Arizona/SW growers-huge cold front coming

Tracydr · January 9, 2013

Just checked the wether. We have a cold front coming in on Thursday which is being projected to be the worst cold front in decades. They are saying it will be worse than anything since 1988 or worse.
4-6 nights of 29 degrees or colder in the Phoenix area is predicted. Don't know what the temperatures are for the other areas but I bet they're cold!

flyingbrass · January 10, 2013

At least the cold will help reduce the bug population. Last winter stayed warm. Here we never did have a good freeze, and I'm in a cold spot.

I'm going to pick a bunch of grapefruit today. I'll water that tree on the cold nights. Might even set up a heat lamp or two.

As for the garden, I'll drape a tarp over the bed with lettuce because I'm not sure how cold-hardy it is. The rest should be fine.

I don't remember what year it was -- 2008 or earlier? -- the thermometer 6' above ground on my back porch recorded a low of 19 degrees. Ouch. That was the freeze that killed a bunch of landscaping in the valley. And killed my favorite lemon tree despite it having a couple light bulbs and being well covered.

My tomatoes are coming along nicely. I've been putting them outside during the day and bringing in at night. They'll probably have to spend this cold snap inside.

Crandrew · January 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Just checked the wether. We have a cold front coming in on Thursday which is being projected to be the worst cold front in decades. They are saying it will be worse than anything since 1988 or worse.
4-6 nights of 29 degrees or colder in the Phoenix area is predicted. Don't know what the temperatures are for the other areas but I bet they're cold!

Good think i'm trying out my first row covers for my lettuce and spinach

Tracydr · January 11, 2013

I need to spend sometime tomorrow figuring out how to protect some of my plants. I have a feeling my row covers and boxes won't be enough for tomatoes, peppers or eggplants.
Your spinach and lettuce should do great with row covers.

Crandrew · January 11, 2013

I'm really hope they do. They just peeked out yesterday for the first time and I gave a little garden dance.

Doug9345 · January 11, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

I need to spend sometime tomorrow figuring out how to protect some of my plants. I have a feeling my row covers and boxes won't be enough for tomatoes, peppers or eggplants.
Your spinach and lettuce should do great with row covers.

I don't know how cold for how long they are predicting. This advice is assuming that it gets above freezing during the day.
What I've found is that a double layer helps a lot especially if you can space the outer layer away from the inner layer. I also cover very early in the afternoon and not wait until dusk. You're trying to keep them from freezing for a few days and not growing. As soon as I felt that they temperature around them was dropping I'd cover them. The higher the temperature you start at the better your chance you have of keeping them from freezing.

I've also used indoor outdoor Christmas lights as sources of heat. Even small amount of heat makes a big difference.

Alpinejs · January 11, 2013

Alpine doesn't seem to have heard of global warming yet. We are to have five
days of freezing temps all the way down to 24. I have two hothouses and two
hoophouses and electric heaters in each blows the circuit breakers and runs
our bill up astronomically (2nd highest electr. rates in the US).

My solution has been votive candles from the 99 cent stores. Three candles in
each holds them above freezing. It looks like each candle will last 3 nights, so
it is about a dollar to heat each on per night I am sure my outside stuff will
not survive. I picked everything even close to ripe and got seed off the
Amazon chocolate.. Oh well, if it isn't severe hailstorms, it is freezes. I am overdue
for a problem free growing season!! It helps me appreciate what farmers
live with.

Doug9345 · January 11, 2013

I never thought of candles. I have a bunch of burners for kerosene lamps that I've thought of building metal chimneys for and putting them to use keeping plants warm, but never candles. Thanks for the suggestion.

Sun City Linda · January 11, 2013

Looks like I got down to 24 last night. I had covered some ornamentals too big or heavy to move. Had already picked most of my green tomatoes. Supposed to be mid to high twenties at night most of the week - yikes!

Fred Hempel · January 11, 2013

We hit 29 last night. We don't start having serious problems until we hit 25.

January 9, 2013	#1
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Arizona/SW growers-huge cold front coming Just checked the wether. We have a cold front coming in on Thursday which is being projected to be the worst cold front in decades. They are saying it will be worse than anything since 1988 or worse. 4-6 nights of 29 degrees or colder in the Phoenix area is predicted. Don't know what the temperatures are for the other areas but I bet they're cold!

January 10, 2013	#2
flyingbrass Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Glendale, AZ 9b Posts: 90	At least the cold will help reduce the bug population. Last winter stayed warm. Here we never did have a good freeze, and I'm in a cold spot. I'm going to pick a bunch of grapefruit today. I'll water that tree on the cold nights. Might even set up a heat lamp or two. As for the garden, I'll drape a tarp over the bed with lettuce because I'm not sure how cold-hardy it is. The rest should be fine. I don't remember what year it was -- 2008 or earlier? -- the thermometer 6' above ground on my back porch recorded a low of 19 degrees. Ouch. That was the freeze that killed a bunch of landscaping in the valley. And killed my favorite lemon tree despite it having a couple light bulbs and being well covered. My tomatoes are coming along nicely. I've been putting them outside during the day and bringing in at night. They'll probably have to spend this cold snap inside.

January 11, 2013	#4
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I need to spend sometime tomorrow figuring out how to protect some of my plants. I have a feeling my row covers and boxes won't be enough for tomatoes, peppers or eggplants. Your spinach and lettuce should do great with row covers.

January 11, 2013	#5
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	I'm really hope they do. They just peeked out yesterday for the first time and I gave a little garden dance.

January 11, 2013	#7
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	Alpine doesn't seem to have heard of global warming yet. We are to have five days of freezing temps all the way down to 24. I have two hothouses and two hoophouses and electric heaters in each blows the circuit breakers and runs our bill up astronomically (2nd highest electr. rates in the US). My solution has been votive candles from the 99 cent stores. Three candles in each holds them above freezing. It looks like each candle will last 3 nights, so it is about a dollar to heat each on per night I am sure my outside stuff will not survive. I picked everything even close to ripe and got seed off the Amazon chocolate.. Oh well, if it isn't severe hailstorms, it is freezes. I am overdue for a problem free growing season!! It helps me appreciate what farmers live with.

January 11, 2013	#8
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	I never thought of candles. I have a bunch of burners for kerosene lamps that I've thought of building metal chimneys for and putting them to use keeping plants warm, but never candles. Thanks for the suggestion.

January 11, 2013	#9
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	Looks like I got down to 24 last night. I had covered some ornamentals too big or heavy to move. Had already picked most of my green tomatoes. Supposed to be mid to high twenties at night most of the week - yikes!

January 11, 2013	#10
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	We hit 29 last night. We don't start having serious problems until we hit 25.