How cold did you get? Everything OK today? It was ugly but not dangerous here, high 20's. Visible breath back in my laundry room, prob about 45-48, but the plant crew back there seems OK with it. I don't have anything iffy outside this winter, luckily. What a gloomy, wet one! And windy too, sheesh.

Tiff, it dropped to 7 early this morning. I think it got to the mid 20s by afternoon. Brrrrr, and calling for ice tomorrow.

The one plant I worry about is our Osmanthus fragrans, tea olive. When we first got it as a gift, I babied it for a couple of years, but it's waaay too darned big (12') for that any more.

rhizo, I'm taking the blame. I acquired one of my "dream" plants this Christmas, a weeping Norway spruce, and it brought along all the climate it needed to feel right at home during it's first season here ;-)

Coldest it's gotten so far is 11 a few weeks back and then 18 night before last; several days of sub-freezing temps in a row is my biggest concern. However....last I checked the 'Hope' philodendron and alpinia seems to be surviving their first year in the ground. Let's all keep our fingers crossed.

Good to see you post, btw!

Nelson (with lil' sis. Roll Tide!)

Here in Gadsden it got to 14. I forgot and left out Agave lophantha, it shows a bit of damage but will survive. I had already set out several containers for stratification of wildflower seeds.

Nelson, will the philodendron remain evergreen in your location? I see that it dies to the ground in colder climates, returning reliably in the spring.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your Norway. Where did you get it?

Nice picture!

Dorie,

This will be the first Winter I've grown it outside. It was given to me at the Fall swap and I really hesitated putting it in the ground that late in the season. If it can survive what it has faced up to this point, I'll probably plant all I can find this Spring!

I found the spruce tree during Christmas. I would never have paid the asking price, but they had a sign reading "All Trees 75% Off". Although it was supposed to apply only to "shade" trees, the garden shop manager agreed to let me have it for $14.00!! (I returned after my next payday to purchase another one and was refused; the sign was also "corrected"). I also scoured every nursery I could find for clearances, and found one each of cedrus deodara "Feelin' Blue" and "Feelin' Sunny", so overall Santa was very good to me. Now if I can just find a good deal on a weeping blue atlas cedar.....

Take care, friend.....