens to trees and shrubs, and a few plants unfazed by the dramatic temperature drop.
Related posts
Tagged as:
bleeding hearts,
dahlias,
dicentra,
frost,
frost protection,
lilies
For example, on May 12th, when a light frost was predicted, the low temp in the morning was 28F(-2C). The following morning, it was 28.5F (-1.9C). I call those two hard frosts. And on the 19th, it was 25.5F(-3.6C). When it gets that low, I call it a freeze. And I believe all these recordings were on the high side, because the temperature sensor is located near the house, under an overhang (it’s not supposed to get sopping wet), in the general neighborhood of where we are raising a bunch of chicks, using two heat lamps to keep them warm.
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Kathy, I’m late, but glad I didn’t miss this post. It’s interesting to see the damage you’ve documented. I don’t think our temp was quite as low as yours on the 19th, but that was a doozy of a freeze, wasn’t it? My bleeding hearts were looking glorious, and then ZAP, they were reduced to pale strings of shriveled hearts. The white bush survived almost undamaged though…it’s perhaps a little more sheltered than the pink, but right next to it.
Our Miss Canada (late blooming) lilac seems to have been damaged too (leaves curled under and had brown edges), but it made a comeback and is blooming now.
I do hope those lilies survive that were passed as seed from your grandmother.
kerri’s last blog post..Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – June ‘09
Twitter: @reddirtramblin
Oh, you poor girl. It is always cooler at my rural home than in the towns I live between, so I understand about the temperature variances. So sorry about the freeze.~~Dee
Dee/reddirtramblings.com’s last blog post..Hangin’ with my Peeps
Twitter: @suburbangarden
I’m going to make note of the deeper planting for Dahlias. At least that’s going to do something in your garden this year. I’m sorry about all the damage.
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter’s last blog post..A Grand Day Out at the Chicago Botanic Garden Part I
Twitter: @liz4flowers
So sorry to hear about your hard freeze! Good for you for making it a learning experience for all of us!
Elizabeth’s last blog post..Black Pansies
Twitter: @Annieinaustin
Oh, Kathy – what a shame to lose the lilies. I hope putting on your scientist hat while assessing the damage helps keep it from making you too sad. Sure hope that dahlia keeps growing! Going over to Part II now.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie in Austin’s last blog post..Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, May 2009
Annie, the tops of them got damaged, but they still have some lower leaves. I’m going to nurse them along and hope they come back next year, because they are the lilies I grew from seed my grandmother gave me.