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12/22/2022 definitely no birds only leaves

I put out bird seed since it’s so cold and a flock of a dozen or so juncos visited. They never came when we first moved here- they needed the cover of the wood pile and later the brush pile.
I put the seeds on the stepping stones and by the brush pile especially to make it easier and safer.
Shackleton might have noticed the birds. The birds say any and all movement was leaves! Definitely no birds!! Fortunately for them, this polar explorer is indoors only except on a leash. Much safer for birds and warmer for Shacks.
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12/22/2022 big cold and bigger wind

This screenshot from the Oklahoma Mesonet weather app shows that it is currently 7 degrees F with winds 28 mph from the north sustained, and gusting to 38 mph, though at some point the maximum for Norman was 49 mph. It will stay below freezing until at least Saturday.
Hmm Briar sees a dusting of snow. But she was willing to go out! Snow is ok. It doesn’t get in her ears like big rain.
The herb bed covering held. This is in a sheltered corner that faces east (picture windows) and south (plant window).
The cactus planter covering held. it looks like there are still some leaves with some snow on the native sprouting planters so that should be good.
In the front yard, my last minute sheets and concrete blocks covering of the rosemary held up.
The greens greenhouse did not. It was opened right up on the north edge. We had gusty winds up to 35 mph a week or two ago, but I don’t remember what direction it was. This sustained north wind peeled it right open. The plant leaves are frozen solid.
I put three gallon jugs of hot water in and secured the plastic sheeting in with twice as many or more clothespins. But, even though these greens are cold hardy, this may have been too much and too suddenly. We’ll find out on Sunday when things warm up.
Big wind pushed an empty rain barrel over. All the others were fine though empty (to prevent freezing damage) so this one was at just the right angle.
Snow outlined these frog stepping stones that Judy gave me.
I didn’t cover the strawberries this year. They already had a hard summer with heat and drought, so we’ll see how many make it through to spring.
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Bounce (back)

Brr!
Snowy is fun for fluffy.
The ground is warm so the snow was slushy below, but the air is cold so slush refroze on Briar’s long hairs.
She didn’t mind a bit. Her thick undercoat keeps her warm and dry by her skin. We wiped all the ice off for human preference though haha. It melts!!
Would rather frolic.
Buds. We’ll presumably see some plant buds when it turns warm again tomorrow.
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Indoor repotting

We got almost an inch of sleet today.
Briar’s toes provide excellent grip.
Squirrel tree in our neighborhood.
This evening we repotted baby tomatoes and peppers. Mid last week I forgot some other repotted tomatoes outside and they froze. So those three varieties are being germinated again. But meanwhile these babies needed new pots.
One dwarf tomato is thriving and fruiting; the other is drying up and has spider mites. Paula bought a basil and is keeping it alive. The indoor peppers have a good head start for spring but I doubt will fully fruit by then.
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Finally some rain (plus snow)

Snowed Saturday overnight, so this is Sunday morning.
Heated bird bath, much luxury.
Hopefully the bit of snow kept baby cacti and succulents and Hedeoma safe with a low of 12°F overnight.
Leaves and wire mesh stayed put.
So did the towels. We’ll probably uncover again in a few days once the next deep cold snap is over. A season of extremes!
This strawberry had a flower. Bad idea.
Rain barrels all open so they don’t crack.
Sugar peas definitely done this time.
The rain softened the ground enough that the three of us managed to dig the shallow trench needed for the border (to keep Bermuda grass out of raised beds) in about 40 minutes before dinner tonight.
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Lunch time front yard raised beds garden check

This front yard cilantro survived while others didn’t. No idea why.  Unless it’s I’m wrong and it’s a parnsip. Mystery.
Walking onions in their usual winter state.
Sad garlic leaves.
Helper puts her face in my face as I lean over to look at plants.
I think the onion sets might make it.
Moss curled parsley might make it.  Backyard ones much happier right now.
Lettuce seems damaged but alive.
Spinach is fine.
Oregano may make it.
Goodbye, sugar snap peas.
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Melting almost complete

I don’t think it froze overnight so the streets are mostly dry except for water flowing along edges.  Shady spots and snow piles are less melted.

The front nook, dog for scale.
The front yard beds, distracted dog for scale.
It looks like everything in the rock garden survived!  Also more of the irises by the mailbox survived, so I guess only some leaves got damaged.
Since we’re back to usual late winter temperature I went ahead and brought out the coreopsis seedlings which I had cold stratified in the fridge. They have been waiting as little seedlings on a damp paper towel for probably a week or more. They are under the glass jars. They are to replace two seedlings I planted last fall that didn’t make it. This row is back to five evenly spaced plants now assuming everything survives.
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More survival reports

I went out to get the kohlrabi and cabbage for Wes and uncovered some more areas.

The tops of most onions seem frost damaged. Not sure about their bases. We’ll see if they grow back this week or if I need to go get more.
Adjacent snow covered onions seem similar.
The chard is definitely frozen. Will be interesting to see if it comes back from its base or if I need to reseed it. Tucked under it is a ragged little cabbage.
I cut the kohlrabi at the base. Most of the leaves are in good shape, too.
The cabbage (left) and kohlrabi (right), harvested and set on the snow.
The Dutch corn salad greens are as hardy yet tiny as ever. I think from reading recently they don’t get much bigger, so I guess you’d need to plant a lot more than I do?
At the edge of the front nook, these strawberries and mealy blue sage were
Another towel and tub protected area. Strawberries look good and so does the oregano in the upper right corner (at the edge of the snow).
I think the sad little standing cypress has survived!! I put a bit of mulch around it after my last visit to it (when it looked very sad). The other front nook one and both backyard ones are still covered by snow.
By the time I got done outside Wes had trimmed up both the kohlrabi and the cabbage for use this evening.