Re: [gardeners] Saturday in the garden - maybe
Shirley,George (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 20 Jan 2001 12:04:17 -0600
Oh yeah, just got back from the market, needed a few things. Shouldn't have
taken Miz Anne with me, got all kinds of junk food now. She uses the excuse
"I'll take it in my lunch to work." Yeah, it will all be gone by Monday morning.
Anyway, it's now noon and its still cold enough out that I had to break out my
"real" winter jacket instead of my "mild" winter jacket. Got on a long sleeved
jersey shirt, denim painters overalls I dyed pale blue, heavy orlon/cotton socks
and sneakers. If I owned any longjohns I would be wearing them. It's supposed to
get better about Monday but the sky is clearing, the sun is shining brightly,
and, I'll bet a dollar to a donut that it will freeze again tonight with no
cloud cover to hold the heat in. The grass was actually crunchy this morning at
0930. Please let La Nina come back.
Gotta go, heard the chime on the convection oven sound off, my chicken pot pie
(homemade, nyahh, nyahh) is done. Lunch folks!!
George
Annetta Green wrote:
>
> Wow George,
> It sounds like the cold that is headed this way has already hit where you
> are. Yesterday it hit 86*F here, and was a beautiful day to work outside.
> I helped my FIL clean out some of his walkways, as the freeze had caused a
> lot of fall over to block them. I did not clean up to much as to leave the
> dead leaves to protect the plants from the cold that is supposed to get here
> tonight. Temps in the low 30's are expected. It is 65* right now, and
> supposed to stay about there all day with the cold coming in later this
> evening.
>
> At home I have done less cleaning up. There are a lot of marginal plants
> that may not make it despite being wrapped up each cold night. The blankets
> are ready to go back out this afternoon to try to at least save the roots.
>
> What makes it harder is the severe watering restrictions that have been
> implemented. We are only allowed to water two days a week from 6 to 10 am,
> and asked to only use one of those days. I disconnected and capped any of
> the sprinkler heads that water the lawn and only am getting the flower beds,
> as they need it more. My lawn may be a dust bowl before this is all over.
> I am afraid to plant anything out there as they will not get watered as
> needed, and have already lost some of the biennials that were put out last
> fall. I am not sure the poppies will make it either. They had started to
> germinate and despite the wet today, they may not get enough water to
> survive. The pond out back (natural) is dry as a bone, something I have not
> seen ever before.
>
> Even the animals are feeling it. Bears have begun to wander into our
> neighborhood. One was seen walking out of the garage two doors down
> carrying a big bag of dog food. We found where he spent the night after
> finishing all of it off. Another neighbor has been confronted three
> separate times with bears on the back porch, going after their dog food. He
> now has two holes in the porch screen, one where the bears have come in and
> one where his dog went out. His house backs up to a huge nature area.
> There are at least 3 different animals according to the state animal
> control. The tell us not to confront them, they are looking for easy food
> and water. They are naturally lazy and will not attack healthy animals and
> we should keep the dog food inside to keep them from coming back.
>
> We need rain. I am actually looking forward to hurricane season.
> Anne in FL
> sunset 26, zone 9b
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Shirley,George <gshirley@deltech.net>
> To: Gardeners List <gardeners@globalgarden.com>
> Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2001 8:48 AM
> Subject: [gardeners] Saturday in the garden - maybe
>
> > Got up about 0400 this morning so went out to get the paper while the
> coffee was
> > brewing. There was a heavy frost on the grass and on the roof so went
> around
> > back to check the garden, same thing there. Greenhouse was a cozy 40F but
> the
> > ambient temp was 31F and, by 6:30, was 29F. Boy, do I wish La Nina would
> come
> > back. I can stand the drought better than I can the cold. I was so cold
> this
> > morning I was whistling up stray dogs and offering them a place in the bed
> with
> > us. That blasted Sleepy Dawg had the best place, sleeping in between Miz
> Anne
> > and I. She had the nerve to snore too. She generally gets up when I do but
> this
> > morning she just stuck her head out from under the covers and then ducked
> back.
> >
> > Lots of housework to do today to catch up from the week. Have to get that
> > kitchen cleaned up and wash the clothes again. Already vacuumed yesterday
> and
> > would like to pick up leaves with the mower but it's still to wet out.
> >
> > The broccoli is heading up nicely but still no curds on the cauliflower.
> The
> > cabbage is about gone, these small heads (make a good meal for two) get
> eaten up
> > regularly around here. Reckon if I grow Savoy Express next year I will
> have to
> > plant twice as much. The fennel is bulbing as are the kohlrabit but not at
> the
> > pick 'em and eat 'em stage yet. Carrots are still a wee bit small to start
> > pulling. Got plenty of scallions though. Picked a bunch yesterday. Used
> three or
> > four in a spaghetti sauce I made and chopped the rest. They're residing on
> a
> > cookie sheet in the freezer and will get bagged today. Miz Anne made a
> nice
> > salad to go with the spaghetti using lettuce, scallion, chard, fennel
> leaves,
> > and a small broccoli head from the garden. We all had a nice dinner from
> all of
> > that. The sauce had low-fat smoked sausage in it versus other meats and I
> used
> > the last pint of the spaghetti sauce I made last summer. Better get warm
> soon,
> > we're down to our last pint of green beans. Still got lots of jellies,
> jams, and
> > preserves though, and we never run out of canned carrots.
> >
> > Better go vote and then come back and jump on that housework. Hope all
> have a
> > productive day.
> >
> > George
> >