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on_greenthumb

Getting Nervous

on_greenthumb
13 years ago

I just need to check my sanity....it's January 3rd right? Just need to check because my garden is starting to open up for the spring and it's WAY too early. I might be excited to see the buds on the lilacs and leaves on my roses in March or April, but not so much in January. It hasn't been a particularly cold or mild winter here (we're right on average at about 20F/-5C). We had about 4 inches of snow for most of December right up until New Years Day when it went up to 48F/10C and everything thawed. The next two weeks look like they're going to sit at about -3 but without the extra snow cover.....Oh and I have an island bed that my hubby and I put in late in the year so no plants yet, but it's not frozen through yet.....There also isn't a lot of snow in the forecast, maybe an inch over the next 2 weeks.

How much of a problem is this going to be to my 2011 garden?

My Fairy Rose still has on most of its leaves from 2010 (but is really the only plant to have that.

My shrubs and vines all have buds on them (hydrangeas, lilacs, serviceberry, kerria, elder, ninebark, dogwood, virginia creeper, viburnums, weigela)

Some of my perennials are still up and about (leopards bane, heucheras, bellflowers are some of the ones that are not supposed to be evergreen, at least to my knowledge). And some of my annuals are still up and about (alyssum & pinks). Also my caryopteris is putting out leaves already (they are definitely new and were not there a week ago. I haven't cut it back yet, was going to do it in the spring).

This is only my second year in this garden and most of the plants were put in in 2009 or 2010 (I started with a blank canvas)...so I really don't have anything to compare it to. My 2010 garden only started end of March. I remember because I was checking my Redbud obsessively because it was a brand new tree and it had not been looking good the previous fall - it was only showing buds sometime in May (I wasn't home most of May). It's one that hasn't started budding out though....

How much of a problem do I have? Is there anything I can do to combat potential issues?

Comments (7)

  • loisthegardener_nc7b
    13 years ago

    Most of the shrubs and plants you have are pretty tough and should pull through ok.

    The shrub most at risk is probably the hydrangea, depending on what kind it is. If it's the tree (paniculata) type that likes sun, it should be fine. If it's a mophead or lacecap type that likes shade, the worst that can happen would be that flowerbuds develop which get deep-frozen and you don't get flowers next year. Some of the very dedicated hydrangea folks erect little burlap houses around their hydrangeas to protect them from too much frost, but I've never had to do that in my zone. If you haven't already mulched, that's the best thing you can do for most of your plants to protect their roots from the temp extremes.

    Other than that, just wait and see, and try not to worry. (I know, easier said than done!)

    Lois in PA

  • on_greenthumb
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yeah, the hydrangea was the one that surprised me the most. I got it last year as a 4 inch seedling and it didn't flower for me but did get about 2 feet big. I was hoping to have flowers this year, but as long as it survives, I'll be happy.

    We are getting some snow today, but less than an inch. I did mulch in the fall, but not a huge amount.

    As long as they survive...that's my priority. Like I said the caryopteris is beyond budding, it's got new leaves....LOL and my lilacs struggled last year. This is the year I decide what to do with them.

  • ianna
    13 years ago

    I'm from ON greenthumb. I am kindof worried about the effects of our weather on the garden. our plants can die off more because of the freeze and thaw cycles. Each time a plant warms up and then freezes and then warms up again, their cells will burst and die out. This is why it's important to mulch them to at least keep the temps stable.

    However here are some thoughts. No worries about the perennials and for sure the annuals are dead. many plants do remain upright and green even under snow. The trees would have started to bud up last Fall. It's when the buds open that it becomes a problem. Apple orchard owners often spray their buds with water during cold spells so as to encapsulate them in ice and so protect them from the severity of the temperature swing. This is just one other way to protect buds.

    For the perennials that have leafed out already, expect that branch to die out when we get hit with the next blast of cold weather. Unfortunately, if plants really come out of hibernation they would have spent most of their energies leafing. They may suffer as a result and can even die out.

    The woody perennials will probably cruise far better than other forms of perennials. I'm sure for example that your hydrange will be fine. Just don't debud or prune it till spring. I own limelights and I will only remove the old flowers in the spring. This way I avoid accidentally removing branches which will produce young flowerbuds. I leave my anabelles alone until spring too. Anabelles will grow new flowers from new stems which grow from teh base.

    Redbuds are normally zone 6 plants and borderline in zone 5. You are a 4/5. This tree needs to have been mulched well to protect against the freeze and thaw cycles. If you haven't mulched it, you should do it now. Or if there's snow, pile up as much snow as you can on the bottom. Snow acts to insulate plants

    Burlapping does nothing except to protect plants against breakage caused by heavy snow and browning caused by freezing winds. It does nothing to protect the roots and it's the roots that has to be protected.

  • simcan
    13 years ago

    Ianna, I have to disagree on the redbud. It is a qualified disagreement, since there are certainly some kinds that are less hardy than others, but if it is the most likely scenario, this is an Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) and should be well hardy right down to Zone 4.

  • on_greenthumb
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for all the info guys :) Right after I posted this, we got about 4 inches of snow again, so I'm feeling a little more secure about the plants. I also checked with my garden centre (at the same time I posted this) and they got back to me saying that all should be well. I know it got warm, but it's supposed to stay pretty steady for the next little while.

    I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for the caryopteris then, every branch had new leaves on it (about half an inch big, but I'm supposed to cut it back in the spring to 6 inches anyways, so hopefully that will entice it to come back big and beautiful. Most of the others are just buds so we'll have to wait and see.

    Simcan is right, it's an Eastern Redbud and I was warned when I bought it that it would be a bit of a zone pusher, but that as long as it was in a fairly protected spot that it would do fine. This is going to be it's second winter and it was gorgeous last year (no flowers yet, but the leaves were spectacular). I'm in Zone 4/5 but I live right off a lake so our average temperatures are higher than any of the communities within 10miles even so we are a little more like a 5 than not.

    It's snowing again and we're supposedly getting a storm tomorrow so hopefully that will all help protect me until the spring...what a strange winter so far.

  • on_greenthumb
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for all the support on this one....everything looks like it's good. The hydrangea, surprisingly, is growing spectacularly but it has nothing to do with the "buds". They've gone papery and I'm just going to cut them off and worry about the new foliage from the base. The annuals are already flowering?!?! I spoke to the lady I bought them from yesterday and she said "I knew it!! Those were definitely perennials..." but I guess she has to use the right labels for them....LOL I'm going to divide and move them around (they look exactly like my woodland pinks - but they were marked as annual pinks).

  • ianna
    12 years ago

    simcan, I think there are varieties of information out there concerning this plant and so we can both disagree about how hardy this plant can be. But let me tell you my experience with this plant. I had owned a redbud that died on me. Yes it was an eastern redbud. I had done some research before making the purchase and thought I might just try my luck. However I was told at the time by a qualified landscaper who happens also to teach at Humber College that it wouldn't survive our zone. Sure enough it died. However I did note that if the plant was placed in a protected area- it would survive as I've seen in one area in my neighborhood where it was planted by the wall of a brick house. - I am guessing that with climate change, and the warmth coming off the brick wall kept that plant nice and healthy. It was also facing south.

    That said, I would rather err on the side of more caution than not and do much to protect the plant. I am still trying my luck - and purchased an eastern redbud last year. that has survived so far. It's in my south facing area and was well protected with a blanket of snow during winter. I remain keeping my fingers crossed that it will survive next winter.

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