Re: Deep freeze

I've been reading the "incoming" posts on the "freezing weather" syndrom ...
and while its definitely MUCH colder than last year, there was plenty of 
notice from "the powers that be" that there was going to be exceedingly cold
weather this year.  5 of 6 of my orchids did lose their spikes, which actually
surprised me because they are under *heavy* shade cloth this year for the first
time is about 20 years. In the past winters the plants I've had undxer the 
(oops, UNDER) the shade cloth have done pretty well 'cause the dew doesn't get
to them.). With all of my "delicates", I begin feeding Liquinox Bloom (0-10-10)
in September or October, to accelerates the hardening off process, & leaves
the plants less vulnerable to frost.

For those who didn't "plan ahead", here is what I did last time we had such 
cold weather -- by the way, it dropped to 20 degrees last night (according to 
the mini-max hanging on the front of the greenhouse) here in "old Palo Alto"...
sorry, I don't know my USDA Zone number -- I believe we are in zone 15 on 
Sunset's charts.

I use the small, "cool" yard lights (in the color of your choice) and literally
"decorate" the potentially-freezing plant/bush/tree with these lights. I start
at the base, near the ground, and just wrap the trunk & branches, taking care
not to catch a light directly up against the tree itself -- they should be
pointing away from the plant material. Then I take a [cloth] Crib Sheet -- or
king-size sheet depending on the necessary area.  I have a 4 ft high gardenia
"tree" which required attaching a kindsized sheet to a metal structure I use in
my veggy garden. I then carried the same sheet over the top of the gardenia &
attached it on the other end to a oil lamp stand. I leave the lights on all 
nights ... Its been effective in the past; lets all say a prayer for the future.
I also noticed that the water in my little Japanese-type fountain is quite
frozen... I can see little mosquito larvae encased in ice .... nice technique;
thanks God!!!

Back to work ...

lyn

Have a great Holiday season with you & yours



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
			Life's Lessons Part IV ...

Angels we have heard on High Tell us to go out and Buy.  -- Tom Leher

How does a nice Jewish girl get around on Christmas? ... on Bagels, 
on Blintzes, on Matzoh, on Strudel, on Kasha, on Babka, on Latkes, 
on Kugel!

"The road to Enlightenment is long & hard, bring magazines & a snack."

"The world is coming to an end. Log off & crawl home to your family now."

Be careful of reading "health books," you might die of a misprint.
	-- Mark Twain

Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.
	-- Albert Einstein

Experience is what causes a person to make new mistakes instead of
old ones.

**It's easier to get forgiveness for being wrong than forgiveness for
being right.

People often find it easier to be a result of the past than a cause
of the future.

**"We are here on earth to do good for others. What the others 
are here for, I don't know."   --  W. H. Auden

"GARDENING:  The art of killing weeds and bugs to grow flowers 
and crops for animals and birds to eat."

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
		-- Galileo Galilei

^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+
"We did not weave the web of life.  We |        Lyn Dearborn 
are merely a strand in it.  Whatever   |  Master Gardener/Naturalist
we do to the web, we do to ourselves"  | Native Basketry Instruction
  --"Walk gently on Mother Earth" --   | dearborn@anchor.engr.sgi.com
		   Aaniin Anishinaabeg -- Mikinaak niin nindoodem
^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index