vfem
Garden Addicted
How I adore our over 206 frost free days on average here... and yet... I consider moving further south now and then after a winter like we just had. :coolsun
Forlorn Robin denied Spring Sunshine
- Thread starter digitS'
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journey11
Garden Master
After this past week, California is sounding really good to me right now! I've been comparing notes with my own little almanac from last year and many things are off kilter for this time of year.
April 3rd last year, my peach tree was in bloom, but right now it's buds are holding tight. This is the Bumblebee Moon this month...last year I was swatting carpenter bees with a tennis racket on beautiful, sunny days (they look to bore homes into the eaves of my garage.) No bumblebees or wasps yet (except the drowsy wasps waking up in my house.)
On April 6th last year, my apple trees bloomed and the dogwoods also. Not so much as a bud to be found today.
We've had very bad winds and storms though, in between the rounds of icy cold weather and light snow. Today has been particularly nasty. I woke up this morning to the sound of my 80-year-old neighbor climbing on my roof. He was up there with his drill, putting extra screws in a corner of the sheet metal that had pulled loose and was flapping from the heavy wind gusts. Now THAT'S a good neighbor, bless his heart! I do believe that deserves a pie.
April 3rd last year, my peach tree was in bloom, but right now it's buds are holding tight. This is the Bumblebee Moon this month...last year I was swatting carpenter bees with a tennis racket on beautiful, sunny days (they look to bore homes into the eaves of my garage.) No bumblebees or wasps yet (except the drowsy wasps waking up in my house.)
On April 6th last year, my apple trees bloomed and the dogwoods also. Not so much as a bud to be found today.
We've had very bad winds and storms though, in between the rounds of icy cold weather and light snow. Today has been particularly nasty. I woke up this morning to the sound of my 80-year-old neighbor climbing on my roof. He was up there with his drill, putting extra screws in a corner of the sheet metal that had pulled loose and was flapping from the heavy wind gusts. Now THAT'S a good neighbor, bless his heart! I do believe that deserves a pie.
- Thread starter
- #13
digitS'
Garden Master
You won't find neighbors like that just anywhere, Journey.
s'
s'
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- #14
digitS'
Garden Master
This is Really, Off-Topic:
(what was the topic anyhow?)
Unfortunately, most of the heirloom tomato varieties are beyond possibilities in this climate. Uh, yeah . . .
There used to a tomato gardener who moved in several miles north of me, in Canada. He claimed he could grow any tomato variety and, at least, have them ripen indoors. I'm not terribly interested in counter-ripened tomatoes altho' I have plenty of them in October & November. Further, I also noticed that he used a good deal of protective growing out in his spring garden. Finally, I looked at the weather history of his BC valley and realized that it was more humid, a little warmer and lower in elevation than here. Then, I saw that he stopped making claims about the many varieties he grew and finally, fell silent completely after only gardening in that location for about 3 or 4 years.
Maybe, one of these days, I'll get a piece of property with a good southern slope to it - high up in a mountain valley. Then, I'll cover that slope with good, UV-resistant plastic film - high enuf I can move around under it comfortably. Then, I'll grow any old darn thing I want to
.
I mean, it is 70F in my greenhouse right now. There have been several sunbreaks! Of course, it is 43 outdoors, there have been wind gusts above 30mph and the forecast calls for 50-60% chance of precip with the snow level dropping to 2,000 ft. If I dig a hole, I may be able to get below that . . .
Steve
going out to pot up more tomatoes & peppers!
(what was the topic anyhow
?)Unfortunately, most of the heirloom tomato varieties are beyond possibilities in this climate. Uh, yeah . . .
There used to a tomato gardener who moved in several miles north of me, in Canada. He claimed he could grow any tomato variety and, at least, have them ripen indoors. I'm not terribly interested in counter-ripened tomatoes altho' I have plenty of them in October & November. Further, I also noticed that he used a good deal of protective growing out in his spring garden. Finally, I looked at the weather history of his BC valley and realized that it was more humid, a little warmer and lower in elevation than here. Then, I saw that he stopped making claims about the many varieties he grew and finally, fell silent completely after only gardening in that location for about 3 or 4 years.
Maybe, one of these days, I'll get a piece of property with a good southern slope to it - high up in a mountain valley. Then, I'll cover that slope with good, UV-resistant plastic film - high enuf I can move around under it comfortably. Then, I'll grow any old darn thing I want to
.I mean, it is 70F in my greenhouse right now. There have been several sunbreaks! Of course, it is 43 outdoors, there have been wind gusts above 30mph and the forecast calls for 50-60% chance of precip with the snow level dropping to 2,000 ft. If I dig a hole, I may be able to get below that . . .
Steve
going out to pot up more tomatoes & peppers!
thistlebloom
Garden Master
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This is off topic too, but since you mentioned the few sunbreaks
(what is that bright thing in the sky? ), when I got home today and unloaded my truck, I checked the soil temp in one of my beds that gets full sun this time of year and it was 54*, the bed that's mostly shaded until summer was 44*
That sunshine sure makes a difference! :coolsun
(what is that bright thing in the sky? ), when I got home today and unloaded my truck, I checked the soil temp in one of my beds that gets full sun this time of year and it was 54*, the bed that's mostly shaded until summer was 44*
That sunshine sure makes a difference! :coolsun
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- #16
digitS'
Garden Master
Well, since I said on here somewhere that this would really be the 1st working afternoon in the garden despite the overnight snow . . . I gotta say, that didn't happen :/.
By noon, there were huge storm clouds and it began to snow again. I'd had the greenhouse open a little because of the sunny morning - had to close it up again.
I'm a fair weather gardener, what can I say? Maybe tomorrow, forecast is better - the snow melted quickly. It's gonna get cold tonight under a nearly cloudless sky. Weather Service says 28F but it is already 39 and sunset is just right at this moment - officially.
Steve
By noon, there were huge storm clouds and it began to snow again. I'd had the greenhouse open a little because of the sunny morning - had to close it up again.
I'm a fair weather gardener, what can I say? Maybe tomorrow, forecast is better - the snow melted quickly. It's gonna get cold tonight under a nearly cloudless sky
. Weather Service says 28F but it is already 39 and sunset is just right at this moment - officially.Steve
MotherBrugger
Chillin' In The Garden
I miss seeing the robins....since I've lived in Florida, I've only seen them twice. Two years ago, (dead of winter) an entire flock graced our little acre or so for two days. We fed and watered them, then they were gone. This year I saw two. I guess we are just not on their normal path when going south or back up north.
SweetMissDaisy
Garden Addicted
Steve, I have family in Sagle, and they said they got snow today -- how CRAZY this late in the year! Maybe you ought to consider gardening snowmen, instead of tomatoes!
Hope ya'll warm up real soon!!
Hope ya'll warm up real soon!!
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- #19
digitS'
Garden Master
Ah, but you have other birds that I never see, Nichole.
I like Sagle, Daisy. I used to live not far from there, near Bayview. (Bayview . . . Newport . . . people will think we are talking about the coast - instead of a BIG mountain lake and river).
My brother lives north of Sandpoint.
Steve
I like Sagle, Daisy. I used to live not far from there, near Bayview. (Bayview . . . Newport . . . people will think we are talking about the coast - instead of a BIG mountain lake and river
).My brother lives north of Sandpoint.
Steve
- Thread starter
- #20
digitS'
Garden Master
. . . if'n i'd started this bok choy in the house, it would be ready for stir-fry . . .
under the plastic tunnel
s'
~ sigh ~
under the plastic tunnel
s'
~ sigh ~
