From the category archives:

Weather

What Happens to Plants After an Untimely Freeze Part 2

June 1, 2009

In Part 1 I mentioned the two hard frosts and a freeze we had recently, all of them rather later in the season than is typical. I illustrated how different species in the same genus reacted to the freeze differently, and also gave examples of plants that were damaged even though they were protected. Appearances [...]

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What happens to plants after an untimely freeze? Part 1

May 27, 2009

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 [...]

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Frost Advisory

May 10, 2009

Frost advisory tonight. Just covered a gazillion precocious plants. Had to use a kitchen garbage can for the lilies, that tall already.

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Premature Dahlia Planting

May 9, 2009

I planted a dahlia in the ground today. Should I join Gamblers Anonymous? http://ping.fm/HKOhp

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When is my last spring frost?

May 9, 2009

Read about guessing the last spring frost date

Usually, when you want to know your last spring frost, the experts send you to a hardiness zone map, a chart, or even the NOAA records, conceding that this will only give you a ballpark figure. If you really want to know your local last frost date, consult a neighbor–at least until you’ve kept records [...]

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Unexpected rain

May 6, 2009

So last night it *did* rain, & if it was in the 4cast, they snuck it in after I went 2 bed. We needed the almost-inch we got, no complaints

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No Rain

May 5, 2009

Expected rain didn’t show up. Cloudy but no rain. Planted cowslip last night thinking it would get watered in. Pouting.

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April heat wave broke weather records

April 29, 2009

This just in from the National Weather Service: Record April heat has ended… Many daily and monthly high temperature records were broken from Saturday April 25th to Monday April 27th across the area. For the regional Airport daily records were broken for April 25th and the 27th. On April 25th a record high temperature of [...]

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Weather Surprise

April 29, 2009

Whoa! 33.5F this morning. Why did I think it was only going down to 50F? Cannas & rosemary spent the night out. Crossing fingers.

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Daffodils face down in the dirt

April 25, 2009

High of 88F, a record, perhaps. Can daffodils suffer heat stroke? Some of mine fell over. I took a look at them shortly before nine in the morning, and they were lovely as only a freshly opened daffodil can be. By the time I got home late afternoon, some were already past their prime, and [...]

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Weather

April 12, 2009

Low tonight=15F? !! Probably should pile leaves on those foxgloves greening up, if the wind ever dies down.

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Mud Season: A primer for newcomers and Southerners

March 10, 2009

Mud season has finally arrived. As I have had more contact with gardeners in other climates, I’ve come to realize that certain aspects of my climate are completely foreign to them, so I thought I’d explain mud season for those who have never encountered it. It will sound pretty elementary to my fellow cold climate [...]

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Why rain gauges break and plants heave

December 28, 2008

It was a balmy 57F out today, a pleasant change from last week’s snow, so I took a stroll around the garden to see what I could see. I saw the new growth of sedums at soil level, and I saw colchicums emerging from the earth, way too early as usual.I also saw the damage [...]

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