This is an unusual time for me, because normally by now my potted plant materials are at least packed up, ready for their final covering, if not already covered.
Not this year. It's been so warm, the ground isn't even close to freezing.
So I have had a rare opportunity to enjoy the winter "morphing" of alpines for quite some time. Maybe not so interesting to some of you, but for me it's a treat.
I love the gun metal winter color of Orostachys spinosa
Sedum hispanicum minus
Sempervivum octopodes var. apetalum
This is really only about an inch in diameter.
Delosperma nubigenum
Sedum dasyphyllum in a 2.5 inch pot
Sempervivum calcareum in a 2 inch ppt
Jovibarba allionii
Arenaria tetraquetra, Cerastium alpinum, Anaphalis alpicola
I tried twice growing Allium walichii from seed via winter sowing from two different sources with no luck. So I though I would sow them inside, and hold for 2 weeks or so inside before putting them out. Well, they are up now, and I guess I will have to grow them through the winter inside.
Also some encouraging news about the Deinanthe caerulea seed I harvested. It seems drying for several weeks has not hampered germination at all. I put the seed in a paper towel on 25 Oct, really not expecting anything. Today, I have them poking through the towel. It's a wonder such tiny tiny seedling find the strength! I have at least 80% germination.
Echinocereus coccineus
What a nice surprise to find a Dec Alpines thread! I've been
walking by my gentiana acaulis in bloom and thinking I should
snap a picture. Its been such a warm Nov.
I would have tried to take some pictures of December alpines but we just got a foot of snow.....no more alpines to see until April!
BTW, I've tried A. wallichii as well with no luck...wonder what that is all about?
My wallichii seeds came directly from a trade this time, as opposed to a seed ex. I supposed I'll need to see if they really turn out to be said allium, but I expect so. She is quite a knowledgeable woman. Being an allium, perhaps there is a very short shelf life with this one. Seed ex seeds I never get until at least Jan or Feb.
Rick
P.S. Todd: how many pairs of snowshoes do you own?
None! I hibernate most of the winter when I can!...I've started the 4 month countdown until April. Somewhere under all the snow I still have Crocus speciosus in bloom!...we had a record high of 60 F only 2 days ago!...now one storm (first snow for the season) dumps a foot! No such thing as gradually building up to winter around here! Oh well, with no frost in the ground, the snow will keep the ground unfrozen all winter.
We finally got our first snow here in Somerset, CA (Sierra foothills...) It is supposed to snow down to Sacramento tonight, but that would be highly unusual if it did. We get snow here every winter, and usually it starts in November, but not this year. It has been in the 60's last week as well. Just a light frost at night.
I should be able to have a look in the garden tomorrow so will see what is interesting at the moment. My Christmas holidays start now!
Well, you are smart to think of covering your plants. I wish that I did so for quite a few tenders. I should know better. I am sure that I will lose quite a bit to not the two feet of snow, but the wintry temps of 18 degrees and possibly lower for a couple of days, as the thermometers are on teh porch where it is somewhat protected, but it still got quite chilly. It is warmer now, and most of the snow, and all of the icicles have melted.
I never cover anything, even up here. Of course, that will lead to some limitations in what I can grow... but other than as an exercise for finding out what hardy, I'm not really interested in growing half-hardies anyway...
