Central Illinois got hit shortly after 9 a.m. this morning! Thunderstorms were predicted for afternoon but when it got dark suddenly and heard damaging hail in the warning, I ran out and covered as many hostas as possible with empty pots. Try choosing favorites while it's thundering! Most of the eyes look OK and, frankly, I'm amazed but the damage might show up later. That is, if they don't get frozen off completely by the end of the week.
My batteries were low so this is the only picture - marble size stones bouncing every which way.
Yes, it's a Redbud and dying out I'm afraid.
I'm charging the camera batteries so I can go out and get some close ups of the hosta eyes, might be able to check for damage more accurately on the computer screen.
I hope the hail was isolated and most of you managed to avoid this storm system or aren't in the path. Wishing everyone good luck!
I spent nearly 2 hours this evening covering things up. Blasted wind blowing at 30-40 mph!!!! Had to put rocks on top of my pots. Get the picture 120 pots + 120 rocks, + blankets on the roses and lilac bush, clematis and wisteria = very sore back tonight! The question came up in another post whether you could leave the pots on for a few days without hurting anything....? Well, we are going to find out at my house, cuz I am not doing this again! I will have to uncover the ones with buckets as they have no air holes, but I am going to see how the others hold up....Good luck to y'all. I hope everyone escapes damage.
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Libby - I hope you don't have any damage either, but this early in the seaon it will give them plenty of time to recover I think. Central Illinois is about a week ahead of SW Iowa I it looks like in your pic. My redbud has been budded for about a week, but not ready to open yet. And it won't be for a while with these cold temps. I hope they don't just fall off...
Just 2 hours, Charla?? I was out all day covering mine with either more soil or pots. [I'm glad I've never thrown a pot that wasn't broken away.] Every pot has a brick or a rock. No way they'd stay in place in this wind. Sure glad I did cuz it's 25 here this morning. BRRRRRR!!! and the wind's still blowin. I even saw a few snow flurries earlier.
I still have a little reprieve here. It isn't getting icy cold until tonight. I've been out for the last 3 hours filling nursery pots w/ mulch or leaves and then tipping them over the top of all of these eyes!
I'm going to have to go buy mulch b/c I have no more extra to scrape together!
I'm probably overdoing it but I have the day off so why not put for the extra effort?
By the way, Renaldo, my Ebb Tide is now in the kitchen. It has TWO nice big thick eyes of leaves coming up!
Yeah, it was only a couple hours, as I don't have nearly as many as y'all do, I don't think. I also think I exagerated on the rocks, too, it was probably only half that many, although it felt like twice that many! I thought I had a lot of pots saved, but I was really scraping for the last few. I am really sad this morning as the forecast is calling for 21 degrees Easter morning!
Any ideas from you more experienced folks to help me protect them better?
Signed,
Desperate Hosta mom
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
I only had a few that were still just eyes, but I did cover them. Going down to 18 F. Friday morning! My Sagae were over a foot tall! Nearly all are leafed out. I think I will put blankets over the pots on some recent transplants and my minis. I hope it helps. I am hoping that the temps won't be low except for short periods. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Ademink, those look perfect and they were begging to be moved inside! You won't regret it!
Mine are staying covered. The sun is in and out today but only a 42 degree high. I've checked under the sheets & containers and it's still cool. Anyway, I probably have nothing to lose at this point after hail and hard freeze so I'm not too concerned about a few days of snug, heavily filtered light.
Charla: Lots of folks think I go way overboard in protecting my plants (I don’t - hehe). I cut some old used 1” black plastic water line into 5-7’ lengths. I made each cut at an angle, to make a point on each end. I stick both ends of the line well into the ground to make a sturdy upright hoop arching over the hosta. Most of my beds are 6-8’ wide, so it takes two hoops lined up and somewhat overlapping to reach across the whole bed. I put hoops about every 2’ along the length of the bed. Then I cover the hoops with cheap 4mil plastic sheeting and hold down the edges with rocks, firewood, etc. I make sure I have at least a foot of airspace from the hosta to the plastic...if the leaves or eyes touch the plastic, you may as well not have bothered. Sort of like building little hoop greenhouses over all the beds. If its is near or below freezing all day, you can leave them covered. But, if it warms above freezing or is real sunny, if you don’t remove the plastic fairly early in the morning, you can cook your hosta!
Sure would be a lot easier if I had any straight lines in my gardens! (hehe)
Most of the eyes look OK and, frankly, I'm amazed but the damage might show up later. That is, if they don't get frozen off completely by the end of the week.
Had to put rocks on top of my pots. Get the picture 120 pots + 120 rocks, + blankets on the roses and lilac bush, clematis and wisteria = very sore back tonight! 
The question came up in another post whether you could leave the pots on for a few days without hurting anything....? Well, we are going to find out at my house, cuz I am not doing this again! 
and the wind's still blowin. I even saw a few snow flurries earlier. 
is there any reason to cover the eyes 
