Apologies go out to any sensitive readers out there, but I guess this blog isn't really for the 18 and under crowd. So, I just have to say that this cold weather f**k'n sucks! Me and my plants, we didn't move into this yard to have to deal with two years in a row of below 20 degree weather. This is not the norm for Austin. Poor me. Poor plants.
These crazy cold snaps are really stressful for me as a gardener, and my thoughts go out to all those farmers around Centex that are trying to make a living out there. This cold sucks! (Oh wait, I already said that.)
I definitely push the zone a bit with my plants, and of course, those are feeling the burn right now. Dark green frozen cells that will turn to slime on Saturday when things warm up. The zone-pushers like anacua (sandpaper tree) and Barbados cherry are going to be really unhappy with this situation. I can hear them screaming out there as I type...
But even my zone appropriate natives are used to this crap. The pale leaf yuccas are all curled up like hand-rolled cigarettes, the columbine is dying back, prickly pears and turning white as ghosts, and etcetera. Damn it.
Whaaa. Ok. Done with that.
14 comments:
I couldn't agree more...my columbines look terrible and I'm just hoping that my variegated ginger will bounce back like it did last year!
It is frustrating knowing that some will not survive this cold weather. Eighty degrees one day and now....:/ I love the birdbath that you made!!!!
I agree completely. I already lost my bourgonvillia from earlier freezes and I haven't dared to walk out and see what else is suffering.
I feel you. I've just had to let go and hope for the best (after some cursory and possibly futile covering-up). On the bright side -- more chill hours for the peach trees and to help the alliums bulb up.
Kelly brings up an interesting positive side of this. I just planted a new fuyu persimmon tree. If the freeze doesn't nip it's sensitive roots (or lack thereof), perhaps this will be good for it!
We lost our favorite tree in the back yard. Well, it was dying but it was home to a handsome woodpecker family and a playground for squirrels not to mention a hunting perch for the owls. It's all over the yard in bits and pieces.
Still it missed the house.
I was going to swear to only plant prickly pear, bulbine, and four nerve daisy from here on out (Lantana you're DEAD to me!), but it looks like the snow tonight will probably take out the bulbine.
boooo
It's a massacre out there. I'd cry but the tears would freeze to me face.
Sigh.
Echoing what Tim said: faced with summer heat and drought we Austin gardeners (myself included) responded by planting zone-pushing heat- and drought-tolerant plants. And then two walloping winters come along...
Planting is always a crap shoot. Most will survive, and we'll just replant what we lose or try something new.
sorry it's so frustrating. how do farmers do it? feel free to swear some more...
It takes exceptionally tough plants to hang on between our brutal summers and these deep and/or sustained freezes from the last two years. I've had potted plants covered since Sunday night.--I can only hope. The beautiful in-the-ground shrimp plant is probably toast. Not sure about the thyrallis (sp?). There are many others. I lost a newbie persimmon last year and just planted another one on Saturday...Did I waste my money a second time? Laura Munoz
Exactly!
HATE it too. ugh.
i'm looking forward to digging up the mushy aloe plants. can't wait!
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