I guess I did the wrong thing then, I tied black plastic garbage bags over my two brand new trees I just planted about two weeks ago now. I'm more worried about keeping the leaves, just breaking dormancy with swollen buds now, because there's usually no fruit for a couple years anyway. If nothing else, it would have protected them from the harsh winds to some extent. Obviously I don't know what I am doing. I did hear do this do that and did was was easiest after covering other plants. I did leave them on for two full days this past week, but did take them off in the daytime when it was going to be above freezing for enough hours. I was kind of winging it and even though my old ones, same variety, North Star, very hardy, produced every year for over 30 years until they died, we have never had anything as bad as this past week for as long as I can remember. Maybe doing nothing would have been better, no way of knowing now. There is a thread on the old garden roses forum where they are talking about everything in their region. One of the measures commercial growers take is to irrigate the trees with spray, has to be done right, but there is something about the physics of the water and heat released if you keep up continuously while it is freezing. Also some resorted to a product called Wilt Pruf? which works to 27 degrees a few resorted to are are assessing the damage of lack thereof. Look for post by york rose about 2/3 the way down the page (now), or search on "fruit". I think some of you are on to something with the lights, and this doesn't happen that often for a lot of gardeners to have had to improvise, in the fall sometimes I threw a cotton rug over my flowers to prolong the bloom, that was about the extent of it for me. There ought to be some way to build a portable mini greenhouse with plastic for the dwarf varieties, you'd had to DIY because if there were such a thing, it would be expensive. Heavy clear plastic, pvc pipe and stakes come to mind . . . Here is a link that might be useful: Devastation in the garden thread (lots of southern people) posting

cauliflower. Bitter from my garden, great from the store. Still working on carrots. I will not be defeated! I think I need to thin them ruthlessly, which goes against my pacifist nature. Orach. pretty in salad, but the seeds don't stay viable for very long, so not worth it to keep buying it every year. To all who have given up on squash because of vine borers -- choose a moschata (immune to vine borers) type. To all who have given up on squash because of squash bugs -- plant onions or garlic in the hills (i use garlic). On the years I've done that, the squash bugs are not a problem.Though it is fun to spray them with slightly soapy water and watch them die. (my pacifism only extends to plants, not to rabbits, deer, or bugs.)

I stopped by the tree forum because of another issue but want to make a couple of points. Some of the advice already given here is from a horticultural or arboreal perspective: the tree is thought of as THE important object. It denies the primary purpose that the tree serves: to be PART of a landscape... an artistic statement... a subordinate decorative object that adds character and interest--"dressing"--to the house... much as one would place a picture on the wall or a lamp in a particular location on the inside of the home. It is not intended to be a horticultural object grown for it's own sake like one might grow a solitary tree in a park or a tomato in a vegetable garden. It would be much more appropriate to think of this tree as one thinks of a neck tie for a man's wardrobe... not worn so we can see its entirety, but so that what we do see contributes positively to the well dressed man's overall image. The fact that 75% of a neck tie is hidden from view is immaterial. Likewise, growing this tree for a 360* view would be 100% against its designed purpose. What matters is that plants help promote the best presentation of the surrounding property. If it requires a contortion (as an espalier) or a horticulturally unusual juxtaposition (as a one-sided plant against a building) the plants will not care. They have neither thoughts nor feelings. In this particular case the tree is trying to help make the house look less like a large naked box sitting suddenly and abruptly on top of the ground. It's trying to ease the architectural transition to the outdoor world. It cannot do this well from a distance. The question posed for this thread is not really one of horticulture; it is foremost a question of art. When it comes to pruning, I'm not sure why extreme delicacy and caution is so often urged. The fact is, that this tree could be cut down to three feet height and by the end of the summer, half of it would be back in place. It wouldn't be as tall, but it would be thicker, fuller and have a better spaced trunk system. For the most part, the trunks would sort and space themseves uniformly like a giant bouquet... and such a form would not be an unpleasant looking object. It might be just what the house is asking for, but I'm NOT suggesting such drastic pruning. I'm suggesting that working with the trunk system already in place and making the best of it is a reasonable goal. I'm also suggesting work that doesn't need to "go slowly" or be delayed. It can all be done now and in 20 minutes with no unmanageable consequeces. Pruning is not the act of placing branches where one wants them. It is the act of removing them from where one doesn't. Since removing existing growth encourages new growth elsewhere, one merely hopes that it appears where it's wanted and can remain. It's wishful thinking to suppose that the tree itself will know where it should be growing branches and trunks in order to please the homeowner's need for an artistic landscape. It is the homeowner who should be dictating to the tree what is allowed and what isn't, in order to achieve the art form that best displays the house, and displays best against the house. Though the trunk system here is a modified combination, it's multiple trunk portion dictates most of the pruning decisions. Multi-trunk small trees look best with trunk spreads that are between 45* and 60*. The range is arbitrary. It's just what I've personally concluded after comparing hundreds of trees. And part of it depends on the tree's ultimate size and location. Generally, the larger a tree will become, the more fitting a narrower spread becomes. If space is tight, a wide spreading tree may become an obstruction. There's flexibility. Someone's different view of what a proper spread should be would not be in competition with mine; it would just be their different view of an artistic statement. Since this tree is already in its "teenage years" (in "tree terms") we'd not focus on radical changes, but just bring the trunk spread within an acceptable range, seeking to attain balance. The tree should should appear to be standing upright and not leaning strongly in one direction. Second, I'd give an overall trim to the top of the canopy for the purpose of attaining a relatively uniform dome shape; upper growth is currently leaning leftward. If greater control of size and increased canopy density is desired, trim to the "optional limit of canopy." (This "limit" is not ultimate, but is only advice about pruning now.) Third, I'd limb up all the twigs and branches that fall below the bottom of the desired canopy height. For a growing tree, a horizontal line established at 50% of the height is a good rule-of-thumb. See illustration below. It will allow for raising the canopy annually until the desired ultimate height is achieved... at no less than 8' or 9' ht. for the bottom of a canopy in typical situations. Notes about the illustration: I'd remove the trunk labeled "A." It creates an unbalanced, right-ward lean to the overall trunk mass. (See the sillhouette comparison.) Removing it brings the mass into better balance. Additionally, the same trunk is set at a low angle (approximately 45*) from vertical. As it grows and gets longer it has no choice but to get heavier. The added weight will pull it downward. It's not only conceivable but is entirely likely that it will be low and wide-spreading enough to obstruct adjacent passing space in the lawn. There is no reason to be purposely growing an unbalanced obstuction. If cut today, one would endure the work of a 2" dia. cut. If one waits until it becomes a problem before removing it, one may be making a 6" dia. cut (and corresponding wound) and disposing of 80 lbs. of yard waste instead of 8 lbs. There is no reason to wait for unpleasant news to be guaranteed. In the bottom illustration, remove all twigs and foliage below the green line unless it is a desired new trunk (more vertical than 45*) in the process of forming within the accepted range of trunk spread. If the homeowner decides to accept my advice, hopefully, she will report back with an updated photo showing the result.

Everything is bursting into bloom here. The plum trees are in full bloom so the yard smells delicious. The peach tree should start blooming tomorrow. The Mexican plum is budding, so we expect blooms from it in a week or so. The water lilies have new foliage coming out. Lots of wildflowers are in bloom--spring beauties, anemones, bluets, wild garlic, wild onion, bloodroot, henbit, chickweed and others whose name I do not know. Some of the native Chickasaw plums are blooming along a few fencelines in the Thackerville area though not yet blooming along our road a bit further north. Some of the ornamental pears are blooming...either 'Bradfored' or 'Aristocrat' or both. Daffodils are in bloom everywhere, and I saw the first hyacinth blossom yesterday. I haven't seen any redbuds in bloom yet. The iris foliage is up, and lots of herb volunteers like catnip, lemon balm, chamomile, are up. Some of the chamomile plants are on the verge of blooming. The chives are just a handful of days away from blooming. A lot of the trees are getting that fuzzy look you notice from a distance when they're about to bloom or start leafing out. All the winter weeds are growing like mad and we're going to mow them down tomorrow. Down near the river, some of the native willows are leafing out already. The native blackberries have leafed out but haven't bloomed yet. We have honeybees and lady bugs all over the place, and a few butterflies and moths. Tons of birds are everywhere. Lots of frog activity around the ponds. Spring-like weather is here, but I still expect we'll have another freezing night or two at the very least, although I wish we wouldn't. Spring officially arrives in a few days, but the plants are acting like it's already here. Unfortunately, the bermuda grass here is beginning to green up too. Dawn