Sunday, January 3, 2010

Nineteen...

degrees. The wind is blowing. Today is going to be a cold one. That once in a generation cold snap the National Weather Service was predicting has arrived. The last one occurred in 1977 and lasted nearly two weeks. Over the next 7-14 days, it's possible that the temperature might remain below freezing for extended periods of time. The wood heater will certainly get a workout trying to keep the house moderately warm. Last year, it was 50 degrees by late afternoon on January 3rd. I built an Adirondack chair that night in the basement while recovering from a cold.

Outside, it's 28 degrees in the hoophouse. The other half of my wireless thermometer is sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by all those containers I sowed yesterday. The sun is just starting to top the trees out back. I'm expecting about 60 degrees for the high in there today. Our high will be in the low 30s.



In the basement, three brugmansia seeds have germinated. Originally, I had placed one per 4" pot using Christmas lights for bottom heat. Four of the seeds rotted. Six others survived, so I wrapped them in a damp coffee filter and put them in a plastic bag. They're laying directly over the ballast of one of the lights. I've already transplanted the three sprouting seeds into a single container filled with sterilized soil.



Yesterday, when I came home for lunch, there was a box on the front porch. Someone baked me brownies. She was so happy with the seeds she received in the swap, that she wanted to thank me. They were delicious. Were. Thanks Carol!

Not much planned for today. I'm doing laundry, need to sort a few seeds for someone in Colorado, and will head to work again at 11am. I'm hoping today doesn't last as long as yesterday. It was freezing cold out there when the sun went down.

10:31am - It's 27 degrees and partly sunny. The hoophouse is at 41 degrees. I spent some time this morning potting a few rooted cuttings from the cloner. I potted three Miss Huff lantana, two cotoneaster, a Mystic Spires salvia, and one of the rose knockout cuttings. I still don't know what I intend to do with that thing. I can't sell it. I don't want more of them. It's really just a test to see how to root roses.

I also took cuttings from Miss Sarah's brugmansias. These were bare cuttings she brought to me at the store this fall. She says they are yellow and pink. I have no idea which is which, so I'll just call them Miss Sarah's Brugs. They're in the cloner now.

Heading to work. Still not above freezing. The water hose is in the basement thawing. The water barrel is empty after the marathon sowing session this weekend.

4 comments:

D said...

I stopped by to say Happy New Year Tom! May 2010 be a great one for you.

Darla said...

Dang Tom, why don't you find something to do!! It's cold here in North Florida too. Low's 20's highs 40's for the entire week ahead...BRRRRRR

LeSan said...

As usual. There is nothing going on around your place. Sheesh. snicker..
I hope the seedlings do well. The Hoop house sounds like it's working out very well and this week will certainly give it a test. We had our freeze a couple of weeks ago. Very similar to what you get. Thankfully it doesn't last all that long but then I guess if it did, that would just mean we were in a different zone.
Say, do the different colored brugs smell differently?

JWLW said...

HI Tom: LIZA AND JOHN’S GARDEN enjoyed our visit to your blog today.
It's always a pleasure to meet another Gardener.
Have a Great Day,
John