Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[Mike CHS]

We found another casualty from that straight line winds last week. Our broadfork was in the ground in a garden bed when the dog kennel hit it and knocked it out of the bed. I went to use it to break up one of the beds today and both handles were broken.

 

[farmerjan]

@Senile_Texas_Aggie yes there are places, mostly citrus fruits that do and have employed smudge pots and heaters to just keep the temps high enough to help prevent so much damage. Also some use "wind" like strong breezes to keep the frost from settling on the plants/trees. But it just isn't practical in most small home settings. And like @Mike CHS said, the more practical route is to go to a "later" variety so it blooms later, normal frosts don't hit it. Since my trees are "volunteers" , I was hoping that they would be more "climatized". But you can't expect miracles with the weather so crazy warm this past April.... With things like the strawberries, you can actually spray water on them so the water actually makes an "ice shield" on them which is supposed to help by thawing the ice and the underlying berries/blossoms fruit will not freeze and the cell walls burst..... been done for some different crops with varying degrees of success.
You just can as much as you can during a good year.... make jams and butters and can slices and halves and whatever you can against a year like this.

 

[Bruce]

The seasons have been changing and the last frost is a few days later every year that we have been here.

Curious, it seems to be the opposite here.

 

[Mike CHS]

Curious, it seems to be the opposite here.

We have friends who have lived here their whole life that usually started their gardens mid April with never a problem. They have all lost their first planting for three years now. I don't even think about warm weather plants till May 1st up till this year but I saw the weather out west a couple of weeks ago and thought that now changes to May 15th.

 

[CntryBoy777]

The changes in the jet streams from Texas to Georgia can change the routes those storms take....we always planted in 2-3 waves so if the "exception" comes thru, there are others to replace with and starting replacements at that time assures late season production if needed or wanted.... ....the elberta was mom's favorite....sure have worked up and ate many of tons....

 

[Baymule]

I was late setting out the tomatoes, and we got a late frost. Sure was glad that I was procrastinating!

 

[Mike CHS]

I gave some friends a bunch of tomato and pepper starts the middle of April and told them I wasn't planting until early May but they immediately planted. They have none left.

 

[Bruce]

We don't even think about putting peppers and tomatoes out before the end of May.

 

[CntryBoy777]

How are things going with Maxwell?....with ya retaining 10 ewes he must be adding some to what ya was looking for....

 

[Mike CHS]

Max has been doing well and is chomping at the bit to get back with the girls. They are in good condition and we will let him back in with them in a couple of weeks. Four of the adults are sold but they will be exposed before they leave here.