Re: An okay weekend

Wow.  I've never been there so my knowledge of the West Coast is somewhat
limited!  Thanks for the education, one of the reasons I love this group.  I
learn so much from y'all!

On 4/25/06, Johnson Cyndi D Civ 95 CG/SCSRT <cyndi.johnson@edwards.af.mil>
wrote:
>
> Alas, not all of California is like what you see on television, although I
> suppose compared to many places you would call it balmy (ok, no California
> jokes, I'm serious). I'm in the high desert - zone 8 - winter lows get
> into
> the teens although it seems over the last 10 years or so the really cold
> nights don't come very often. Our average first frost is late October and
> last frost is mid-April. So I was tempting fate by not mulching the
> tomatoes, seemed like an acceptable risk since we hadn't had a freeze for
> some weeks, but I lost. Such is life.
> I know a lot of people who live in the Techachapi mountains, about an hour
> north of where I live - they get snow every winter and their last frost is
> sometime in June. There's some really nice properties up there but no way
> do
> I want to be that cold for that long.
>
> Cyndi
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
> Behalf
> Of Pam Evans
> Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 7:00 PM
> To: gardenchat@hort.net
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] An okay weekend
>
> A freeze??  This late?  That can't be usual is it?   I guess I always
> think
> of CA as fairly balmy.
>
> On 4/24/06, Bonnie & Bill Morgan <wmorgan972@ameritech.net> wrote:
> >
> > Sorry to hear about your freeze, Cyndi.  It does play havoc.  They are
> > predicting a freeze tonight for us and more normal (cooler) temperatures
> > this week.  I'm worried a little about the crop of plums on the plum
> tree.
> > Last year was only its second year to fruit and this year the tree was
> > loaded with blossoms.  I was sure hoping for a bumper crop as I love
> plums
> > and so does wildlife in the area.  Of such is life.
> >
> > Here's hoping the rest of your efforts pay big dividends for you!
> >
> > Blessings,
> > Bonnie (SW OH - zone 5)
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
> > Behalf
> > Of Johnson Cyndi D Civ 95 CG/SCSRT
> > Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 11:59 AM
> > To: 'gardenchat@hort.net'
> > Subject: [CHAT] An okay weekend
> >
> > It was one of those good news/bad news weekends here, but it was all
> minor
> > stuff.
> > It didn't rain, but it was really windy, worse on Sunday. I planted 10
> > tomatoes last weekend; we had a freeze during mid-week (grrrr) and I
> lost
> > 6
> > of them. My own fault; I didn't mulch them at all, because I was in a
> > hurry
> > and figured we were past the last frost. I had some backups although I
> > didn't have a replacement for the "Ugly" variety. I replanted everything
> > and
> > this time piled on the hay mulch. I also had to buy seed and replant
> much
> > of
> > my lettuce - which wasn't a surprise since I used old seed, but I was
> > hoping
> > for better.  I planted soybeans, squash, and a row of green beans.  I
> > haven't yet put in the peppers, too cold still. Still need to plant the
> > herbs - I'll be putting in one row each of cilantro, dill, parsley, and
> > basil. And I think I'll try eggplant and maybe okra this year just for
> > fun.
> > My onions look great and so do the peas, and the lettuce that did
> > germinate
> > is about 2 inches by now.
> > I noticed one of my jujube trees wasn't leafed out. I pulled on the
> trunk
> > a
> > little and it just popped out of the ground, obviously a gopher got to
> the
> > roots. Only a year old so at least I don't have a lot invested. I think
> I
> > will buy another - since they are supposed to pollinate better with two
> -
> > and plant it very close to the first one, then I can buy something else
> > for
> > the vacant space. Maybe a pear, I've never tried one before.
> > Two of the lilacs are spectacular and the others, always much later
> > blooming, are getting leaves. The white lilac is apparently determined
> on
> > world domination, sending out plenty of suckers, but hah hah, it can't
> go
> > much farther from the bubbler.
> > My front garden is green and lush although there's not much blooming
> yet.
> > The daffodils are pretty much gone and the iris have barely started. Big
> > buds on the roses though. Catmint is blooming, a little allium I've
> > forgotten the name of, a few heucheras, and the vinca. The geraniums are
> > HUGE this year but no flowers yet. The Spanish lavender in the dry
> garden
> > is
> > looking very nice as is salvia greggii; but the other salvias and the
> > penstemons only have buds. Lots of California poppies and a few other
> > wildflowers in there, and - sigh - more grass to weed out. Bigger sigh -
> > another gopher got in there too.
> > I'm disappointed in one of the things I got from High Country Gardens.
> The
> > 3
> > penstemon palmeri were really big compared to what they usually send,
> and
> > completely rootbound. They are not looking so hot after transplanting. I
> > guess I will drop them a note - after Kitty's experience I am wondering
> if
> > their operation is starting to go downhill or if it's just coincidence.
> > Theresa, thanks for the thought on the zauschneria. I am convinced my
> > z.californica is dead and I'm pretty sure it didn't like the freeze. I
> put
> > in the z.arizonica and will see how it does. Might be worth planting
> more
> > of
> > the californica and trying mulch around it some other year; I seem to
> > remember that it went through repeated freezes before it was completely
> > gone
> > so perhaps a little protection would do it.
> >
> > Cyndi
> >
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>
>
> --
> Pam Evans
> Kemp TX
> zone 8A
>
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>


--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX
zone 8A

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