Monday, December 11

Still on plan C ?

I think you could say that we have moved on to the latter part of plan C earlier than expected. I am of course referring to our dilemma over the annual flower seedlings.

I wasn't anticipating the need to move them into the greenhouse just yet but, with stories of expected heavy snowfalls, it seemed a wise precaution. I was more concerned that the snow would flatten the poor things rather than the cold cause any problem. They had successfully weathered freezing temperatures earlier in the week.
So far neither had they suffered from their time constrained in modules.
Larkspur
Nigella
Cornflowers with some poppies behind
I don't think the young plants are growing as strongly as when I sowed them direct last year so it will be interesting to watch how they progress. To be honest though being shrouded in enviromesh I didn't really take much notice of them last December.

Now, all I need to do is to remember to keep an eye on them. Small pots left in the greenhouse tend to be neglected over winter and dry out. Not that there is danger of them needing watering at present.
Also moved into the greenhouse was a tub of parsley. I may cut and freeze some to be on the safe side. Usually it lasts through winter but this tub looks a bit worse for wear.
A few other plants have also been moved in for a bit of shelter.
The osteospernum is refusing to give in to the fact that winter is now upon us
Surprisingly in spite of the nasturtiums on the plot having succumbed to the frosty weather over a week ago, one individual in the garden held on until the -3C (26.2F) of Sunday night/Monday morning.

This is just one example that shows how plants on the plot have a much tougher life than those having more shelter in the garden.
Sunday
On Sunday the leaves were flagging but the flowers were tougher.

On Monday morning the picture looked different.
Monday morning
On Sunday, the heavy snow, forecast at the beginning of the week, turned out to be just a sprinkling. A  small amount settled for a short while on our tubs but that was about it.
Still, should any further snow try to catch us out, we and our plants are now prepared,

Did the snow arrive in your part if the country?

23 comments:

  1. Just a few flakes of snow here in Hampshire, Sue. Mostly wet sleet and rain - horrible!

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    1. Not really wet or sleety here either, Mark

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  2. We had about the same amount of snow as you Sue. Surprisingly my scabious flowers have shrugged off that and the recent frosts. Not sure if they'll cope with tonight's forecast -11 though!

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    1. -11 ? Who was predicting that temperature, Michelle? It wasn’t as cold here last night.

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  3. A sprinkling here as well, although some of the more enterprising children managed to scrape together enough for some really small snowmen. My pelargonium Lord Bute is hanging on close to the south-facing house wall. I really must move him before tonight though, I think it's supposed to be a chilly one.

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    1. It would have been a bug sized snowman around here, CJ

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  4. Surprisingly, no snow yet for us yet although we are expecting a nice storm tonight, which I'm quite looking forward to (together with a cozy fire to warm us up) now that the garden is officially put to bed until spring.

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  5. I have to read garden blogs to see that it is actually winter in the Northern Hemisphere, we've had very unseasonable warm temperatures here. I'm enjoying the warm days but it is worrying because we desperately need some rain.

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    1. I can definitely confirm that we have winter temperatures, Michelle.

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  6. It is amazing how some flowering plants just refuse to give in to the seasons. I had some saponaria that was ready to bloom again before the latest cold snap. No snow here yet, just bitterly cold.

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    1. Your temperatures are lower than ours, Dave. I guess although we don’t have high summer temperatures at least usually our winter’s aren’t too harsh. I say usually as we do get some bad winters.

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  7. Misty murk in the west yesterday, brightly sunny today and not a flake in sight. I think you've done all you can now, so it's up to the plants to do their part.
    I've been shuffling things into my back porch ~ really do need a small green house!

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    1. Bright and sunny here today - Tuesday - too, Deborah

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  8. Funnily enough I was on a train travelling north on Sunday. We went right through the snowy zone to get back to a freezing but "dry" Edinburgh -7C. I think the snow was deepest around Watford!

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  9. No snow in my neck of the woods, but we had our first frost of the season! I was watching Premier League games on Sunday and was surprised by the snow falling. You are getting a nice taste of winter.

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    1. We have just frost and ice, Jenni. The band of snow was more or less confined to the Midlands, It’s definitely winter though.

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  10. Good plan! We had a sprinkling of snow and tons of hail and sleet. It's been freezing here, endless rain and now fog....sighs....xxx

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    1. No hail or sleet here, Dina and not much rain but it has been cold.

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  11. We had snow Sue but certainly not the 'snow bomb' that was originally forecast for this part of the world. I imagine that you have the greenhouse doors open this week for your seedlings :)

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    1. It isn't really any warmer in the greenhouse, Anna just drier and protected from the elements.

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