Weather Chat - 2023

blown_dry · 2023-02-04T23:18:06+00:00

A few hard frosts lately, but spring is taking hold for sure.

Krista

The same is happening to the forecast in Seattle, previously in the 90’s but high now is 86 on Monday. I can definitely live with this! My partner is rebuilding our hose faucet though so I’ll need to wait until this is complete before planting. It sounds like your seedlings are in good shape to make it through the weekend, calico20hill!

calico20hill

The warm up is started. So far it is pretty nice out under the old asian pear tree where I have my plants on tables. The seedlings I did set out looked fine yesterday afternoon and I gave them a good watering.

I do not have strong organizational skills and it shows when trying to organize my dahlia plants. Do I arrange them by height, color, breeder, type of bloom, size of bloom? By the time I am done it is sort of a mix up off al the different catagories! I used to plant out by color when I was selling cut flowers. Now that I am growing out seedlings I start out putting all the incurved cacturs together, etc, but then find myself wandering off into other catagories...(What would be good next to my "blue" Salish Hiro's Welcome"? What genetics would be a good addition?

Maybe the most important irruse is "Don't plant a tall one in front of a short one".

Krista

calico20hill Oh I’m having the same conundrums! While I don’t wish this on anyone else, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one. I’ve added additional tabs to my spreadsheet of inventory; reorganizing by bloom size (so I know when to stop each plant), form (to help with my planting map), and height so I don’t do exactly what you mention - plant a tall one in front of a short one. I’m a little overwhelmed because I’m feeling rushed to get them into the ground! I’m at the debilitated stage currently. 😅

Krista

calico20hill "blue" Salish Hiro's Welcome"

Oh I’d love to see a photo of this one, I’m not familiar with it!

Bessie

calico20hill I too had a few days with my brain in a whirlpool. That's the day I asked about Kelgai Anne's seed making ability. If I'm trying to breed new varieties, I better have some viable seeds to work with!🤔

I finally decided to trust the words that @Teddahlia has said many times, that like types are best planted with like types.

With that said, for days now, I've wondered what the seedlings of an anemone(such as Take Off) would look like crossed with a waterlily, such as Hollyhill Serenity. If it was able to make viable seed, it likely would not make a dahlia type approved by the ADS. What if it made something with a combination of both petals? I dream it might look like a fluffy centered Peony Flower.

calico20hill

calico20hill
Well, the earlier forecast was more true then then the downgraded ones. We were up around 94 by mid afternoon. I soaked the pots that are in the shade this morning then again this evening. Likewise, the ones that were planted in the garden. Some leaves were looking uncomfortable. But the heat wave is just starting....I hates it!

calico20hill

Bessie I think part of the fun is trying out some of these wild ideas. Then we will know if they were just dreams or if there is a possiblity that it might work/. If you have the space to grow them out, do it just because you want to see. Besides, some times they are so NOT what you wanted that they make you laugh and that is good for the soul!

calico20hill

Well, here is Hiro''s Welcome that is named aftger my grandson, Hiro. He only arrived 3 years ago which is a long time to wait for a first grand baby! His mama is my youngest adopted daughter.

calico20hill

Whoops, that photo was supposed to go under the weather chat.

Teddahlia

I tried some anenome seed only once and we gathered them at Swan Island. The seedlings were 100% trash. I think the disc floret flowers need to be crossed with flowers that have disc florets and even then most will still be lousy. I followed that Aussie breeder of anemones for years and he posted pictures and spreadsheets and I kept waiting for some nice ones. They must be a pain in the ass to breed.

Krista

Teddahlia The seedlings were 100% trash

For unknown reasons this line gave me a heck of a LOL! 🤣

calico20hill

We are not getting the wind gusts that other people are talking aobut. They must not be making it down into our little sloping bottom of a hill. So the thermometer reads 95 outside but the weather station says 88. Yes, I think that much difference in possible and likely here. And we seldom get strong winds where my garden is. I'm looking forward the temp dropping a few degrees each day now., and hoping I can plant out when the temps drop into the low 80's mid day. The drip tape system is hooked up now and ready to go.

Teddahlia

All Time Heat Record for May
Last night the high low was 63F and it was the warmest night ever recorded in the month of May in Portland. It is definitely planting season.

calico20hill

I agree with Spot! HOwever, have you seen the forecast for areal flood watch?! Up to an inch of rain this afternoon?! CLouds now starting to move in from the SE...are they over you, Ted? I would be rather excited ot have a good rain that would cool the air and make it so I could plant my plants out! I've been giving the rows where I got some into the ground last week a good soaking morning and night when the sun is not directly on it. So far so good but I can't wait for the heat bubble to move on!

calico20hill

Waiting for the cool down. Thunder clouds are building around the horizon

calico20hill

The plants get some sun here as it moves across the sky but they have at least half day shade also.

calico20hill

I am going to start planting today . Its a high of 87 then drops back into normal 70's , I may wait until the top beds are in shade in afternoon. The soil seems to hae compacted quite a bit in the raised beds so I am getting help to loosen ti up before planting.Within 3 days the temps will be back in the upper 60's, whew! The soil will certainly have warmed up in the raised beds after this week! The seedlings I had planted out before the heat hit see mto have done OK , I gave them a good soaking morning and night.

NCDahlia

We got 1 inch of rain last night freak thunder storm. Will see just how quick draining the 10 yards of compost + sand hills soil I spread this weekend is. I planted out 450 tubers yesterday all the coveted ones hopefully don't lose any to rot. 40% chance of rain friday and 50% on sunday then 77 highs - 55 lows so good conditions to start seeing some dahlias pop in 2 weeks.

calico20hill

You have much nicer temps then we do. It is still 87 degrees here and the sun is still shining on the bed at 6 PM. I thought it went into shade earlier but maybe that is in late summer. I was planning to spend much of the day planting out but anything over 80 is as hard on me as it is the plants. I am going to try for a 5AM get up tomorrow!. And hope its a cooler day also.

I hope all of you with possible frost tonight escape it and yes, I will be glad to exchange some of this heat for some of yur abnormal chill!

calico20hill

At last! What I consider a perfect gardening day in the Pacific Northwest, in Mid May! Temps in the low 70's this morning, Barely up to 80 now in late afternoon and mostly clear skies. I could'a done more but the old body kind of gave out, LOL. I set out trays of dahlias to plant then decided it was perfect weather for transplanting my snapdragons into the cut flowers bed. Got a nice selection of pinks both light and dark in ...Chantilly's and Madame Butterflies., along with pink Grace godetias. Last year everything was orange or purple so I am pushing pinks this year. Also, the ducks can not resist anything with a spicy fragrance like dianthus., so I need other items for my house bouquets. Went through and tucked the sweet peas into the netting... they are ready to start climbing now.

I discoverd another of my neighbors is a dahlia fanatic and has a cut flowere business so I AM SURROUNDED BY THEM. I have gotten to know her over internet exchanges abut rooting dahlia cuttings...Now she is going to grow out some of my seedlings for me. She has acres and I have 6 raised beds. I made sure she knew that I own the tubers but she is welcome to cut the blossoms. And she is to alert me if something new and different shows up. I think this could be a good team. I do enjoy working with younger folk getting into growing. So funny that I ended up having 2 "flower farm" neighbors within 200 feet each way from me! And another neighbor within 200 feet along our country road has a lavender farm that I think she is expanding. ITS KINDA FUN to be retired and just do my own thing but have friends who understand and love the whole world of growing flowers..We are in an area that is mostly 2-5 acres lots and room for a horse or two or goats or chickens. Hmmm, "weather chat"...so we al lworry about frosts, high temps, ice storms and draught.

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