Weather Warning - Middle South

Hello all my fellow Middle Southerners.  Weather in mid to low teens on Wednesday.  Bundle up yourselves and your plants.  

Yea, I took off work a couple hours early today to start covering up my plants. 

I am really worried about the garlic and shallots.  The garlic is about 12 inches tall with average of three leaves per plant.  I covered them up with large amounts of wheat straw, then a layer of agribon 19, then 4 mil plastic.  I have heard that the tops can die off once or twice a winter, but I have no idea what the rest of the winter will be like.  Will the tops die off at 15 degrees, or does it have to get colder than that to have a negative effect on the garlic and shallots.

I covered the 9 leek plants, 7  broccoli plants, 4 brussel sprout plants, and 6 kale plants with two layers of agribon 19.

I ran out of daylight and will have to cover the rest of the broccoli tomorrow.

It is supposed to get down to 15 degrees here Wed night.  Below freezing for 4 or 5 nights in a row.  That is unusual for this area but I bet the northerners (polite for Yankees) are laughing their heads off about us worrying about a little cold snap.

yolos wrote:Yea, I took off work a couple hours early today to start covering up my plants. 

I am really worried about the garlic and shallots.  The garlic is about 12 inches tall with average of three leaves per plant.  I covered them up with large amounts of wheat straw, then a layer of agribon 19, then 4 mil plastic.  I have heard that the tops can die off once or twice a winter, but I have no idea what the rest of the winter will be like.  Will the tops die off at 15 degrees, or does it have to get colder than that to have a negative effect on the garlic and shallots.

I covered the 9 leek plants, 7  broccoli plants, 4 brussel sprout plants, and 6 kale plants with two layers of agribon 19.

I ran out of daylight and will have to cover the rest of the broccoli tomorrow.

It is supposed to get down to 15 degrees here Wed night.  Below freezing for 4 or 5 nights in a row.  That is unusual for this area but I bet the northerners (polite for Yankees) are laughing their heads off about us worrying about a little cold snap.

Well, I'll tell you my recent experiences:  When we had that first cold weather (I remember you had just covered your garlic and I took your lead and did the same)... nothing happened to my garlic.  I covered it with the wheat straw, probably minutes after you made your post.  I did not cover my shallots.

I am not going to put on tarps tonight (however, they are at the ready next to each box... like a line of blue colored soldiers).  Come tomorrow, I will be covering everything.  I think I've been able to get away with not covering in near freezing/high 20's weather because most of my beds are sheltered by the south facing wall of our house.  From you photos, I've seen that your beds are in the open.

Oh... and one thing... I absolutely make sure I've watered well every day that it's going to freeze.  I figure if it's good enough for Florida orange grove owners, it's good enough for me.  From my experience, this has worked too.  If I happen to forget, I awaken next morning to yellow edged leaves in my garden.

Windmere - I covered two of my three beds this evening so they can build up heat tomorrow and maybe make it thru the 15 degree night on Wed.  Hope they do not get too hot tomorrow.

I hope your gardens with its glorious broccoli heads started come through with no damage.

yolos wrote:Windmere - I covered two of my three beds this evening so they can build up heat tomorrow and maybe make it thru the 15 degree night on Wed.  Hope they do not get too hot tomorrow.

Well, you certainly had nothing to worry about with regard to your beds getting too hot.  It was bitter cold all day here in Fayetteville.

I covered everything at about 12:30 today.  I was one tarp short (for the more mature batch of garlic I have).  As soon as my wife found out later today, she immediately dug up a forgotten Harbor Freight free tarp coupon and a 20% off coupon (she remembers how good the garlic was last year).   I bought a pair of scissors.... and ended up paying 84 cents for all of it.  (One of these days they're gonna get wise to people like me.)

Anyway... I think I'm set.  I hope all goes well with your plants.  You've got some beautiful photos of them.

I just got back inside from covering my bed that I did not get to last night.  I threw everything on those beds I could find.  I probably should have harvested the small broccoli heads tonight, but I did not want to open the bed up to the cold so I just left them as a test.

I didn't even think about the broccoli & cabbage still out there...  And it's already around 20...  Oh, well. 

Stay warm, everyone!

We have a heat wave for two days.  High today will be 61*F and tomorrow 63*F.  I was just out in the garden and had to sit down and enjoy the warm weather.  Wish it would stay this warm.    It is supposed to get cold again later in the week.

Yolos, I am wearing short sleeves, shorts and sandals.  Feels a bit like home.  I wish it would last too, but at least I can put out our house plants for a while... to get some air and sun.

Today I got the last of the tomato seeds I was waiting for.  They came from Fedco Co-op:

Honey Bunch
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search.php?item=4266&search=honey%20bunch

Honeydrop
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search.php?search=honey+drop+cherry&item=4106&index=0

I was fortunate to get the Honeydrop since they sold out already.  This order was in response to my wife's request for lots of grape tomatoes this season.  And try to get them as sweet as Sungolds she said....  your wish if my command my dear. 


Days like this inspire me to get my seeds started.  I think I might even be a bit late (always the case with me).  Hopefully this weekend I will get my starters going.

"Harbor Freight free tarp coupon and a 20% off coupon (she remembers how good the garlic was last year). I bought a pair of scissors.... and ended up paying 84 cents for all of it. (One of these days they're gonna get wise to people like me.)"

Until then . . .

Sanderson, you gave me a good chuckle!!!

Sigh...  here we go again with sub-freezing temps.  Tonight it's predicted to get down to 28 degrees.  Keep warm my friends and think about protecting your young plants.

Perhaps this is that last cold spell we knew was coming?

sanderson wrote:"Harbor Freight free tarp coupon and a 20% off coupon (she remembers how good the garlic was last year).   I bought a pair of scissors.... and ended up paying 84 cents for all of it.  (One of these days they're gonna get wise to people like me.)"

Until then . . .

Bravo, fellow "MND" lover. (the book, remember?) They will NEVER get wise because there are so many sheep.
CC

Windmere wrote:Sigh...  here we go again with sub-freezing temps.  Tonight it's predicted to get down to 28 degrees.  Keep warm my friends and think about protecting your young plants.

Perhaps this is that last cold spell we knew was coming?

Yea, Yea, Yea.  I gotta cover the potato sprouts and lettuce.  Potatoes may do okay but I do have extra Agribon 19 I can just throw over them.  The lettuce you gave me should survive this cold snap but I fear the spring lettuce I planted may take a hit if I do not cover.  Forget the kale and brussel sprouts cause they are both bolting.  Carrots, leeks, onions and peas should be okay.

yolos wrote:

Windmere wrote:Sigh...  here we go again with sub-freezing temps.  Tonight it's predicted to get down to 28 degrees.  Keep warm my friends and think about protecting your young plants.

Perhaps this is that last cold spell we knew was coming?

Yea, Yea, Yea.  I gotta cover the potato sprouts and lettuce.  Potatoes may do okay but I do have extra Agribon 19 I can just throw over them.  The lettuce you gave me should survive this cold snap but I fear the spring lettuce I planted may take a hit if I do not cover.  Forget the kale and brussel sprouts cause they are both bolting.  Carrots, leeks, onions and peas should be okay.

Your spring lettuce may surprise you.  My Yugoslavian is older than yours... all of it has bolted and tastes as bitter as golden seal tea.  And the Simpson is vile.  My Farmers Market blend, though, tastes wonderful.

I have some seedling lettuce coming up (indoors).  I discovered some varieties that are supposed to be able to stand up to our southern heat better than most.  Plato II (from Fedco) and Summer Bib (yes that's how it's spelled) from Gardens Alive.  I'm also gonna try some Jericho.  Ok, ok, Imelda Marcos had shoes and I have seeds.  So what? 

Sounds like me, Windmere!


The good news is that last night should be the last of the freezes for us.

yolos wrote:The temperature is predicted to get down to 34 degrees F on Tuesday night (April 2015) so keep an eye on the forecast.  A couple of days ago, the prediction was for 39*F on Tuesday night but that forecast has now been lowered to 34*F.  No telling what it will really turn out to be but keep an eye on the forecast.  This forecast is for Brooks, Ga. on the southside of Atlanta.  So you Yankees on the north side of Atlanta better keep a close eye on the weather.

The above was a warning for April 2015.

This is a new warning for April 2016.  Here in Brooks, Ga. it is forecast to be 36*F tonight.  Hopefully it will not go any lower than that.  After Sunday, the next 10 days forecast only shows one day below 50*F so I will be starting planting my warm weather crops (at least some of them) on Monday.  Mostly beans and my second set of tomatoes.

Was down to 31 this morning. Glad I didn't put the plants out yet...

18 in my yard this morning, I will be going out to see how plants did...I decided not to cover anything, will start over if needed...Such is life on the farm...

jimmy cee wrote:18 in my yard this morning, I will be going out to see how plants did...I decided not to cover anything, will start over if needed...Such is life on the farm...

How did they do Jimmy?  I think I finally going to get my tomatoes permanently planted.  Before coming here, I never lived anywhere where the weather is so bipolar.

Windmere wrote:

jimmy cee wrote:18 in my yard this morning, I will be going out to see how plants did...I decided not to cover anything, will start over if needed...Such is life on the farm...

How did they do Jimmy?  I think I finally going to get my tomatoes permanently planted.  Before coming here, I never lived anywhere where the weather is so bipolar.

Every thing in my cold frame was ok, it had a glass cover on.  My enclosed netted bed looks fine also.  The bed I had full of the huge kohlrabis took a hot, some outer leaves appeared burned so I snipped them all off..All internal parts of the plant look ok..With temps getting up near 70s this week, we shall see how they do..My time recently has been sort of off track as wife is needing treatments and can take days off my schedule...however I predict winter's now over...we are entering Sprinter.

Jimmy,  Wife?    I hope it's not serious.

sanderson wrote:Jimmy,  Wife?    I hope it's not serious.

Thanks Sanderson
Yes it was / is serious, however, prognosis is good. Ovarian cancer came into her life with a bang. Been watching a spot for about a year, then all of a sudden, after a blood test and ultrasound..7 days later all was removed, home next day. 
Chemo treatments are rough, she's taking it like the trooper she is, Doc said yesterday he is happy how everything is progressing.. Fortunately she is only loosing her hair,  and no energy.. From what I understand that is good for this treatment.  I never realized before how much work is involved in keeping a fairly active home going...Takes 2 to tango and this dance is having an intermission...