Here comes the hard freeze for 2024

[Carol 83]

We got a lot of rain earlier today but the temps have dropped dramatically and very windy. What was left of the warm milk I put out for the stray cats was frozen solid in the bowl. My husband made sure the vents to the crawlspace and the attic were closed. Probably won't venture out much this weekend....

 

[milehigh_7]

Yup
We always get a harsh freeze like this in the mid to late winter. This is a few weeks early this year.
This year has been the coldest winter in a while, but normally highs in the 60s and 70s isn't unusual. That does mean extreme temperature swings, though. From 70 to 20 and back again or similar isn't weird at all. We really have to watch the southwestern exposure in winter here. That angle of any tree around here is utterly brutalized between the temp swings and a UV index of 10+ many days.

Then I could go on about summers, but I don't think anyone is in the mood for a complete climate description.

Cannon City! I graduated from Florence. My dad lives in Canon for now. I miss home.

 

[ShadyStump]

Cannon City! I graduated from Florence. My dad lives in Canon for now. I miss home.

I remember you said you grew up in Pueblo, but now you're getting a little closer to home.

 

[pandacular]

Almost all my trees are frozen solid. Even the raised pumice are almost a block for the top few inches. The stuff in “dirt” is more of an ice block than the “pebbles.” Tomorrow, I’m going to make an examination of the different containers I have, see what I find comparing substrates, containers, and preparation methods.

 

[Kievnstavick]

My locale reached 11 Degrees F tonight (and will drop a couple degrees as the it approaches the coldest part of the night).

My enclosed grow tent reached a minimum of 55 degrees today and my growing shelf hovered around 45 degrees last I checked.

Here is a bonus Pic of this crazy plant. I lost the tag awhile ago and have forgotten what it is at this point. Just blooming through winter like it doesn't care about the cold. I don't recall it in leaf or bloom last year.

 

[Cajunrider]

Shelter almost done. I think between my outdoor stove and a small space heater, I can keep the temperature above frrezing. I am targeting 35 to 37 deg F.

I now can move the trees in.

 

[namnhi]

Shelter almost done. I think between my outdoor stove and a small space heater, I can keep the temperature above frrezing. I am targeting 35 to 37 deg F.

I now can move the trees in.
View attachment 524282View attachment 524283

Uncle, you are very serious about this. I actually will be a bit more relaxing this time. Will move the ones I want to keep and bundle the ones that I deemed are so so together under the port.

 

[snowman04]

We're catching a bit of that cold, 9 F for a high on Monday.

With a bunch of snow and ice to go with it...

 

[Dav4]

With a bunch of snow and ice to go with it...

And constant sub zero wind chills throughout next week.

 

[namnhi]

I think he hit 70 degree today.

I moved my tender tropical in yesterday (the shed behind the garage). Will have the radiator heat turn on tomorrow night.

A couple outdoor shelters for the hardy (hopeful). We will know in a few weeks.



The staging area for the ones that will go into unheated garage.

 

[Carol 83]

Supposed to be -8 degrees tonight. Have I mentioned I hate winter lately?

 

[BushidoPhoto]

Houston area will see the low in the low 20s on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Time to clean out the garage and make room for the trees. What a joy in growing trees in pots. Funny thing is we will be seeing 70s for the next couple days.

I just brought my bonsai and other potted plants into the garage to protect them for the next couple of days.

 

[jszg]

My locale reached 11 Degrees F tonight (and will drop a couple degrees as the it approaches the coldest part of the night).

My enclosed grow tent reached a minimum of 55 degrees today and my growing shelf hovered around 45 degrees last I checked.

Here is a bonus Pic of this crazy plant. I lost the tag awhile ago and have forgotten what it is at this point. Just blooming through winter like it doesn't care about the cold. I don't recall it in leaf or bloom last year.
View attachment 524259

It's some sort of gesneriad, probably one of the Streptocarpus hybrids. The Gesneriaceae are a big and diverse family, but they all have a sort of "look" to them. And a few are surprisingly winter hardy! I always note them down in the specialist catalogs (far reaches farm, plant delights etc) as something to try this year, but I never bought them.

 

[Paradox]

It's supposed to go down to as low as 17F tonight but the rest of the week will be above 20 at night and in the 30s during the day.

Wonder if I really need to worry about my cold weather crew (mugo, scots and JWP) sitting on my bench. Walter Paul says we baby our trees too much and I tend to agree.

But where is that line? I still struggle with this every year.

I could move them down onto the deck next to the house for the next few days for a little extra protection.

@Dav4
I'd appreciate your opinion since you lived in Massachusetts and now sunny Michigan

 

[Orion_metalhead]

This is the forecast here in NJ. Not too concerned but ill bring in some unheeled trees and maaaaybe put some stuff in the shed out of the wind. I added some additional mulch over the heeled in trees. The big one to move is the trident over junk... i tossed it under the table but I might put it under the basement stairs.

 

[Tieball]

13 degrees Fahrenheit. Lots of natural weather insulation for all my trees….all outdoors. The snow will continue to accumulate.

 

[Paradox]

Yea no snow here yet and not going to get more than about an inch

 

[ShadyStump]

Hovering around 0 so far. High is supposed to be 15.
Slightly colder tomorrow, so they've already cancelled work.

I tried to adult today, but fate had other plans. I mustered up the gumption to do some laundry, but the pipes to the machine are apparently frozen. Oh well. So long as they don't break.

 

[Paradox]

Went out and covered the cold frame and moved the cold weather fan club against the wall of the house to get them out of the wind

 

[Dav4]

It's supposed to go down to as low as 17F tonight but the rest of the week will be above 20 at night and in the 30s during the day.

Wonder if I really need to worry about my cold weather crew (mugo, scots and JWP) sitting on my bench. Walter Paul says we baby our trees too much and I tend to agree.

But where is that line? I still struggle with this every year.

I could move them down onto the deck next to the house for the next few days for a little extra protection.

@Dav4
I'd appreciate your opinion since you lived in Massachusetts and now sunny Michigan

View attachment 524348

Here in MI (and when I lived in MA), ALL my trees overwintered outside were on the ground and mulched by the end of November. In GA, temperatures in the teens would make me want to get even the very cold hardy trees onto the ground. We'd get these temps at least a few times every winter and I'd move the pots off the benches and onto the ground for a few days. Only the very big collected junipers stayed on the bench, and even they'd get moved to the ground if the forecast called for temps in the low teens to single digits and or it was going to stay below freezing for more then a few days, as well. In your case, the deck up against the house makes sense... plus, you'll sleep better, I suspect .