Tag: ice

Posted on

Insulation power of snow

We only made it to -8°F (-22°C — I only really comprehend cold in celsius because of my time in Canada being the previously only time I experienced cold this low) when I got up this morning around 7am.

The gallon jugs in the makeshift faucet boxes were both very cold but unfrozen so I have hope for the pipes in the adjacent walls.

I was really fascinated to see the frost on the window this morning. There’s frost right down until the snow that’s piled on the sill. That snow is only an inch or two thick because of the depth of the window sill outside. Gives me hope for the strawberries buried under the snow! (At least if the cold before the snow didn’t kill them.)
I left the plant window completely open to the house this morning: no curtains or cat shield plexiglass. It only got to 50°F but ice still on bottom metal and on lower glass surfaces.
Amazingly, yesterday’s affected eggplant and peppers have not died. I wonder if it was just ice at the very bottom of the pots, where it touched the metal? Fingers crossed they will continue to recover. The Salvia cuttings also seem hopeful.
Posted on

Unexpected freeze

One corner of the plant window froze!

The Salvia greggii cuttings and one set of seedlings got frozen. You can see how the dirt is expanded out! Seedlings lost were eggplants, bullnose pepper, and Craig’s grande jalapeño. You can see the plants just to the right appear to be fine with no frozen soil.
Juncos getting this morning’s sunflower seeds.
This one junco hopped around with snow on its back, presumably from overnight.
The heated bird bath is holding up well!
Several outside window sills show this neat layering from each round of snow yesterday.
The inside of several windows frosted. The blinds did a good job insulating in both directions! It all melts after I open the blinds.
Posted on

Snow and melting even at 18°F in the sun

The kale looks kinda wilted even under its glass cover.
Kohlrabi seems fine.
Spinach seems fine.
Not sure about the sugar snap peas.
Garlic has pretty snow and melted refrozen ce

Standing cypress seedlings look pretty wilty in the front yard but I have not checked the backyard ones yet. Lettuce, cilantro, and cabbages I’m unsure how they look (sort of like the sugar snap peas, they could go either way once it warms up).

Posted on

A soft, sheltering blanket begins

Hopefully we will get the additional forecast snow to help everything from the single digits forecast for Sunday and beyond!

The new onions especially need some protection. This is an experiment to see what they can handle since I should be able to get more if they die.
The backyard strawberry patch already has a lot of leaves, dead grass, saffron leaves (the green grass-like leaves), and the snow, so I think they’ll be fine. I’ll cover the front yard strawberries before it gets below 10 F.
Posted on

A new glaze of ice today

There are some very slippery invisible spots on the roads and sidewalks! Briar and I had to walk very cautiously.

“what did you do to the ground,” asks dog.
A little cabbage from last year.
Kohlrabi ice!
Iced garlic!