By the looks of the forecast the cold weather will come again starting February 13th. The only thing worse would be a too early a warm up that would push out growth on trees, shrubs and flower bulbs early only to have them “fried” when the next cold wave would come in as such was the case with the warm February of 1992. On a historical note, the family Bible of George Washington has his birth recorded on the fifth of February of 1731 although we were all taught in school that he was born on February 22, 1732!
The second bay of the greenhouse is just about ready to be opened as space is at a premium with all rooted cuttings of annual flowers ready to be shifted from small rooting cells to larger pots and hanging baskets. Then too will be the time to figure out the rotation of an insect control program that will ensure that the pests such as thrips, European two-spotted spider mites, whiteflies, aphids and so on to not develop resistance to the spray materials and in the rotation of materials controlling the bugs without the use of neonicotinoides that may be harmful to our pollinator insect friends. No doubt the bugs are in the greenhouse now even though my careful scouting has not turned up anything; however, I know they’re somewhere in the greenhouse.
Tomorrow is our first seminar with Judy Semroc on the relationship of plants with insect pollinators. Then my hydrangea seminar follows on the 14th so that I’ll be refreshing my knowledge of this wonderful genus!
Let’s all hope for a slow, measured and gradual warm up starting in early March so that maybe, just maybe, spring will finally open up “normally”. Whatever normal is.
Tom
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