On weekends when the temperatures climb into comfortable levels, I get out and do a little work around the garden.
Spring is just around the corner, so it is time to clean up the front garden. I "mowed" the dead growth on the grasses and perennials with hedge trimmers. I hope some of those tree leaves will blow away now that there are not as places for them to get snagged.
I am getting the urge to move the stock tank again. It was not an easy task when I moved it last year and I swore "never again". I like it where it is, but I think the possumhaw holly next to it may be too close. So "never" may come this spring.
The "bones" of the garden a visible now. Rocks, cactus, yucca, possumhaw, pathways, and a roving stock tank all add structure to the garden.
Scattered clumps of narcissus, one of my few non-natives, add a little sunshine on cloudy days. This photo was taken a few days ago.
Today, the temperature roller coaster came crashing down and the narcissus are bowing closer to the ground.
It is almost as if they are staring in disbelief at the sleet on the ground. It was so warm yesterday.
Frozen broccoli and frozen asparagus are on the menu tonight.
The asparagus started popping up in the last week. There are about six spears that are visible. I snapped off the tall one and another one that was about the same size. Some of the others that are coming up are much thicker.
I did not pick this Romanesco broccoli. I think it will grow more, provided it does not succumb to the freeze. Just yesterday a cabbage white butterfly was laying eggs on the broccoli and today it is frozen solid and covered in ice. I hope the cold kills the eggs. The caterpillars taste bitter.
After tomorrow, the temperatures will begin to climb again. I am sure there will be a few more dips before the steady climb into summer. Maybe this will be the last big dive for the season.
This is getting ridiculous and I'm ready to move on from this winter too. Your nearly 70 degree drop in 48 hours beats ours of about 63 degrees a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a real pain to move the tank again. It looks good where it is but Possumhaw holly rules because it is such a star in the garden.
What would spring be without a new gardening project or redoing an old one? Once I saw how tall the horsetail reed got in the stock tank, I became concerned that the branches of the possumhaw would eventually hang too low over the tank.
DeleteI totally agree! This crazy winter is giving me whiplash. If I'm not pulling the frost covers off the vegetables, I'm putting the frost covers back on. Let's all keep heart. Warmer days are ahead. I can feel it.
ReplyDeleteI stopped covering my vegetables in early January. I decided it was not worth the effort. So far, no real damage. Our average last frost date is around March 15, so it should not last much longer.
DeleteYou must be this tall to ride this ride. Six winters at least over Texas.
ReplyDeleteThis winter was not a kiddie ride. They said on the news that the temperature dipped below freezing 53 times this winter. It was the 6th highest number on record and the most since the winter of 1977-1978.
DeleteI shall throw my hands in the air if we get another freeze this week. In past years I wouldn't have minded but it was all the warm days that brought on all the growth-even in my cold garden. I'm left wondering if the S leucantha will leaf out again. I don't hear you say much about nipped new growth. Maybe you were lucky and plants hadn't yet leafed out.
ReplyDeleteOh, I had several plants leafing out or budding. The freeze got it all. My redbud tree was just about to bloom.The redbud flowers are now black.
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