Tomatoes & Squash

I have goosebumps!! I can’t wait to see some little green heads peek out of some planting containers!
And don’t your babies look happy!

Thanks for sharing.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Your seedlings are thriving! I was thinking about growing different squashes this morning but our ground has recently been re-covered with a thick layer of snow and Canada is generously sharing its icy arctic temperatures with us, so I will just look at your seedlings, dream and wait. Three more months to the last frost…..

Thank you for the kind reminder that spring is coming. : )

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

It got much too cold here last night. I sure hope we didn’t lose any of our fruit trees. They are all budding now and some have fruit on them. I just hope this is our last bout with frigid cold fronts. We have 2 lemon, 2 orange and one tangerine tree. I covered all the trees and put flood lights under 2 of the bigger trees. It got way down to 25.5 F or -3.6 C and everything was frost coated this morning. It was pretty to look at but worrisome to say the least.
For North Florida that sure is cold. I know our friends to the north must think that’s not too bad but it is for this neck of the woods. It’s going to get back to normal this week, I hope!

Broccoli looks sad! Our beach umbrella came in handy :D

-- Type-0's are normal for me! St Augustine Florida

Looking good.

-- JTC

Very healthy and happy looking seedlings.

-- Desktopgem

I am usually in Florida at this time of year. Your pictures and notes makes me feel almost homesick for my little spot on Hutchinson Is. (Well, not almost, really homesick) Ha-ha.

Looks like you had your trees well protected. Hope they’re ok.

-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'

Iris43,
Sorry I made you homesick! Is there anything I can post to remedy that home sickness? :(
I could send you some photos of me mowing the lawn! :) LOL!!!

I took the protection down and some of the new tender leaves got hit by the frost. But for the most part everything still has all its buds and fruit, they all look healthy. I had two flood lights under the umbrella on that lemon tree and one under the blue tarp on the orange tree. They are all doing very fine now!
Thank you for all the nice comments!
Stay warm Iris!
Tony

-- Type-0's are normal for me! St Augustine Florida

brrr … a drop in temperature is cold – no matter what the numbers say.

Gotta love umbrellas. They make great garden helpers.
I’m going to tuck away your idea of a flood light for future reference. My goal it to have some fruit trees pruned to about 7’ tall – the umbrella plus flood light should hopefully protect them when they are in blossom and the frosty nights hit.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

MsDebbie,
Our news said that the potato crop here in Florida was damaged severally. Some farmers covered their crops with dirt. Other covered them with tarps. The ones that didn’t do anything and lost it all. They showed huge fields of wilted plants. so sad to see. I only have a few little trees to cover and if it’s really cold I’ll set up the flood lights to help keep them from freezing. I found if the new tender growth is touching any cloth or plastic covering at the top it will damage it or permanent damage the new growth. All my lemon buds, flowers and fruit are all ok! :) I only lost some tender tips.
Got your GT news! Thank you MsDebie! :)

-- Type-0's are normal for me! St Augustine Florida

frost is indeed a challenge – especially with trees.
I have (hopefully ) started some espalier pruning and plant to create a tipi effect during frosty nights—hopefully easier to protect them safely.

great re: GT News!

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

I wish you luck Debbie! Tipi! Now you got me thinking!

-- Type-0's are normal for me! St Augustine Florida