Weather Report

Finally the ice is melting.  Our cat, Mystery, sinks the ice in the pond:

Need to go on a diet, Mystery?

We had over 100 hours (4 days) of consecutive freezing temperatures.  Not usually something in which we have to contend.  The high of 20 F for Feb. 2 was a record in Dallas.  The cold front affected most of the U.S., but the weather here has been national news because of the Super Bowl being held in Dallas this year.  And the reports are right - we are hopelessly ill-prepared for this type of weather.

The good part?  It's over.  For now.  Hopefully the next cold front won't be as cold.  The insulating snow, I believe, helped my plants weather through this one.  I was mostly concerned about the China rose 'Mutabilis', but she looks fine.  Here is 'Mutabilis' from last year:

The only plant that really looks dead from the cold is an oleander (except the expected tropicals, of course).  Supposedly oleanders are really tough and will come back from the roots.

In fact, the only damage I can attribute to the big snow storm that came through is to the dog house.  The winds blew the dog house completely over, shattering a portion of the side.  Don't worry - the dog was residing comfortably in the garage.

February is a strange weather month for us Texans.  Some days are hot, some days are freezing.  I'm ready for some good old 'work out in the garden' weather.

The Sign of Spring

There are certain signs of spring in the garden.  For most, it is the crocus.  That's not it for my garden.  I planted crocus bulbs for the first time in my garden this past fall.

For others, the tulip blooms are the first start of spring.  No tulip bulbs in my garden.  They don't get the cold they need, and I am too lazy to dig them up every year just to put them in the refrigerator and replant them again.

So, what plant tells me spring is here?  What plant do I stare at for a sign of spring approaching?

The humble crossvine:

Crossvine - Bignonia capreolata

The crossvine is the first to bloom in my garden.  The story goes that the crossvine blooms so early in order to feed migrating hummingbirds on their way back north.  Isn't that a comforting thought?  It's true that when the crossvine blooms I start to see hummingbirds.  The blooms are my cue to begin putting out hummingbird feeders.  What a welcoming sight those blooms must be for the hungry hummingbirds.

If you want to grow crossvine, here are some things you might want to know:

1)  The crossvine won't bloom until it reaches the top of what it's growing upon.  Honestly, I don't know if this myth is true, but it was for me.  I have mine growing up the garage, and it took almost 3 years to finally bloom!  I'm not generally patient, and I almost pulled it up.  I'm glad I didn't.  It was worth the wait.

Don't know where you'd put a crossvine?  I've seen pictures of crossvines growing up trees, and I am seriously thinking of planting some this way.  Can you imagine an entire tree bejeweled in orange?  And hummingbirds?  :)

2)  A native to southern U.S., crossvine can grow in a number of soil, moisture, and temperature conditions. I don't coddle mine at all.  They are not easily found at gardening centers, so if you see one and you want it, grab it!  Or you may have to order it by mail.  Grows in zones 6 to 9.

3)  A woody stemmed vine, I think this is the perfect substitute for wisteria.  I seriously covet the beautiful sight of wisteria, but I've seen it taking over entire forests and refuse to grow it here.  Yes, I know there's different types.  Still, I'll stick with crossvine.

February is usually the time I begin to stare at the crossvine.  When I see the first blooms, that for me is the start of spring.  I'll let you know when that happens!

What plant's bloom says "Spring is Here" in your garden?

Pushing the Zone

If you're a gardener, you already know what zone pushing means.  If not, well, let me explain.  We all have our own garden zones, depending on where you live.  I am in zone 8.  If I buy a plant that is cold hardy only to zone 9 (about 10 degrees hotter), that is a gamble known as pushing the zone.

It seemed like a safe bet.  With all the hot weather and mild winters we were having, and all the talk about global warming, my gamble paid off.  Until last year:

Last year we got snow.  And lots of it.  So long, tropical beauties.

And so, I decided that I would not push the zone any more.  And I (almost) stuck to that plan.  Except I bought the most amazing firecracker grass plants, and an Allamanda vine. Both zone 9 plants.

They just weren't labeled, and so I didn't know!  That's my excuse.  Really, I should have researched them before purchasing.  But that's just not as much fun.  Probably more fun than having dead plants, though, because this is what happened this year:

More snow.  See how Mr. Froggy's frowning?

And now the weather forecasters are predicting cold and snowy winters for the next 30 years.  Which I'll take with a grain of salt.  They can't get next week's forecast right.  I'm certainly not going to believe they know the forecast for the next 30 years!

But, no more zone pushing for me!  I'm a zone 8.  I'm a zone 8.  I'm a zone 8.  I must remember that when I see some amazing plant offered that's really for zone 9.

You can click here to find your USA hardiness zone if you don't already know it.  (Or if you want a reminder, if you too have been Pushing the Zone.)

Look-y! Look-y!

Thrill upon thrill - the seeds are sprouting!

Doesn't that just make your skin goose-bumpy?

Mr. Holleygarden wanted you to know that those are *his* cabbage seeds sprouting.  I have cabbage seeds sprouting, too, along with brussels sprouts and broccoli.  No tomatoes - yet.  Just give them a couple of days.

Growing vegetables has been a delight, not just for eating, but also for having something to do in the winter when the roses are sleeping.

If you're considering growing vegetables, you can!  I'm using the little Jiffy pellets that are in all the garden centers.  So easy.  Just add water.  The pellets expand to about three times their original height.  Then you just put the seeds in.  The kit has its own dome to act like a miniature terrarium, then you pop the dome off after the seeds sprout.  If you have never started seeds before, try the Jiffy seed starter kit.  Simple and not at all intimidating.  You can Try This at Home!

Honest! I don't how they got in the cart!

Like most people, we went shopping before the big snow storm hit.  Anytime we go shopping, I consider it not just an opportunity to buy bread and milk.  It's a garden buying opportunity, too!  And anyone that knows me knows I go to the garden center first!

Look at all the goodies I got!!!

Clematis - 'Henryi' (white, early blooming) and 'Warsaw Nike' (red, mid blooming).  I have so many places they could go, but probably they'll be planted on the arbor going into the walking garden.

Asparagus - for the vegetable garden, and eventually eating.  I was very excited to find these!

Siberian Iris - these grow great around here and I needed more!  Probably will just throw them in the walking garden.  The walking garden is where I usually plant things I pick up compulsively.  I'm about to run out of room to squeeze things in there.  I'm planning a new garden area so I'll have a new place to plop things!

Bearded Iris - these don't do so great here, but this blue one was just too enticing, and I was weak.  Probably I'll put these in the main rose garden.  The blue will be beautiful there.

Cinnamon ferns - to fill in where the azaleas were dug up by the armadillos.  Ditto the Mammoth Elephant Ear bulb.  Have you ever seen one of these bulbs?  Quite intriguing.  I've never seen a bulb so large!

Peonies - a 'Sarah Bernhardt' because it is supposedly one of the few peonies that can take our heat, and a 'Festiva Maxima' because it was such a pretty white.  These would never fit in the walking garden, so in the main rose garden they will go.  Wow, I really do need that new garden area - soon!

These also jumped into my cart:

Just to bring a bit of warmth into my home while it's so unbearably cold outside.

All in all, a very successful milk-and-bread run.  Interesting to note:  while there were long lines of people stocking up on groceries, I was the only customer in the garden center.  And I would have bought more, but they had very, very few actual plants.  Don't they know gardeners shop year round?  Even with the approaching threat of a major winter storm?

Anticipation!

Today is the day everyone is in anticipation.  Will the groundhog see his shadow?  Will we have six more weeks of winter?

In the garden, spring is already being anticipated by the early bloomers:

Will either I or my garden be able to wait six weeks?  Famous Phil says spring will come early this year. I hope he is right.

"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides." -  W. E. Johns, The Passing Show

"One Misty Moisty Morning,

When Cloudy was the Weather,"

So starts the Mother Goose nursery rhyme.  I feel like I'm in the nursery rhyme each morning when I open the shade.  And we're supposed to get freezing temperatures for several days in a row!  Just when I thought spring was coming soon!  February is always the cruelest month for us Texas gardeners.

Oh, February, February, please go away.
I want the sun to come out and stay.

Oh, February, February, please go soon.
I have seeds to be sown.

Spring will come when you are gone.
Though the shortest month, you are so long.

Butterflies need to come out and play.
Vines on poles long to sway.

Bees are waiting for you to go.
Roses want to bloom, and so...

Hurry by, cold February haze,
And on to spring and garden days.

:)