How did you fare in the April snow?

15 years ago

We here in NE ohio were hit with a decent spring snow storm accumulating around 3 inches of snow that stuck!!! I tarped with a lightly green tinted clear plastic on Saturday, knowing we'd be out of town on vacation and that it was expected to snow and get very cold. Unfortunately I had no choice but to ignore my babies, since I couldn't be home to coddle them! I cut lots of slits for ventilation in the tarps, trying not to have any openings directly over a sprout...I am not sure if I was supposed to, but I left all the lids and covers on even with the plastic, and to my amazement just a few minutes ago I removed the plastic, to find everything still alive, and dare I say, THRIVING! WOW!!!

You would not believe the looks and remarks I recieved just a few days ago regarding my "early planting" and leaving those sprouted seeds out during a snow storm. My neighbor saw my tarps and commented she thought it was too early to be sowing seeds, and a friend of the family warned me to take those flats in the house or all my seedlings would croak! I now it's awful, but I can't wait to tell them that my pumpkins and zinnias decided to sprout under 3 inches of snow! LOL***

What's amazing to me is that I even have lasagna flats with saran wrap on them (an idea I stole from Kiddo) and I was so afraid the plastic would choke them out once they started sprouting but I have a handful of hollyhocks that have just shoved their way through to the vent slits and see very strong and happy.

I am one more amazed newbie!!! How did you fare in the snow?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

friesfan1
15 years ago
Quilt Mommy,

I am happy your sprouts survived. It is exciting to tell
your neighbors that everything looks great and no losses
to the cold temps.

We had a bit of a blizzard on Sat. nite Sunday with only
about an inch of snow but blowing and drifting.
Wind chill -15.

My jugs were just covered with the gallon ziplock bags
and they all survived alright.
I took my clear Plastic boxes in the garage, only because
the winds were suppose to be around 50 MPH. I think they
averaged 35. Didn't want them to blow away.

Yesterday, a high of 66 and today the same. I have a whole
list of sprouts now. And I pulled the lids the last two
days and cover at night.

I am amazed as well. WS is so cool!

Mary
ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a
15 years ago
That's great, Quilt mommy,
I know the feeling. My local nursery owner - who I like a lot, he is very free with his advice, which I usually respect - when I told him about a month ago about my seedlings sitting outside, he poo-poo'ed, said that was impossible, no way, etc.
I didn't say anything.
(He is also opinionated, so no need to argue.)

Just can't wait til my Salvia is ready to leave the container, and I am going to present him with a couple. Now, what does he say? lol

I am thinking of giving him one of Yvonne's Salvia, cuz he could spread it around. On the other hand, I have so few of Yvonne's, I may not.

Anyway, am thrilled to hear of your good progress!

ellen
Related Discussions
MN Redbud? How did it fare after this winter?
Q
Comments (1)
Haven't been out for a close-up view, but it appears that leaves are just barely starting, and perhaps not on all branches. I never noticed any flowers this year, though it's done very well in the past. Drove by one in another neighborhood that was blooming nicely.
...See More
Snow, how much did you get?
Q
Comments (4)
James, Here in Love County, our snowstorm was a joke....maybe a half-inch of very fine, powdery snow but lots of very cold air and very strong winds. Howling winds and a pretty cold wind chill are mostly what we received here. Oddly, the interstate and especially its bridges turned into a skating rink and our emergency personnel were dispatched to a rash of accidents (DH said his work involved at least 12 vehicles that either crashed, rolled over or slid off the highway in about a 1-hour period) last night, and it has already started up again this morning, with a truck wrecking out on the I-35 Red River Bridge. Our roadways are dry here near our house and not bad at all, but there must be something frozen on the bridges. Even though the snow amounted to virtually nothing here, I'm still glad I covered up all my cool-season crops and early, emerging perennials and herbs, because the cold wind alone has been enough to dessicate and damage foliage of young plants. I think I'll leave them covered until tomorrow because the wind chill and winds are still brutal. All of you who have lots of snow be careful and stay warm today. I'll be playing in the dirt inside, starting more seeds and might even venture out to a store later today. It depends on how messed up the roads remain.... Dawn
...See More
How did your Crocus fare?
Q
Comments (7)
Thanks everyone. I didn't realize daffodils were crocus. I've yet to really get into flowers except for the few beneficial natives gifted to me. The only flower work I've done was on a small plot of daffs a couple years ago. Boy, they responded well this year. Are hyacinths a form of crocus? We have a ton this year.
...See More
HOw much snow did you get?
Q
Comments (15)
I just checked the NWS Public Information Statement. According to this, I should have much more snow. Now I'm afraid to go out of my neighborhood. Claire Public Information Statement Statement as of 11:50 am EST on December 20, 2008 The following are unofficial observations are for the snow storm that hit southern New England during the afternoon of Dec 19th... to the mid morning hours of Dec 20th 2008. Appreciation is extended to NWS cooperative... Skywarn spotters and media for these reports. This summary is also available on our home Page at weather.Gov/Boston ********************storm total snowfall******************** Location storm total time/date comments snowfall of (inches) measurement Connecticut ... Hartford County... Unionville 10.0 930 PM 12/19 spotter East Farmington 9.0 852 PM 12/19 spotter Granby 9.0 1102 PM 12/19 NWS employee Manchester 9.0 930 PM 12/19 ham radio South Windsor 9.0 930 PM 12/19 ham radio West Suffield 9.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Burlington 9.0 839 am 12/20 spotter North Granby 8.8 855 PM 12/19 spotter West Hartford 8.6 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Windsor Locks 8.4 1155 PM 12/20 Bradley Airport ... Tolland County... Tolland 10.0 620 am 12/20 spotter Hebron 9.7 930 PM 12/19 ham radio Bolton 9.0 650 PM 12/19 ham radio Staffordville 9.0 919 PM 12/19 NWS coop Vernon 9.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Somers 8.5 930 PM 12/19 ham radio Storrs 8.5 755 PM 12/19 spotter ... Windham County... Moosup 10.5 530 am 12/20 spotter Woodstock 10.0 951 PM 12/19 spotter Danielson 9.3 1000 PM 12/19 spotter Hampton 9.0 953 PM 12/19 coop Killingly 8.5 650 PM 12/19 ham radio Ashford 8.0 809 PM 12/19 spotter Thompson 8.0 1116 PM 12/19 spotter Massachusetts ... Barnstable County... East Sandwich 10.2 1035 PM 12/19 NWS employee Buzzards Bay 9.5 830 PM 12/19 ham radio Bourne 8.8 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Marstons Mills 8.5 300 am 12/20 NWS employee Sandwich 8.1 1128 PM 12/19 spotter East Falmouth 8.0 600 am 12/20 ham radio Centerville 8.0 700 am 12/20 spotter Brewster 5.8 830 am 12/20 spotter ... Bristol County... Swansea 11.0 825 am 12/20 spotter Rehoboth 10.0 920 am 12/20 NWS employee Taunton NWS 9.6 100 am 12/20 NWS office Acushnet 9.3 830 PM 12/19 ham radio Attleboro 9.2 1155 PM 12/19 NWS employee Mansfield 9.1 1015 PM 12/19 spotter New Bedford 9.1 400 am 12/20 ham radio ... Dukes County... West Tisbury 6.0 830 PM 12/19 ham radio ... Essex County... Salem 12.0 1040 am 12/20 spotter Manchester 11.3 900 am 12/20 ham Lawrence 10.5 206 am 12/20 spotter Topsfield 10.5 617 am 12/20 spotter Nahant 10.0 905 PM 12/19 spotter Methuen 10.0 830 am 12/20 spotter Ipswich 9.8 805 am 12/20 spotter Lawrence 9.5 817 am 12/20 NWS coop Newburyport 8.0 800 am 12/20 NWS coop ... Franklin County... Ashfield 10.5 903 PM 12/19 spotter East Charlemont 9.0 1030 am 12/20 spotter Sunderland 7.2 700 am 12/20 NWS coop Orange 7.0 600 PM 12/19 ham radio Leverett 7.0 855 PM 12/19 spotter ... Hampden County... Westfield 10.5 715 am 12/20 spotter Blandford 10.0 930 PM 12/19 ham radio Southwick 9.5 930 PM 12/19 spotter Agawam 9.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Westfield 9.0 915 PM 12/19 spotter Longmeadow 8.8 820 PM 12/19 spotter Montgomery 8.8 1147 PM 12/19 ham radio Chicopee 8.5 730 am 12/20 spotter ... Hampshire County... Goshen 10.0 845 am 12/20 spotter West Hampton 8.1 730 am 12/20 spotter Worthington 8.1 700 am 12/20 NWS coop Ware 8.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Chesterfield 7.8 930 PM 12/19 ham radio ... Middlesex County... Lowell 11.0 1130 PM 12/19 spotter Wilmington 10.0 1128 PM 12/19 media Natick 10.0 700 am 12/20 NWS coop Methuen 10.0 700 am 12/20 spotter reading 9.7 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Wakefield 9.5 820 am 12/20 spotter Framingham 9.5 1030 am 12/20 spotter Stoneham 9.0 700 am 12/20 spotter Melrose 8.6 700 am 12/20 spotter Billerica 8.5 1045 PM 12/19 spotter North Woburn 8.5 1205 am 12/20 spotter Arlington Heights 8.3 1159 PM 12/19 spotter Dracut 8.2 1236 am 12/20 spotter ... Nantucket County... Nantucket 2.3 830 PM 12/19 ham radio ... Norfolk County... Norwood 9.8 955 am 12/20 NWS employee Wellesley 9.5 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Franklin 9.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Milton 9.0 700 am 12/20 Blue Hill ob Brookline 8.5 140 am 12/20 spotter Braintree 7.5 1000 PM 12/19 spotter Foxboro 7.5 730 am 12/20 spotter ... Plymouth County... Rochester 11.0 800 am 12/20 NWS coop South Plymouth 10.0 600 am 12/20 ham radio Marshfield 9.5 950 am 12/20 NWS employee Hingham 9.0 1040 PM 12/19 spotter Hanover 9.0 600 am 12/20 spotter ... Suffolk County... Boston 10.5 700 am 12/20 Logan Airport West Roxbury 9.2 1000 am 12/20 spotter ... Worcester County... Worcester 11.6 700 am 12/20 orh Airport Hopedale 9.3 1005 PM 12/19 spotter Warren 8.5 940 PM 12/19 spotter Auburn 8.3 1114 PM 12/19 spotter Brookfield 8.0 800 PM 12/19 spotter North Grafton 8.0 955 PM 12/19 spotter Boylston 7.6 1000 am 12/20 spotter Ashburnham 7.3 700 am 12/20 NWS coop New Hampshire ... Cheshire County... Keene 10.0 625 am 12/20 NWS coop Walpole 8.0 700 am 12/20 NWS coop Marlow 6.0 700 am 12/20 NWS coop ... Hillsborough County... Bedford 8.3 900 am 12/20 spotter Goffstown 8.0 700 am 12/20 spotter Merrimack 7.5 836 am 12/20 spotter Hudson 6.4 830 am 12/20 NWS coop Rhode Island ... Bristol County... Barrington 6.7 636 PM 12/19 public ... Kent County... Coventry 11.5 1146 PM 12/19 spotter West Warwick 11.0 1055 PM 12/19 spotter Warwick 11.0 1040 PM 12/19 spotter Warwick 8.0 1155 PM 12/19 tf Green Airport ... Newport County... Tiverton 11.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Portsmouth 10.5 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Tiverton 10.0 905 PM 12/19 coop ... Providence County... Cumberland 11.0 815 am 12/20 NWS employee Burrillville 10.5 929 PM 12/19 public Lincoln 10.2 1015 PM 12/19 NWS employee North Foster 10.2 1045 PM 12/19 coop North Providence 10.0 1022 PM 12/19 spotter Scituate 10.0 1036 PM 12/19 media North Scituate 10.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio Woonsocket 9.5 708 am 12/20 spotter Pawtucket 9.5 931 PM 12/19 spotter ... Washington County... South Kingstown 10.0 1030 PM 12/19 spotter North Kingstown 9.5 1100 PM 12/19 spotter Charlestown 9.0 1100 PM 12/19 ham radio
...See More
quilt_mommy
Original Author
15 years ago
Ellen - I totally relate to your garden guy! :) I didn't say anything either when I was poo-pooed. LOL*** Honestly I didn't know if they'd survive, for all I knew I was totally wrong! But I'm glad that I took a little leap of faith and now I can share this really cool way of growing with people! I just hope to have a big pretty cottage garden this year so I can (shamelessly loL*) show off! :)
lblack61
15 years ago
We had about four inches or so here that stuck, other snow/mixed precip that didn't stick. and everything survived and acted as if nothing had happened (unlike me, sliding through four way stops...lol).

It really is amazing how hardy the seedlings are. I have some things planted out, and they are doing just as well as the sprouts that are still in containers. The drawback is the soil is all compacted and not fun to work in at the moment.

Linda
floodthelast
15 years ago
I was worried too but even the sunflower sprouts seem fine. I really hope I get the chance to see all these flourish.
quilt_mommy
Original Author
15 years ago
floodthelast, I was really worried about my sunflowers, pumpkins, and zinnias as I put them out much earlier than many would suggest here on the forum. I was so excited to get sowing that I forgot that some plants are better winter sowers than others...but by some stroke of luck even the zinnias are doing good. We had a touch of a freeze here last night and a couple of them have burned edges but look like they are still going strong aside from the touch of brown on the outer edges of the leaves.
ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a
15 years ago
quilt momyy
what zone are you in?
I'd be scared to put my zinnias out now, but hey -
I'm glad it's working for you!
Can't argue with success. :)
sheltieche
15 years ago
I planted out bunch of hardies, everything doing fine.
quilt_mommy
Original Author
15 years ago
ellenr - well I really wasn't supposed to put out my zinnias this early, but I was so excited to start winter sowing that I sowed them without thinking. I figured since I'd already done the damage no sense in throwing them out, just figured I'd leave them in their jugs and flats and see what happens. None of the jugs have germinated, but the lasagna flats did and are doing surprisingly well! I cover them with plastic though if it goes below 30. I don't think I'll put them out until about the middle of April though next year. :)

How did you fare in the April snow?

Comments (9)

friesfan1

ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a

Related Discussions

quilt_mommy
Original Author

lblack61

floodthelast

quilt_mommy
Original Author

ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a

sheltieche

quilt_mommy
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

How did you fare in the April snow?

Comments (9)

friesfan1

ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a

Related Discussions

quilt_mommyOriginal Author

lblack61

floodthelast

quilt_mommyOriginal Author

ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a

sheltieche

quilt_mommyOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

quilt_mommy
Original Author

quilt_mommy
Original Author

quilt_mommy
Original Author