Miketropics blog -- Spring is FINALLY here

[Kristen]

Thats why I made the smaller image so no one can see my sub par drawing skills and laugh at them 4,000 miles away

You can't hear us laughing 4,000 miles away? We'll have to try harder

[Yorkshire Kris]

Nice shape but I need to see the detail.

[miketropic]

spring is just starting to arrive..snow has gone and temps are around 16 or 18 by day and around 0 at night. should not be long now. I did finally move house and took as much as I could with the weather and time constraints so we will see how it unfolds. massive losses this year with our horrible winter but it should still turn out alright..I will always rebuild.

got a few new plants in today from winter pre orders..

1 dormant sum and substance hosta
1 dormant filigree hosta
1 cameo hosta plug
1 mahonia "soft caress"

all were from a new vendor and I was pleased with them when they arrived. as soon as my internet gets hooked back up I will post photos

[Yorkshire Kris]

Sorry about your losses I'm sure you and your new garden will bounce back strong.
Looking forward to the photos.

[miketropic]

there will always be losses this is a tough zone for tropicals but how you bounce back will speak in the garden..now that I am in a place I will be for awhile I should have a better luck each year. soil ammendments and wind breaks to be planted very soon

[otorongo]

We're getting roughly the same daytime highs and the nights are around 8C, but in a few weeks' time the long summer will arrive in Kentucky and we'll be jealous of your heat

Best of luck with your new place and garden.

[miketropic]

it snowed yesterday and 21c on friday lol

[fern Rob]

Snow

[miketropic]

21c the last few days..hot all the sheds and picked up a few small things. biggest accomplishment was 800lbs of composted manure and top soil dropped off today as well as some posts for a fence. picked up some wood from a fallen barn to make a rustic fence out of but will def need more..if the temps will hold out I will be making some progress soon. internet was installed at the new place today so pics will be on the way!

[miketropic]

After a bit of a cold spell..again temps are staying right around 20c in the day so I have been out in the garden. Set a few posts for a new arbor I am building to divide the arid stuff and the tropical stuff..also checked on a few pots I over wintered in the crawl space..

Sedums starting to break even bare rooted



Spotty Dotty popping up although I think its a bit early and will get killed back by frost



overwintered some voodoo lillys dry and they also started to pop so went in the pots..the konjacs are comming on to so I need to get more dirt!

[miketropic]

A bit of hope after the horrible winter here in the midwest. Temps are around 21 c for the next week and the sun was out all day. Took a few things out from under the house, arundo , sedums, cactus, and potted them up. checked all my pots and have pips showing on 90% of the hostas. These hosta were left bare rooted on top the ground all winter long with what seem to be no adverse effects. I did get some rotten corms of bajoos left in a pot and a few other things but for the most part ok.

I don't grow much for flowers but my wife enjoys them so if I am going to do it they have to be a bit different. Some of the tulips I planted are comming up..

Variegated



Red Riding Hood ( with the red streaks showing on the backs of the leaves )



More as it warms up and the garden gets under way!

[Yorkshire Kris]

It's amazing how quick your temps change Mike. Soon you'll have forgotten about the terrible winter.

[miketropic]

It's amazing how quick your temps change Mike. Soon you'll have forgotten about the terrible winter.

Its a very thin line though Kris..it warms like this over night..but temps can fall like that over night as well. we had 2 very hard frost Sunday and Monday morning around 0c..then 21c that same day. You have to keep your eye on it till about May when you are sure no more cold snaps will happen or you lose alot in spring here. Still happy for the warm sun and being able to get outside after all that snow

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

overwintered some voodoo lillys dry and they also started to pop so went in the pots..the konjacs are comming on to so I need to get more dirt!

Mine were stored dry as well and are now up about 50mm. Don't have Konjac tho, just Sauromatum venosum and Dracunculus vulgaris ...................didn't have your winter cold either

[miketropic]

my vulgaris rotted in the pot this year but the konjacs kept dry are comming on and need to be potted