Freeze season starts today

Crazy for Crotons

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29/06/09
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I know it's been beautiful and cold weather is probably not in your immediate thoughts. Even so, freeze season starts today (Dec 10) and runs through February 20th. Make sure you stock up on canned goods, have a generator and a good PLANT evacuation plan ready. This year, the Hernandez Weather Service (HWS) is predicting 2 named cold waves with one expected to be a category 2 freeze event. Remember, as recently as December 2010 it was a cold month followed by a very warm January and February 2011. Nothing says this winter won't do the complete opposite. Be ready for whatever mother nature throws at you this "lovely" winter season.
 
Ray,

I have no idea what to expect for this winter, just that I always expect the worst and hopefully it will not be too bad and tolerable. Many crotons in the yard are starting to drop lots of leaves, but the majority have not. We did get a sprinkle of rain over night, but could use much more. It was in the mid 80's today, and actually a new record of 85 was set somewhere here in south Florida. And humid! Love it and hope it continues.
 
Weather report says lows on sat night may dip into the 30s > holy possibly 38 degrees in northern St Lucie cunty > OUCH hope it go any lower than that ....
 
:) Looking ok here... I do not pay attention to the Weather underground forcasts. They have a low of 34F :confused: for Sat. morning.
 

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I think were SCREWED up here in St Lucie county They are saying 37 friday night 39 sat night then warming up sunday. that means frost .......
 
I think were SCREWED up here in St Lucie county They are saying 37 friday night 39 sat night then warming up sunday. that means frost .......

Not with frequent and/or steady wind it does not. Take it from someone who not only sees an annual frost - but a hard freeze most winters since I've been here. Wind is your friend at those temps.
 
Low here this morning of 42F. Temps were on the way down to around 11pm and headed back up a little and started falling at 4am when the wind turned from the NW to the N. The low here was the same as the Nov 24 and 25 lows.
 

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Now they are calling for a low of 39f for Sunday morning and have issued a frost advisory for me. Everything is on its own, as I will not be covering this time. Oh well it is what it is :p
 
My low was 43F this morning.

Scott, I wouldn't worry about frost at 39F. Frost does form in the upper 30's and around 40 but only on surfaces that cool quickly like car winshields and rooftops. I've never seen frost on grass or plants at temps above 36F.
 
Ray, I would not worry if the temp. here were to only drop to 39F. I will be about 4-5 degrees lower than the airport. Its 8:30 now and I have 43F outside.
 
Scott - you have your lake effect that should be a help. Do you check your temps around the garden or rely on the weather services? You will have micro-climes that some areas will be a couple degrees warmer than others.

Moose Land yesterday morning 4:00 am 48 F till 6:30 am. At Sun up 47 F until 8:30 am. High was 65 F in sunny areas. My low was only 4 degrees warmer than Ray. And colder than Bullwinkle.

The bottom line is that we are not experiencing sustained lows. It warmed yesterday and a warming trend for the rest of the week. The plants can take these short term events generally. Unlike 2010 that kept us getting hammered day after day ... :mad:

Lets hear how everyone made out so far from this mornings low.

HOW low did you Go ? :confused:
 
Thank goodness for cloud cover. Clouds have moved overhead from the NW and temps have gone up a degree. 38.4 at 5am now at 39.5 at 6am. I have a Davis Pro weather station that I rely on for my local conditions in the garden.
 
Thank goodness for cloud cover. Clouds have moved overhead from the NW and temps have gone up a degree. 38.4 at 5am now at 39.5 at 6am. I have a Davis Pro weather station that I rely on for my local conditions in the garden.

Scott - part of your post got "cut off". Good news about your temps. Can't figure why I am so much warmer this morning? Very gentle breeze rather than windy like yesterday. perhaps my canopy plus the cloud cover has trapped yesterday afternoon's warmer temps? :confused:

Moose Land 6:30 am - a balmy 54F :eek:

Need a temperature reports from forum members posted. How low did you Go ?
 
Ron, I was going to explain why the lake has very little effect to the north side of the garden. But every time I type a long winded post, when I go to post I have been told that I need to log in. Here is a pic taken this morning of frost on the grass looking north up the street. The home in the pic (second home to my north) shows heavy rooftop frost. No frost noted in my garden or rooftop.
 

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Thank goodness for cloud cover. Clouds have moved overhead from the NW and temps have gone up a degree. 38.4 at 5am now at 39.5 at 6am. I have a Davis Pro weather station that I rely on for my local conditions in the garden.

Yes, the clouds were a Godsend. The temps were tumbling here before midnight but leveled off at 41F beginning at 4:30AM.
 
Scott - part of your post got "cut off". Good news about your temps. Can't figure why I am so much warmer this morning? Very gentle breeze rather than windy like yesterday. perhaps my canopy plus the cloud cover has trapped yesterday afternoon's warmer temps? :confused:

Moose Land 6:30 am - a balmy 54F :eek:

Need a temperature reports from forum members posted. How low did you Go ?

At 8:00 am - my low hit 52 F, started climing rapidly with the sun rays warming effect. :)

Lets hear some more How Low did you Go ? reports ...
 
35 here in the Central Inland tundra with a pretty decent frost. Banana leaves all fried. Despite some measures to protect/cover - damage noted on juvenile Roystonea, Archontophoenix and a decent sized Wodyetia. Smell of vegetation death hanging in today's air :( 10-day outlook paints prettier picture. Hoping only minor damage sustained.

All crotons looking good as of now :D
 
The temps here in St Lucie co got down to 37 on sat am , and 39 Sunday . Time will tell if any damage has occured .Its gonna b a long winter .....Mayb it will kill the SCALE ...wishfull thinking.
 
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