Possible freeze tonight, so everything is covered...

[Chris_W]

We knew it couldn't last, but there is a freeze forecast tonight and we've just finished covering with frost blankets. Took two of us 4 hours (me and one of our helpers), while Brian prepared all of this week's hosta orders today. We dug what would normally be a 2 day job in about 5 hours. We started digging at 9am and rushed to dig hostas while helping customers all day long. Now we are bringing in the potted hostas from the nursery into the house, because they look way too nice this year.

I think we'll just have to give up on the ferns, especially the Athyrium, and hope they bounce back quickly. Most perennial plants don't matter so much for mail order, because we trim those back anyway, but the ferns were looking so good in the nursery too

Good luck tonight, for those around the Great Lakes. Hopefully it won't be as bad as predicted!

[Schattenfreude]

I'm keepin' my fingers crossed for ya, Chris! Just 10 days ago I was in your shoes.... and lucked out the next morning.

Kevin in KC

[Chris_W]

Well, we went out to shut off the water in the nursery and the hoses were already frozen at 11pm. This won't be anywhere near as bad as last year as there aren't as many fully unfurled plants right now, but it is still a shame as things were looking so good. They'll come back and leaf out better in a week or two, and we have completed about 90% of our spring orders already, so its all good in the long run.

I'll post more tomorrow after we uncover to see how those plants did. We brought ALL of the hostas inside from the nursery, so the restrooms, hallway, and part of the garage are wall to wall hostas. Looks kind of cool actually. Even the shower is full of plants

[ogrefcf]

Ouch hoses froze that early? That's pretty dang cold. Hope things went well today.

[Linda P]

Hate when that happens. Hope everything you covered was okay. We managed to escape the frost here two nights in a row. Hoping that this is the LAST blast of leftover winter.

[boops]

Oh-I feel so bad for you guys, crossing fingers it isn't too bad. We are supposed to go down to 39 F tonight-Hopefully that won't do anything to the Hosta or my Ferns. I'm in kind of a mini climate pocket-so usually I am a couple of degrees warmer.
I have all my veggies in the ground with cardboard boxes around them so I can cover them if it gets cold and a frost blanket for my potted veggies.

[kaylyred]

My order is one going out this week, so thank you Chris, Brian and helpers for going the extra mile!

We had freeze warnings here last night and I decided to let the few partially unfurled hostas that I have fend for themselves. I was up all night last night (insomnia, not hosta worries), and I was happy when I looked at the temperature and saw that it stayed around 34 and never got quite as cold as predicted. There was dew this morning, but no signs of frost, so I think we dodged a bullet.

We are so close to our last frost date here in southeastern Wisconsin. This coming week (after today, which is still chilly) is supposed to be in the 70s and 80s, so hopefully we're out of the frosty woods for the rest of the growing season.

[Chris_W]

Hi Karen,

Your order is boxed up and ready to go and looks great. The nursery survived without any damage, and all those ferns I was worried about were not touched one bit, but down the hill the hostas are frosted a bit, even with covers over them. Since they are mostly just beginning to unfurl it will only be a leaf or two on each that will have to be removed, other than the fragrant ones we'll have to cut down but will resprout fast. We'll be back shipping hostas next week I'm sure, which is about our current turnaround this time of year anyway, as the orders are coming in fast this week. I suppose it always could have been worse - I know it was in the 20s last night. The grass was crunchy with frost this morning!

This should be about our last frost date too, so I think this will be the last of it. We hadn't had a frost in about 3 weeks, though, so we did pretty good this spring

[kaylyred]

Can't wait to get the order!

Yep, this was one spring where I didn't have to put up tent cities in my yard multiple times. And we've had plenty of moisture. It got off to a slow start, but worked out well for us gardeners. I just wish I was slightly less impatient, but...that's what this forum is for, curing the Waiting for Springtime Blues.

[morgansrgr8]

We didn't get frost but it froze outside. My gardens are so spread out that I cant cover a lot of it. I figure that they will grow back but I wont have many leaves for our leaf show next month. I was especially surprised that my Komodo Dragon and Leading Lady got froze. Those 2 are right up against the house. While others jjust around the corner weren't bothered at all. Most of my hosta are unfurled and they were beautiful. Like I said before. Thankgoodness hosta are forgiving and grow back. It is really sad looking out there today. Forcast for 35 again tonite. The joys of living in Ohio. lol

[Chris_W]

Hi Linda,

The frost will settle on the side of the house away from the wind and frost won't settle on the side of the house that stays windy. That happens here when the wind comes out of the north the house blocks the south garden and frost damage gets really bad on that calm side

I've been digging some hostas already that still look pristine, so it could have been worse. I didn't sleep last night and am exhausted, but that wasn't just worrying about the hostas, I was having doubled over kidney stone pains and thankfully passed it early this morning.

[thy]

The frost will settle on the side of the house away from the wind

Thank's Chris, this may explain the frost patern in my new garden. being so close to the sea I have not understood why I got those late frosts in some areas, while my DD living in the city close to my former house didn't get any frosts - like I never did before. Hostas are still unfurling peeping up here so last weeks 3 days of frost nights only damaged 2 leaves. nothing to worry about.

Glad it didn't get that bad in the nursery, dont the tree canopy help ? or was it just too cold
Pia

[Chris_W]

We grow under walnut trees and they leaf out very late in the year and are just now starting to get buds, so that isn't any help. Some of the oak trees seemed to help, though, as those areas look perfectly fine

[pauhaus]

Chris, glad to hear the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. This weather is so frustrating but especially for you as a business owner. Sorry to hear about your kidney stone, I just went through that ordeal myself last Monday and I feel your pain, literally! Not fun at all.

[kaylyred]

Yikes, Chris! Sorry about the kidney stone pain.

[ViolaAnn]

Ouch on the kidney stone pain. I hope that doesn't happen often.

[Tigger]

Record or near-record lows here last night at about 38°F. Interesting that the records for this date in this area were set in 1996! I'm more worried about tomato plants than hostas, although we noted a little desiccation burn on the usual suspects (Coconut Custard and Designer Genes, both which leaf out early).

David

[morgansrgr8]

Wow Chris, sure hope you don't have to go through that again. Thanks for the info on frost. Being in a valley the wind shifts all the time so I'm never sure which way its going to come from. What froze for me were the tall leafed out plants. the ones close to the ground seem to be ok. which means the Leading Lady and Komodo Dragon that I got from you (and were looking the best they ever have been) got it the worst. Very tall and very beautiful this year. I know they will come back but I was so impressed with how they looked this year.

[thy]

That is sad Linda... we have been waiting for so long