Temp was 37f this morning with light frost on the roof. I love autumn, but it's too early for frost. The leaves on my 15' tall musa basjoo bananas are already showing signs of cold damage from yesterday morning's nippy temps. Hope the mild nightly temps return soon and linger for at least a few more weeks.
Too cold too soon!
I'm sharing your pain. Temp. difference is but couple degrees here (between yours and ours). Although no frost signs here yet, but my Angel trumpets are the first to show sign of cold-intolerant.
ACK!!!! Frost already! That's just wrong! This premature cold snap is making me think we're going to have another brutal winter.
I sure hope not. I have lots of plants that need to go in the garden before winter and I was praying for a mild winter this year. The bears are already raiding my bird feeders though and in broad daylight. I found mama and two half grown cubs in my garden last week.
I rooted and planted several varieties of angel trumpets last winter, and planted them in April. Although I faithfully watered them throughout the annual mid summer drought/heat wave in my backyard, they never took off. But they are very sensitive to cold temps, and quickly show their discomfort. The musa basjoos still look minimally stressed, but the damage could take a few days to show itself. Same is true for my variegated tapioca, which is also very cold sensitive. Looking forward to new growth emerging with the upcomong mild pattern, and hoping this 30's stuff stays away for another month. My cassia alatas are showing no sign of damage, and I can't imagine how I ever lived w/o them.
Not one of my 5 brugs even bothered to Y this year .. this is the 3rd year the brugs have done nothing.
X, the past 2 years had been pretty adverse for brugs. I had a handful of brugs that bloomed this year, just because I pampered them to the max. You know, large, extra large pot. Daily watering, sometimes twice a day. Fertilizer at least once a month, the whole nine yards.
Donna, the Senna alatas are great! The background plant, is that loquats?
This is the first year I've had problems with brugs not growing, and I have no idea why.
Yes, Lily, the Senna alata is growing next to a loquat. I didn't realize how massive senna's grow, and I'll be planting them in different locations next year.
Thanks Donna for the response. I too noticed brugs. in my neighborhood didn't do too well either this year. They survived, but that's about all. And the Loquat. Wow, I saw one grown in a Northern Alabama botanical garden (Huntsville Botanical Garden), surely if they are cold tolerant there, they'd do well in my garden central Al. Off I go, and look for one.
I woke up this morning, seeing it's foggy outdoor. The area lake is give off steam, meaning the water is getting colder and colder. Yikes!
I have several loquats, and the 2 largest produce fruit. They grow quickly, especially after the the first 2 years in ground, so allow plenty of growing room. They're blooming now, and the fragrance is light and pretty. Around here, I've noticed some businesses and churches severely prune their loquats annually - drives me crazy!
It is so strange, in spite of years of trying, I have NEVER been able to get a brug to bloom until a week or so ago. My first flowers are on Super Spot.
They are beauts when they do bloom and you either love the fragrance or hate it.
Really, a scent???? The flowers on this one were close to the ground, I am too old to bend down that far to sniff. LOL There are more buds forming so maybe they will be reachable. I had read elsewhere on DG about using tomato fertilizer on them and that seemed to do the trick. Generally I do not use chemical ferts but I made the exception for this one and it worked for me.
They have a very strong scent at night .. it's akin to baby powder gone bad to my nose.
LOL
The summer has been a harsh one, I suspected that we may not get a good Fall color this year, with the cold snap that I've had. But look! We've got a bit of color. Yeah!!!
