How was your winter?
last month
I did not think it was bad, we had some cold but some snow cover too... Cept now I should have had some bulbs started and my heucheras and primroses used to be semi evergreen... Nothing this year showing. Like nada. I should have snow drops and winter aconitum poking thru by now. Hubby's bday on Feb 20 and unless it is full snow we always had snowdrops. 😟
On a good note we had really informative Winter Symposium Hosta at Brookfield WI last weekend.
Presentations were top notch, good food and good company.
Started my winter sowing.
Morning coffee
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (10)
last monthlast modified: last monthlindalana 5b Chicago thanked sandyslopes z6 n. UTRelated Discussions
So how has everyone fared with winter heating this year?
Comments (33)I haven't a clue as to what percentage of heat may be lost through the floor. All I do know is that if I stand on the uninsulated floor in our otherwise very well insulated and heated detached garage in the deep cold of winter wearing socks and tennies- my feet get really cold. But I can go barefoot on the glazed quarry tile in the GH in the same freezing weather and be comfortable, which is good because I often trudge out there in the early hours wearing only sheepskin slippers, then take them off to prevent soaking them as I splash around, topping off tanks. It could be that the quarry tile is acting as a heat sink, absorbing warmth from the air, then sending it back up? Again, I have no idea. All I do know is that my GH has stayed warm all though one of our worst winters in many years, holding a steady 72 deg. 24/7, on the cheap for fuel. It could also be all of the insulation combined, but we just received a $185.00 gas bill for the entire month of January that in addition to the GH, heated a 2300 sq. ft house, a detatched 4 car garage and fueled a gas WH, dryer, and stovetop burners, and this is is the slow cooked soup season. I can live with that....See Morezone 4,5 ers How did your winter protection for HT work?
Comments (12)My roses made it through our mild winter with very little dieback. My problem was deciding how much to prune, since they didn't really need to be pruned. And I did not provide any winter protection this year. Rosenut, I have bushes that the rabbits ate almost to the ground, but I'm not giving up on them. I had two Betty Boops last year that I almost dug up because the rabbits ate them up. I kept them and they were just fine. Charlie, my mom has two fairy roses that have never bloomed and they are going on their fourth year. I'm hoping she will let me get rid of them, but she keeps hoping they will bloom....See MoreHow crowded is your winter setting ?
Comments (5)Nice looking plants there. I leave mine outside pretty much year round. A few come in if a hard freeze is predicted. They rarely stay in more than overnight. This bathroom wasn't quite finished from fire repairs so the bathtub made a great place for some of them to spend a couple of nights. (a mix in the tub with more hoyas hanging from the towel rack at the back of the tub) Tally HO...See MoreShare your winter sowing efforts!! *Pics*
Comments (30)Bella rosa, if a jug seems to be drying out put several inches of warm water in a large container and set the jug or other seed container in the water and leave it for awhile so the mix can dampen. Try to do this anytime the containers are starting to dry out. One way to tell is if the container starts to feel lighter. I prefer Pro Mix but also use Miracle Grow without the moisture retaining crystals. Those crystals keep the mix too damp. Also if it rains a lot I will cover the containers with plastic sheeting so the mix doesn't get soaked. Works best when the mix is damp but not soaked. Failure to germinate can be caused by lots of variables. Mix is too dry or too wet. Tiny seeds covered with too much mix (best to surface sow and press seed to contact with mix), old seed, unripe seed, seed needing scarification, seed needing cold stratification, seed needing light to germinate so must not be covered with mix, seed needing dark to germinate so must be covered, seed needing two winters to germinate, seed germinating sporadically (columbine), seed needing a warm period then a cold period to germinate. I mostly surface sow and press the seed with the back of a plastic spoon to make contact with the mix. Bigger seeds generally get covered lightly with mix and pressed. When the weather gets in the mid 70s I remove the covers so the seed doesn't cook. They will need to be watched closely so the mix doesn't dry out. Moving to a shaded or partly shaded location helps. i am still ws annuals. Our last frost date is May 15 and I will direct sow some other annuals then. 2016 results: we have had a few days 20 degrees above normal, around 70F, still only have four containers (out of approximately 50) germinated and one of those is a container of delphiniums sowed 2014-2015 season. Thought I had some good germination in a couple of jugs then realized the seeds germinating were sunflower seeds. Some critter must have hidden some bird seed in my mix in the garage. So it goes!...See MoreRelated Professionals
Tempe Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Arden-Arcade Landscape Contractors · Brockton Landscape Contractors · Inglewood Landscape Contractors · North Ridgeville Landscape Contractors · Old Saybrook Landscape Contractors · Watertown Landscape Contractors · Deer Park Driveway Installation & Maintenance · Fort Worth Driveway Installation & Maintenance · Antelope Fence Contractors · Hinsdale Fence Contractors · Lexington Fence Contractors · Mays Chapel Fence Contractors · Saginaw Fence Contractors · Inver Grove Heights Solar Energy Systems
last monthlast modified: last monthlindalana 5b Chicago thanked nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis- last month
First signs of life this year
And of course indoor life goes full force.
Sandydslopes, walking barefoot is great pleasure for me and I love snow unless I have to drive 😔. I think IL here had more proportional snow cover previous so plants felt happier, my grass is dead too. What temps are you expecting that you can work outside over weekend?
Nicholworth, I moved up 30 miles up north and does it make a difference!How much life do you see now? I am ready for anything that does not look dead...
Debra, is your we soil still frozen? mine is, maybe weekend 60 will do the trick.
Bkay, my heated floors in 2 bathrooms give me a lot of pleasure but electric bill is ouch. I pulled few pots that I did not have energy to plant last year, I think some did not make it...
- last month
last month
Related Stories
LIFESimple Pleasures: A Long Winter’s Nap
This time of year we can always use a little extra rest. Make it easy with these ideas for daytime napping
Full Story
LIFE6 Ways to Beat the Winter Blahs
Snow and dark days dampening your spirits? These ideas will have you looking on the bright side
Full Story
LIFEHard Winter? 9 Ways to Battle Cabin Fever
We know a lot of you are trapped where it just won’t stop snowing. Here are some ways to survive
Full Story
MOST POPULARHouzz Call: Show Us Your Winter View!
Share pictures of your home and garden in winter — whatever your climate, architecture and plantings
Full Story
HOUZZ CALLShow Us the Beautiful Winter Views Near Your Home
Share photos of the snowy landscapes, stately evergreens and bare branches filling your yards and outdoor views
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDES7 Ways to Get Your Container Garden Ready for Winter
Learn how to transition your fall pots to colder weather — and which plants to lose, keep or add
Full Story
WINTER GARDENING8 Tips for Keeping Your Houseplants Healthy in Winter
Reduce watering, stop fertilizing, move them into the light and more
Full Story
HOUSEPLANTSIndoor Winter Gardens for Cheerier Days
Bring plants inside for drab-days mood boosting — not to mention cleaner indoor air and protection for your greenery
Full Story
LAUNDRY ROOMSFreeze-Dried Clothes? Houzzers Share Their Winter Laundry Tales
Air-drying the wash in chilly temps can be a challenge, but Houzz readers find a way
Full Story
djacob Z6a SE WI