I have tried not to complain. I really have. Well, I've been complaining nonstop on Facebook and Twitter, but I spared y'all because, well I just respect you a little more. However, I have had enough. This winter is killing me. I cannot remember a winter ever that has been as cold as this winter. We have had multiple freezes. The potted plants have been inside more than outside. This makes the Monkeys happy because they do not have to transport plants as often. Tomorrow it is supposed to get down lower than it has been since 1997. Ironically, that is the year I married Manly.
Here are a couple of real problems. The lemon tree is in full bloom, but has no pollinators in my kitchen and I do not know how low the temperatures have to get before broccoli and cabbage die. I've never had to consider these things. The broccoli and cabbage are on their own, but that lemon tree is another issue all together.
I asked twitter last night if I should hand pollinate the lemon or not. The answer was yes. At that point the conversation got kind of dirty. I'll spare you. After I suggested ripping off the stamen to pollinate the blooms. Someone gently suggested I use a paint brush. Well, I couldn't find a paint brush so I used one of my extra special make-up brushes. The lemon tree apparently did not like being molested by a make-up brush as it has dropped a lot of blooms.
We will just have to wait and see if we get anymore lemon babies after all of that.
Stay warm y'all.
Letting the garden grow
12 hours ago
This must be quite a trial for you and all the other Texas roses Debbi!
ReplyDeleteWe've just been told we have the coldest winter since 1981 - I also remember that winter because I'd just bought my first house and it was the devil to keep warm with just a couple of gas fires.
It's snowing here at the moment and everyone's being told to stay at home unless their journeys are absolutely necessary.
Stay warm and keep dreaming of spring!
OH Debbie .. I can't stop laughing here about your poor lemon tree being assaulted by your make up brush ! LOL .. I think I will laugh about that all day now.
ReplyDeleteI personally apologise about the arctic blast we sent down there to you poor people .. I'm sorry about that girl. I hope it moves on soon so you and your plant kids (and those monkeys) can get back to a regular routine ! .. but now you have felt a teeny weeny bit like a Canadian EH ?? LOL
Joy : )
First off, thanks for the bag that arrived today! I love it--The subtle gradiations of color and the lovely loose knit! Thank you, thank you, thank you. But now I feel awful because I didn't mean to imply I had an urgency to receive it... I had only been curious about the status... and I feel guilty about you sending it Express Mail!!!
ReplyDeleteYour weather is really crazy! for us in Michigan, eh, it's normal, but as you say, you don't live in TX to have that kind of weather!! Plus, my planties are used to the weather and your poor planties aren't! It's weird because while it's been cold here, we have had way LESS snow than normal and so many other regions are having way MORE snow than usual.
I hope your lemon fertilization works(-:
ReplyDeleteIt is also the coldest its been here since 1990! It was a very cold year then too. My lemon keeps going in and out also. I feel sorry for it. The other things are dead that were left outside. I did manage to get the Christmas cactus in barely. Some do have frost damage so not sure they will make it either)-: Who knew it was going to be like this? Geez so much for Global Warming!
Me, too Debbi, I can't stop mentioning the weather (I even got reprimanded for it, sorta). People just don't realize that this IS drastic for us! This is TEXAS! Holy cow, I'm ready to pack and head south. Due to my beloved being of the Sooner persuasion, he'd only last 24 hours in Austin, so I'm thinking San Antonio! Gotta be careful, if I move too far south, I'll havta change my blog name to Alamo South, hahaha!
ReplyDeleteIf your lemon tree dropped it's blooms like that I would think it has already been pollinated, but that's just a guess since I've never grown a lemon before. (hmm, I wonder why... ;))
ReplyDeleteMy broccoli (I assume cabbage too) were fine for the first few freezes this fall until it stayed in the teens here for a while, but don't quote me on that since I think I had some kind of dumb luck with my garden last year. Update us when the cold snap is over, hopefully things will all work out well.
I sympathize with you Debbi. I am afraid I will lose my bluebonnets. Not a big deal, I know, but I have such great rosettes, and worked so hard to get them...and now they may freeze to death. We are use to extreme heat, but not extreme cold. Hang in there, and think spring. :)
ReplyDeleteMove to CA. The economy sucks here. Homes are still more expensive than TX. But gosh darnnit, we have nice weather! ;-)
ReplyDeleteBrrrrr.....I'm freezing here in Houston (28 degrees now) and I'm not too happy about my yard either. Angels trumps....dead! Schefflera.....dead! Hibiscus...Dead! I'm hoping the root are hanging in there and will sprout again this spring.
ReplyDeleteHang in there....and Happy New Year!
Deb, I know you and I would have so much fun if (when) we got together. I was laughing at your pollination attempts and the molestation of the lemon tree. I agree with you. This winter sucks. It just does. I'm ready for spring.~~Dee
ReplyDeleteDropped blooms - are the bases of those areas swelling? Or does the bloom stay when the ovary is pollinated? I'm wondering if the drop actually indicates successful pollination!
ReplyDeleteThat poor defensless Lemon Tree, shame on you! Just kidding, hope it works.
ReplyDelete