March madness

March is always the worst month. We're so close to spring and yet not out of winter. This morning it was 13 degrees F. when I got up around 7 a.m. with a predicted high of 26. It's sunny with none of the wild whipping winds we experienced earlier this week. But I'm a basket case as there is not a drop of snow cover anywhere in the garden.

One Hellebore is blooming, along with three different varieties of Snowdrops. My Rhodie is covered with fat buds and more than a half dozen woodland Peonies have sent their ruby snouts upwards.

I can't bear to look out the window or even think about the damage such temperatures might cause after our warm spell. I should have been paying more attention to the coming cold temps so I could have piled some leaves over the plants whose flowers I've been dreaming of seeing all this past winter. It's March and I'm mad!

Comments

[Frank]

Hang in there! We're getting the same ups and downs here and so far it took a low of 7F to do any real damage to hellebores and snowdrops. I hope yours make it through just fine.
-this is much easier to say after getting a few inches of snow cover before the bottom drops out of our weather tomorrow.

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Those da-- winds have hit here. The temp was 30 degrees colder today than it was yesterday and it is getting worse. Our Magnolia is loaded with buds that will be frozen the next few days. This will be the first year it hasn't had blooms in a long time. This is the worst weather yet. Colder than it was all of February. Geez. We have been spoiled. I'm mad too. Hang on to your hat it is quite the roller coaster ride.

[Beth @ PlantPostings]

Usually I think February is the worst month, because it's basically a repeat of the cold, snowy weather of January. But February wasn't too bad this year. This late cold snap is tough. I tried to mulch over the spring-flowering plants that were about to bloom. I don't know if it will help too much, but none of them--except the Snowdrops--were actually blooming yet. If they survive the brutal cold, we should have quite a show next week when the weather warms!

[Barbara H.]

Yes, we have a freezing night in next week's forecast, though not nearly as low as yours. Spring is so fickle.

[Loree / danger garden]

I'm so sorry! This sounds like a garden nightmare. Fingers crossed...

[Jenny]

I have had similar concerns here as temperatures swing into the 90s and only to plummet overnight . Such a worrying time of year for the gardener. I dread the thought of a frost at this point, but hail even more. I hope everything survived in your garden.

[Peter/Outlaw]

Someone needs to tell Jack Frost and Mother Nature that we're simply not amused in the least by their little jokes. Fingers crossed for the survival of your plants!