Re: [gardeners] sn#w

M T (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 13 Oct 2002 21:34:02 -0700 (PDT) 

Hi George,
 Nope, Global Warming is a good thing! (at least if it doesn't
perpetuate the drought, and the sea level doesn't rise above our 9 foot
elevation....)
 A White Christmas is a perennial disapointment. It's our weatherman's
favorite topic the entire week before. I think they said we get one
about once every 20 years.

 Last real winter was in 97 or 98 in late February/early March. Several
days with highs below freezing. Unheard of for our area except every 15
years or so.
 We usually have 3-6 broken up weeks of lows below freezing, sometimes
in the high teens, but that's all.
 We had 9 inches of snow in one day last January. Then it melted
completely in a week, except for the piles left over from snow removal.

 Most of the USDA zone 8 plants we use are fine to marginal. The
elephant ears, hardy gingers, amarillis, crinums and other bulbs do ok,
but the evergreen broad leaf shrubs and palms are always chancy. The
palms except the windmills and sable minors need to be booted (wrapped)
after Thanksgiving (American Thanksgiving, in late November <BG>)
Coconut palms are not an option!

 In the bad winter of 97 (or 98) all the gardenias froze back to the
ground, most came back and eventually looked great. The fatsias and
acubas looked pretty bad but recovered. The camillias were pretty
burned but eventually ok. Most of the oleanders died completely.
 I wouldn't rely on any of them for a privacy hedge, but we have them
as specimen plants all over the yard.

Stay warm,

Matt in Norfolk, Va. USDA zone 8

> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2002 18:47:26 -0500
> From: George Shirley <gshirl@bellsouth.net>
> Subject: Re: [gardeners] sn#w
> 
> I was in Norfolk nearly fifty years ago as a young sailor. I
> distinctly
> remember snow on the ground at Christmas and a bitterly cold winter.
> I
> hope you're not still having those winters.
> 
> George
> 
> M T wrote:
> > 
> > George,
> >  It's only October! Lets wait a few months before discussing the
> 's'
> > word!
> >  Still with lows in the mid 50's and low 60's here. It won't last
> > longer than another few weeks.
> >  Just starting to bring the tropicals inside for the "non summer"
> > season.
> > 
> > Have a good one,
> > 
> > Matt in Norfolk, Va. USDA zone 8
> > 

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