Posted:May 14, 2006
Winter 2005/6 A Summary.
With Winter 2005/6 now a memory, its legacy, at least in my garden lingers on.
The lack of heavy Autumn/Winter rain has left the garden looking very dry and for the first time ever I've abandoned giving it the usual Spring mulch.
What little rain that has fallen since simply evaporates at the first hint of sunshine.
I also recorded the lowest temperatures for four years, down to -10c. This froze everything including me to the core.
Along with this we had the usual bitterly cold north and easterly wind's and several day's of "Pea Souper" freezing fog.
All we needed was a good snow storm and we would have been back to the winters of old.
Unfortunately I also had some plant casualties.
Three small Phoenix Canariensis, Chamaerops Humilis v Cerifera and a Trachycarpus Nanus have all gone. These were in pots and I'd stored them in a temporary shelter which I put up every year. This isn't frostproof it just keeps excess rain off.
Also doubtful is a Musa Sikkimensis which I planted out three years ago.
A couple of Agave Americana, one green and one blue have also suffered a bit but the growing point and stem are o.k. so they should pull through.
Reading this you might think its all doom and gloom. Fear not, there are plenty of good bits!
Trachycarpus Latisectus, T.Fortunei and C.Humilis which are planted out are all o.k. allthough the leaves on T.Fortunei took something of a clobbering. ( Nothing new there.)
I have two T.Wagnerianus growing in large decorative pots which have also come through unscathed. Chamaedorea radicalis is the only palm I give any protection to and that is just a wrap around of fleece to protect it from wind damage, the rest have to sink or swim.
Finaly, Butia Yatay and Brahea Armata, both in pots and overwintered under the shelter have come through as well. Posted by: Mike.
The lack of heavy Autumn/Winter rain has left the garden looking very dry and for the first time ever I've abandoned giving it the usual Spring mulch.
What little rain that has fallen since simply evaporates at the first hint of sunshine.
I also recorded the lowest temperatures for four years, down to -10c. This froze everything including me to the core.
Along with this we had the usual bitterly cold north and easterly wind's and several day's of "Pea Souper" freezing fog.
All we needed was a good snow storm and we would have been back to the winters of old.
Unfortunately I also had some plant casualties.
Three small Phoenix Canariensis, Chamaerops Humilis v Cerifera and a Trachycarpus Nanus have all gone. These were in pots and I'd stored them in a temporary shelter which I put up every year. This isn't frostproof it just keeps excess rain off.
Also doubtful is a Musa Sikkimensis which I planted out three years ago.
A couple of Agave Americana, one green and one blue have also suffered a bit but the growing point and stem are o.k. so they should pull through.
Reading this you might think its all doom and gloom. Fear not, there are plenty of good bits!
Trachycarpus Latisectus, T.Fortunei and C.Humilis which are planted out are all o.k. allthough the leaves on T.Fortunei took something of a clobbering. ( Nothing new there.)
I have two T.Wagnerianus growing in large decorative pots which have also come through unscathed. Chamaedorea radicalis is the only palm I give any protection to and that is just a wrap around of fleece to protect it from wind damage, the rest have to sink or swim.
Finaly, Butia Yatay and Brahea Armata, both in pots and overwintered under the shelter have come through as well. Posted by: Mike.