Will we have an early winter?

Such a strange year weather-wise. Cool Spring. Probably the latest I set my house plants outdoors. I just looked at some long term forecasts for Sep. - Oct. here. Saw some scary night temps early. What is your guess? Gene.

Coming Early , Hoping it is a long cool one , as to compared to freeze into an iceman for months ...

Hmm - this one is a toughie to forecast. So far, I've heard drier than normal and also the eastern 2/3 of the country colder than normal (thought we had that last winter!). I did see where some of the northwest Chicago suburbs will have nighttime temps in the 50's in the next week. The trees here have stayed greener than usual for this time of year so maybe all of the rain we've had will help a bit if we go into a dry winter. I did buy burlap yesterday to wrap a few shrubs this winter after all of the damage last winter. Personally, I wouldn't mind a cool, long fall this year. Did just look at Accuweather, showing nighttime lows in the 40's starting the 12th - colder than average. Might be time to start the houseplant migration next week.

There is a 36 in the forecast for next week, sigh. At this point I hope to ignore it as a freak and have my fingers crossed for a late "real'" frost. Gene

I see a lot of 40s for nighttime lows for the next month. Wondering if I should start transitioning my lemon tree and other tropicals to come indoors. Have several fruits on it and not sure if those cool temps will cause the fruit to drop. No trees (mostly oak and hickory) have changing leaves yet but it's still pretty early. Actually, foliage looks pretty fresh for this time of year. Admittedly, I prefer the cooler temps for outdoor work although the mosquitoes have been horrendous. DH did a mosquito knock-down yesterday with yard spray but I'll still have to suit up to work in certain areas.

While we're already talking about the upcoming winter, I'm still looking at late-bloomers, maybe as a result of last winter (?). My perennial mums took a beating last winter and, whether it's the rain or not, haven't put on the growth they normally do during the summer. Will have few blooms this year. Also noticed that there aren't too many flower buds on Tricyrtis. Maybe they're going to be reduced or late as well? It has been glorious to have a few rain-free, sunny days.

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=2

3 month (Oct Nov Dec) outlook for temp and percp. Gene

Here's our 10-day forecast according to The Weather Channel.

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/60102

We had an overnight low of about 49° last night and tonight we're expecting 39°...Brrrrrr.

38F this morning here. Actually was a beautiful fall day. Started bringing house plants inside. Gene

It will take me AT LEAST 3 days using the Spousal Unit's loader tractor to get everything up to the g'house. *sigh*...............I am SO not ready for this, and this coming week is tied up from Wed. night on.................*double sigh*....................LOL

Brought lemon tree and dwarf banana into warmer garage last night. Now back out in the sun on the driveway. Brought some off DD's cold-intolerant plants back from MI yesterday for their winter vacation in mini GH. She started some Meyer lemon trees from seed for a friend to experiment with grafting. Haven't turned on the heat yet in the GH nor covered up the louvered vent - just threw a towel over that for the night - but was pondering. Did notice some trees just starting to turn up in Holland but most things still green and lush.

It was a gorgeous fall day today...but...it's September.
I would love an early autumn that lasts several months (my favorite season), but is this just a teaser only to have it turn hot again in October? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

If it goes as it usually does, we will have a killing frost (which will necessitate my 3 day plant hauling marathon..........) and after that we will have at least 2 weeks of wonderful, glorious weather, with lows at night in the 50's. Pfffftttt................(that my plants would have LOVED)

Rainy again this morning but that's ok. DH put down grass seed 3 weeks ago and the weather has really helped with that. Using a plant saucer on wheels which make moving the lemon tree in and out much easier. Will have to work on getting the little GH in order if it's going to stay cool. I normally don't have to do that until early Oct. Hoping the last 3 tomatoes will have time to ripen on the vine. Has been a lousy year for me and tomatoes.

Yeah, Mother Nature is awfully temperamental sometimes (actually, most of the time). I've kind of given up worrying about my plants this year, but I don't have any houseplants outside and I never got around to planting any veggies so it's basically laziness on my part.

My neighbor has a huge Hibiscus that she has on wheels. Her husband still has to help her get it up the step into the house, but it has thrived for years and the hummers love it.

Speaking of Hibiscus, I gave up on them as a house plants. Now, instead, I have that one lives outside year round. Yes, hardy here. Big giant pink blooms (14+ inches in dia.) Started with a small plant about 1 foot high with one bloom. Now it is over 5 foot high with more than a dozen blooms//buds. Nice indeed. Don't remember the name of the species but I am sure that Google will find it for you. Gene

Have never done either types of hibiscus other than starting a hardy one from collected seed for a family member. I've been attracted to the hardy 'Bluebird' but don't have the sunny space it needs. Because the lemon tree has about 7 fruits on it with more coming, we thought the wheels would make for safer moving. Poor thing didn't make it outdoors today but then it probably didn't suffer from light deprivation for one day as gloomy as it is here. Will work tomorrow on getting some of the houseplants moved.

Don't forget to spray everything with Azamax before bringing them inside. Gene

Ach! Thanks for the reminder! Have had some Rex begonias under shade cloth in the GH because it seemed like they didn't like being indoors in a/c. Was thinking of bringing them in the house today but a good spray in the driveway before they come in is in order.

Current 10 day forecast has nice weather ahead = yeah. I'm still bringing about 20 plants a day inside. Nice to be able to go slow, check them over, find the tree frogs trying to get inside, repotting if necessary, spraying, and an intelligent guess as to where they will be happy for the inter. Gene

Heard that we may be getting an El Nineo (sp? and if that happens, we could have a warmer winter than they originally predicted - they originally said the posibilities of colder winter this year than last. Cindy, when do you wrap the burlap and when do you take it off? Keep on all winter? I have two tall evergreens that I planted last hear that I may want to do that as they are southeast facing side of the house. Do you wrap the plant or tent it?

Love the idea of a warmer winter (relatively speaking).
Re: burlap - IMHO - I don't think tenting is the way to go as snow could accumulate and weigh down the burlap, possibly altering the shape of the shrub. I'm basically going to put in some tall stakes (maybe something equivalent to a 1" x 1") around the shrubs and attach the burlap to the stakes, creating more of a barrier than a tent. Leaving the top somewhat open for ventilation and any rain we might get on warmer days. I'm thinking of putting up the burlap just before Christmas. We got that heavy snowstorm around 12/29 last year and never saw bare ground after that. If the weather forecast calls for really cold temps before that, I would consider putting up the barrier earlier since it would be difficult to drive wooden stakes/poles into frozen ground. As to when to take off the burlap, I would guess around early March depending on the weather. I'm kind of winging it here. If I remember posted photos of your lot, you are more open to wind than I am. My damaged shrubs were on the southwest corner of the garage and scattered under oaks which didn't offer much protection. The sun can also cause damage on really cold days as well.

A couple of tree species are starting the leaf-color phase. I was wondering what effect this summer's weather will have on leaf color - more rain, less heat, etc.

Yes, I have seen "color" in stressed trees way before Fall. There are indeed so many variables I would not like to predict Fall Color. Used to teach a photo class called Fall Color. Which had to be scheduled a year ahead of time. Never did get it right. Gene

I can't imagine how to schedule a class like that so far ahead of time!
Chilly today so indoor activities. More threatening clouds but no rain this morning. Acorns dropping like mad though with the wind today. One hits the skylight every so often and I cringe. Some years I have to rake acorns before I ever have to rake leaves. Too many for even the squirrels to take care of. Can't rake 'em up yet though because of new grass sprouting.

Low of 37 this morning. Forecast is for 32 tonight. Brought 2/3 of the house plants in yesterday Rest will come in today. Gene

I started my "input' on Thursday; made about 6 trips with the loader tractor. The SU helped me yesterday and we got done. Yay. Well, not yay about the impending cold and winter, but yay that the plants are all inside.

The forecast last night said a low of 35 for our area this morning. Right now it's 37 at almost 8:00 AM.

Last year, in our area, the early trees didn't have as much color so I expected it would be a dud for Fall color. As it turned out, the late trees were gorgeous...better than I'd seen in years, and seemed to last longer, too. They can try to predict all they want, but I don't think anyone really knows.

I just walked in to the kitchen and there's a Hummingbird at the feeder by our kitchen window. I'm amazed they're still here, but they'll be leaving any day now.

Hi Nuts (and all) Maple tree leaves are red , flowers are fading , last blooms in reflecting Sun ,,
Cats and dogs getting the winter fur coats ,(us to from the closets and storage ..
41 this morning , high for today not much more than that , 38 degrees tonight ,
Fall is here ,,

Tahiti syndrome ?

No Tahiti syndrome here...I LOVE AUTUMN!






This message was edited Oct 4, 2014 1:24 PM

Surrounded by native oaks and shagbark hickories here, the only vibrant leaf color comes from homeowner plantings. My one and only maple is about the last tree to turn here and it goes into bright yellow - no red and orange. I always wondered what type it is. My little Japanese maple hasn't gone into full red yet.
Did have to pull out a coat last night to go out. While I'm not ready for cold weather already, I am glad it rained here over the past couple of days. It's drizzling this morning so work in the garage is on the agenda. DH built a new portable tall cold frame for me and I need to put a sealer on it today. It may go into use sooner than I anticipated.

I'm smiling so far. Fall is indeed a great season. For years I did not admit this because I was thinking about what comes next (not a Winter fan.) Given a late frost and plenty of warning helps. I store lots of cactus and succulents in 2 spare "cold" bedrooms (no heat.) Ideal conditions are that once it gets cold enough to put them in there, it stays cold outside so that the rooms stay cold = dormancy and the plants do not try to grow, need no sun and little water. So far, so good. Only real color outside that I have noticed so far is the bright yellow on my Amur Cork trees. And, yes there is some kinda small white stuff falling out of the sky right now, sigh. Gene

Tahiti syndrome here, for sure, but all we do about it is go to Mexico for a week in December. Love to go to Tahiti, but it is a bit beyond our budget. Guess I should start pplaying the lottery.

http://www.intellicast.com/Travel/Weather/Snow/Cover.aspx

I posted on the wrong thread a while ago
gasrocks , I had made a joke about it being Volcanic Ash from Hawaii ,, The S n o w word is not allowed ,, as of yet , anyway ?
I know though , Not allowed ? ha ,, it says , rules are made to be broken ..

Me . I will look at snow all winter ,, nothing to say to that ...

I heard that there were snowflakes in the Chicago area but I didn't see any here (30 miles away) but I wasn't awake early either. The evening sky here is trying to clear up and if it does, I fear it will get colder than 39. Hope not as I haven't had a chance to get coleus cuttings yet (procrastination rears its ugly head again).

The deutzias that I have outside have made it through the last few nights. I have a new one that must be brought into the garage since it won't make it through the winter. I tried leaving a zone 6 one outside last year, and in spit of the heavy snow cover it perished. My tender salvias (viridis, coccinea, are doing really well in low 40's temps. So have my morning glories, which have actually kicked into high gear. I don't get it. I walk out each morning expecting them to be mush and they are not.

The one plant that seems to be really enjoying this are my roses. A rose I was given by mistake, Jude The Obscure by Austin, is putting out its first blooms of the season! Go figure.

Donna - I love Deutzias. Which one is too tender for our winter? I do get one or two late season rose blooms although the rain this year really did a number on the foliage of some. I tend to ignore mine. The naked canes do make a nice support for self-sown MGs. :)

Forgive me - I meant abelias. I lost abelia Pinky Bells, which was fantastic. My deutzia Chardonnay Pearls has made it through half a dozen winters. But I have had two deutzia Codsall Pink that have been in for two years and haven't bloomed. I thought that they were dead last year. Well into April I bought some viburnums from Gary Ladman of Classic Viburnums to replace them. Of course, as soon as they arrived the deutzias got scared and broke dormancy. But they have never bloomed, after two winters, which is disappointing. I moved them both to a bit more sun and I have my fingers crossed.

My roses are going nuts, and my grasses are blooming. And the morning glories I have growing up a rose trellis are insane. I germinated them and put them in pots at the bottom of the trellis, and they have climbed to the top and are blooming in clusters. I just threw in jut about every morning glory seed I had. The one that is really performing is Blue Star.

The one I was given this year is 'Abelops' (what a name), a grandiflora. I just stuck it in the ground but it has turned out to be a quite nice plant. It is blooming now, and has variegated foliage. I think it's worth the trouble of digging up and putting in the garage.

'Chardonnay Pearls' here gets afternoon sun and loves it. 'Magicien' gets same sun exposure but had a tougher time of coming out of dormancy - maybe because it's much taller than 'CP'. When I pruned out what I thought was dead wood, it sent out 4 ft sprouts and now towers about 9 ft. Can't touch it now though to tidy it up. I only got a few blooms on that one this year but 'CP' bloomed like a champ, probably because it was covered by snow.
I haven't done any seed buying in the past year and really need to replenish inventory so MGs will definitely be on the list.
Er, back to topic - I've got to get my blue sky vine and passion flower into the greenhouse this week since I don't trust the weather pattern not to produce cold nights. It is a chore since I have to do major cut back on them first. And dragging out indoor floor lamps for lemon tree and banana.