Geez Louise, what a ride concerning the weather! I don’t know how you feel but last weekend I had thoughts of disbelief, betrayal, disgust, and fear for my garden. Only in Alabama can you experience a sunny warm day that coaxes plants to emerge and wake up the next day to snow and bitter temperatures. It just ain’t fair or right!
When I was in business and a sudden change in the weather was going to occur, the phone would ring continuously with y’all asking the same question, “What can I do to protect my plants?” And the answer was always “Depends” – on the particular plant(s) in question, the predicted low temperature, how many hours it would stay below freezing, the wind chill factor, etc. Never a simple answer to a simple question.
I would offer assurance that cabbage, kale, onions, chives, radishes, and other veggies planted in the fall would come through with flying colors. Ditto emerging perennials, pansies, violas, snapdragons, foxgloves, poppies, parsley, dill, fennel, cilantro, lettuce. They might suffer light damage but not death. If you had bulbs that had open flowers, I would recommend cutting them and bringing them inside to enjoy but not to worry if the flowers were still in sheath (protected). And of course, pray the forecast would be wrong or at least off by five or so degrees.
I would also explain how very important it is to remove dead or damaged foliage/flowers for cleanliness’ sake and to prevent the spread of fungus. Clipping back burned new growth and buds would also be necessary to immediately trigger growth so all is not lost. And while taking care of the plants, it would be perfectly okay to say words that are Not Nice!!
Spring will arrive, there will be lots of beauty around us, our spirits will be lifted, the nightmare winter a memory.
From my garden,
Libby
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