Comments on: Baby….it’s cold outside!

By: What NOT to Prune in Winter - Frost-Tender Plants | North Coast Gardening

What NOT to Prune in Winter - Frost-Tender Plants | North Coast Gardening — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:43:44 +0000

[...] Sweet from Gossip in the Garden has a great tutorial on protecting tender plants from the [...]

By: Protecting Tender Plants From Frost | North Coast Gardening

Protecting Tender Plants From Frost | North Coast Gardening — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:12:16 +0000

[...] on gardening in the Pacific Northwest.My friend Rebecca, a Bay Area landscape designer, has written a great article about how to protect some of your tender beauties from this ungracious weather we’ve been [...]

By: Germi

Germi — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:33:37 +0000

ARRRGGHHH!

I can’t STAND it!
I had a terrible freeze about 3 years ago and lost ALL of my darkest Aeonium Zwartkopfs. They have been recovering – but it was hard on me! Just looking at your frozen plants made my heart sink.
I know that gardening is supposed to teach us to be patient and circumspect, and to accept the vagaries of nature – but I’m a big baby and will totally throw a fit, even if it does no good.
I admire your fortitude. You are a gardener with panache!
Happy New Year, Sweet!

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:01:27 +0000

Town Mouse – you’re right about the new LED lights…I like to use the big old fashioned ones…as you say the ‘energy hogs’…

And yes, Susan, you’re in luck – those hens & chicks are pretty tough…though mine have been damaged before. Just leave them if they get all ‘wilty’ and they’ll put out new little ‘chicks’ in the Spring. Sometimes they turn to mush (like lettuce in the freezer!)…just chuck ‘em at that point. Heck, I have so many I’ll just give you more….

Carrie – keep your Aeonium stems – they’ll probably resprout little babies in the Spring!

By: Town Mouse

Town Mouse — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:25:45 +0000

I wasn’t going to cover anything, but then I wimped out and put a sheet over the lemon, the Galvecia speciosa, and the Jade plant, and some cardboard over the pots with seedlings. Everything survived, even the Salvia cacaliifolia, which I kind of hoped would freeze a bit to save me work when pruning.
BTW, the new LED Xmas lights won’t work for protection, so use some old energy hogs for this purpose.

By: susan morrison (garden chick)

susan morrison (garden chick) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:09:20 +0000

My garden’s hanging in – didn’t bother protecting the lemon as it’s about 10 years old and has a southern exposure (plus, it’s only given me ONE measly lemon this year – maybe this’ll scare it into producing).

I have Hens and Chicks that were a gift from Laura S. -are they one of the tough succulents or do I need to build them a burlap palace?

By: Carri

Carri — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:31:23 +0000

Sadly I lost some of my aeoniums My citrus are still okay though. I use the larger Christmas lights as they put off the most heat- the smaller lights don’t really seem to provide much protection. We also covered our citrus and avocado trees with sheets in addition to the christmas lights. I’m pretty picky with the fruit tree’s- they take SO long to start producing, I’d hate to lose an avocado tree after waiting five years to produce!

By: Laura Livengood Schaub (InterLeafer)

Laura Livengood Schaub (InterLeafer) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Yep, it was still 28deg when I went out to photograph my casualties this morning; wish I’d done a little more draping (just covered the lemon tree) cross my fingers that the aeoniums haven’t left the building!

By: Seasonal Wisdom

Seasonal Wisdom — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:19:34 +0000

Whoa, That IS cold for you all. Great tips here, however. Hang in there. That weather won’t last forever.

Best, Teresa