Snow

[jgh]

Well... in case anyone in Minnesota had amnesia and was lulled into forgetting what a bxxxx Mother Nature can be...

We had an exceptionally warm and nice March, followed by the warmest April since 1915. Throughout the southern half of the state people are describing their gardens as 2-3 weeks ahead of normal. It is convention year for us, so we were all hoping to see some extra growth on our younger plants before the third week of June.

Some people say the glass is half-empty. Others say it is half-full. I've been gardening in Minnesota for most of my 60 years, so I say the glass is cracked and will never be worth a dxxx.

Last Friday, some storms rolled through. At least one of the tour gardens got hit - not slaughtered, but lots of holes.

Today the temperature is hanging in the 40s, with a long cold rain. Tonight the lows are predicted around 36 for an extended period, with snow possible from midnight to 6 am. We could get an inch or two inches of wet, slushy snow. Then Saturday night we can expect several hours down around 34.

Folks farther north will almost certainly see temps below 30, possible both nights, and possibly for several hours... Don Dean, a name you'll see on a lot of new hosta introductions, is on the tour... and he is farther north... he's got to just be sick about this...

I'm looking for sympathy, here... and maybe some reassurance. I know Chris says he doesn't worry too much about a little snow after the soil has warmed up. Don't give me any advice about covering stuff. My greenhouse is full, I've got maybe a half acre of gardens and maybe 500 plants potted and sitting around in various locations. Tell me its all going to be OK!

[renaldo75]

It'll all be OK, Jim. Just break open a bottle [and keep breaking them open] and before you know it, it'll be Monday morning and everything will be just fine...

[Ginger]

Just keep repeating to yourself, it will be ok... it will be ok... while you are breaking open those bottles! Keeping my fingers crossed for ya, if that helps

Ginger

[jgh]

thanks... I did decide to wait until after noon to start drinking... sipping some krupnik as I type... mutter mutter mutter...

[caliloo]

Crud Jim... I am so sorry.

We had a "zone 7" version of what you are talking about and my garden is all screwy as a result. It was in the 90's in April and generally way warmer even for z7 then we usually get, and then WHAM! 2 mights in the low 30's. Any hosta I had that was not under the tree canopy is a total loss BUT the good news is, the ones that got even a little protection from above survived just fine. Only FW (go figure) has a bit of burn, everyone else looks pretty darn good.

I am keeping fingers, toes, and eyes crossed for all of you - it sure sux to have to deal with this sort of carp in any given year, but it is particularly cruel that you all are hosting this year. Ren is onto something here - when the busloads show up for the tour - give them all tequila shots before they can wander around. I'll guarantee no one will notice any problems! LOL! But seriously, I am so sorry for all of you - hang in there!

Alexa

[caliloo]

BTW - what I meant by my garden all screwy - I have had roses blooming since May 5! A good 3 weeks before I normally see a bloom. They opened before the iris did!

A

[Chris_W]

Cover the fragrant ones. They are the least cold tolerant.

We had hail earlier, under a tornado watch now, frost possible tomorrow night Yup, she's a cruel b****

[govgirl75]

The weather forecast on the Cleveland radio station I listen to mentioned the possibility of wet snow tomorrow nite.
We are currently under a tornado watch with a good chance of hail when the storms roll in later this evening.
Found this quote that pretty well sums it up IMO.
"The thing that a lot of people cannot comprehend is that Mother Nature doesn't have a bullet with your name on it, she has millions of bullets inscribed with 'to whom it may concern”
Gloria

[Esox]

Actually, the official National Weather Service forecast for Minneapolis does not say lows of 36 Friday and 34 Saturday. It says 33 Friday and 32 Saturday.

If that cheers you up.

[jgh]

ah, esox... you are "down in the valley" which is usually a pretty warmish spot compared to some of the twin cities. I've got a weather station about a mile away here in Plymouth, so NWS for us is still saying 36 tonight and 34 tomorrow night. Those few degrees might make a lot of difference with how long the snow stays on the plants... here's hoping! In the meantime, I'm using the woodstove to keep the house warm, which in turn keeps the greenhouse at reasonable temps via an open patio door.

That's a good observation, Gloria. I truly don't take it personal, though the idea of random destruction is almost equally terrifying in life.

Chris - you were supposed to tell me that a little snow won't hurt anything... I only have a few covers and they are over the potted stuff on the deck.

Alexa - roses blooming the first week of May?! wow!

what - nobody wants to know what krupnik is? Or perhaps you are all indulging and take it for granted!

[Esox]

I'm simply reporting the official NWS forecast for MInneapolis. I hope it's warmer in Apple Valley. I covered five favorites with something called Crop Cover, but it's only 3 feet wide (25 feet long). Montana Aureomarginata, Choo Choo Train and Satisfaction all in a row, then Sun Power and Journey's End together. Then threw a large sheet over Sally and Bob, a large, luscious treasure worth trying to keep looking good. If I save those six, I'll still have some good hosta looking this year.

Even though I have four more rolls of Crop Cover, I'm just not in the mood.

The rest will just have to be tough.

[Diana]

I'm so very sorry for all of you, really.

jgh- I googled Krupnik and came up with two definitions. I don't think you are referring to the Polish Barley Soup. I like the other definition. It is good to have some Krupnik on a cold and very worrisome day.

Strange I never heard the word before, even though I have 3 out of 4 grandparents who were born in Poland.

-Diana

[Chris_W]

When you said Krupnik I just figured you'd already had a few (too many maybe) and could no longer read the bottle

[Linda P]

Not liking this frost chance one bit...
My hostas down here in zone 5 are probably 3 weeks ahead of schedule, fully leafed out and just looking gorgeous yesterday.
We'll see how they look MOnday morning.
Jim...hoping yours will be okay too. I'm guessing that the convention year just kind of put a target on the backs of all the hosta growers
in MN. Darn.

Linda P

[Noreaster]

Good thoughts for all you guys. I checked our advance forecast and it says mid thirties early next week, too. I hope it turns out to be nothing serious for anyone. We're about ten days ahead of schedule here, I think.

Does anyone have any experience with those ultra lightweight frost blankets they sell at garden shops? I would dread damaging a hosta with a relatively heavy sheet, but those white frost blankets are so light...just wondering if they do a good job.

[Chris_W]

We use those white frost blankets here, though what we use is probably a middle weight. They tend to have light, middle, and heavy weights. I've tried the really light, almost see-through ones and they offer some but not the best protection. The middle weight that we use is fantastic, however you really need to get these frost blankets on during the day, before the frost hits, otherwise it doesn't work as well. If you get things covered with them the morning before on a sunny day they can easily protect into the 20s as they store a lot of heat underneath.

When we run out of frost blankest we also use oversized nursery containers, moving blankets, bed blankets, sleeping bags, sheets, towels, cardboard boxes, and even some plastic milk crates. When we run out of those we use sweatshirts, winter coats, longjohns. Heck, we are practically naked by the time we are done covering everything around here!

[Noreaster]

When we run out of frost blankest we also use oversized nursery containers, moving blankets, bed blankets, sleeping bags, sheets, towels, cardboard boxes, and even some plastic milk crates. When we run out of those we use sweatshirts, winter coats, longjohns. Heck, we are practically naked by the time we are done covering everything around here!

That's hilarious. Earlier this Spring I was in survival mode, scrounging up whatever fabric I could find so that I'd have it on hand in case of emergency. I actually did consider just grabbing a bunch of my tee shirts from the closet. Oh, I'm sure the neighbors would have really thought I'd lost it if they looked out and saw my clothing all over the yard.

So let me get this straight....if, come next week, our forecasted overnight temps are supposed to be say, 35-36 but there is no actual frost warning, I don't need to cover? Everything is up and unfurled/unfurling at this point.

[jgh]

NOW I understand why Chris and Brian had to move out to the countryside! Partially clad, cavorting on frosty evenings... there must be some kind of zoning regulation covering THAT!

For those sweating frost warnings, where a couple of degrees can make a difference, I've found the weather channel does a pretty amazing job of local forecasting. You can select a zip code or town and get more of a pinpointed forecast. You can do an hour by hour chart, weekend, 10 day. You can see past, present, and predicted future radar maps - in motion. They even do pollen count reports.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/driving/ ... 128#hhView

[grdnnkd]

Jim-

Yep, Duluth has had about 2-4 inches. I am on the crest of the hill so we seem to get the most out of any storm. It looks a lot like a Norman Rockwell Christmas Scene......You know the one with the gardeners swearing and covering all their plants!

I am hoping that both the buds on the apples and raspberries will hold out, but I am thinking it's a lost cause.

Hope you do better and your gardens are a hit at the convention tour.

[jobranch]

Good luck to all you folk up north. As far as a late freeze here in Dixie, we did not have one this year, thank goodness. I'll keep my fingers crossed for y'all.

Jeff