Good morning bloggers,
One last band of snow showers is moving down the state line this morning. They aren't as heavy as yesterdays snow/graupel/rain showers. This will likely be our last snowflakes of the season, and then our last freeze is also likely tonight and early Monday. A high pressure area is building southward, and by morning the winds will become light and with the sky clearing we will have ideal radiational cooling. This will maximize the temperature drop into the 20s. But, have you noticed, there are very few plants that have budded out to the point of possible damage. This is weeks behind last year. The single digit temperatures during the second week of March had of of helped a lot.
Jeff Hammons, our landscaping expert, commented yesterday and I am posting it below:
Tulips/Daffodils/Hyacinths won't be hurt by the frost/freeze at all. If they are in full bloom (most aren't) then there bloom life may be shortened. However, if it is just a bud everything will be just fine.
As far as the roses -- One key is to protect them during the winter and not to uncover them until after any chance of freeze --- I usually use 4/15 a s a general rule unless Gary or Jeremy gives a hint otherwise.
When winter arrives --wait for a few hard freezes and then cover the entire plant with a mound of 6 - 12" of soil or mulch. I cut the bottoms off of 5 gallon nursery pots -- put over the plant -- and fill with mulch. Then the key is to not take this mulch off until at least 4/15. In the winter it protects the plant from the extreme cold and in the spring it moderates the temperature swings the bush goes through in our up and down springs. This will dramatically help your rose survival rates.
Those that might be worried about the upcoming freeze -- I recently posted a blog entry that will help you protect your plants as needed.
http://www.hamonslandscaping.com/wordpress/
Jeff Penner is on this morning and at 5 PM. I will be filling in for Jeremy tonight at 10 PM. Have a great day! A warming trend begins after the freeze early Monday.
Gary