Author Topic: Major winter storm!  (Read 7558 times)

850FL

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #25 on: February 16, 2021, 07:16:48 PM »



Saw last night’s low and started to fear.. then actually started hoping it would get to 20 to see the effects of everything.. fortunately or unfortunately it only got to 25 (3 year low). None of the moringas and many papayas were not frozen back. Tender growth on jackfruits burnt, carambolas about to defoliate. Superficial leaf damage on a couple exposed mangos. Passions either burnt way back or were unscathed. No damage on any lychees, longans, annonas, or WI/G avocados, and surprisingly no damage on any tropical guavas (they may drop a few leaves later). Thankfully the Gulf just barely held that big freeze off..
As for the people with greenhouses.. can you burn small fires around the perimeters during the brunt of the storm to keep the surrounding area warmer? Or is that too dangerous and pointless?

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #26 on: February 16, 2021, 07:52:12 PM »
Hope you and your plants are doing well during this freezing weather. Cold front missed where I am, but still pretty cold with the night time temps in the mid to low 20s.

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #27 on: February 17, 2021, 09:02:27 AM »



Saw last night’s low and started to fear.. then actually started hoping it would get to 20 to see the effects of everything.. fortunately or unfortunately it only got to 25 (3 year low). None of the moringas and many papayas were not frozen back. Tender growth on jackfruits burnt, carambolas about to defoliate. Superficial leaf damage on a couple exposed mangos. Passions either burnt way back or were unscathed. No damage on any lychees, longans, annonas, or WI/G avocados, and surprisingly no damage on any tropical guavas (they may drop a few leaves later). Thankfully the Gulf just barely held that big freeze off..


You faired pretty well! Are most of your plants in ground or container?

850FL

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #28 on: February 17, 2021, 10:30:11 AM »



Saw last night’s low and started to fear.. then actually started hoping it would get to 20 to see the effects of everything.. fortunately or unfortunately it only got to 25 (3 year low). None of the moringas and many papayas were not frozen back. Tender growth on jackfruits burnt, carambolas about to defoliate. Superficial leaf damage on a couple exposed mangos. Passions either burnt way back or were unscathed. No damage on any lychees, longans, annonas, or WI/G avocados, and surprisingly no damage on any tropical guavas (they may drop a few leaves later). Thankfully the Gulf just barely held that big freeze off..


You faired pretty well! Are most of your plants in ground or container?

Well a lot of both really, but most saplings over 3 foot in the ground.. various exposures too

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #29 on: February 21, 2021, 02:24:54 PM »
Just read at our local electric co-op's Facebook page that 500 poles are down in our rural area alone, may be without power for  weeks.   Major devastation from Fredericksburg (which is up and made it out pretty easy) to  10 miles north of us - ice storm then 4" of snow, lows near zero.  Greenhouse trashed again cause I ran out of fuel during the last few hours with 17F lows from midnight until morn, day 6 - Murphy's frickin law!  Was prepared with an alarm, free standing 100K propane heater but came up 1 tank short which gave out at midnight, then temps dropped.  Saved some scions, banked tree grafts which are sitting in a warm fridge.   Had no way to get out the frozen, ice blocked  gate plus HWY 16 was black ice for a week, no travel.  Lots of trees down including on the farm around the house.  Still no electricity, toilets are smelling pretty gamey to say the least, at least I have 2,800 gals. of rainwater to flush. 

Finally got a shower at my cousin's place yesterday.   No internet so am at a restaurant taking advantage and fielding 100's of emails for 8 days incoming. 

We were totally isolated regarding travel until Friday when I finally made it in for propane.  Little too late.

Will send pix later. Won't believe it.

Regards,
Mark

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #30 on: February 21, 2021, 03:33:05 PM »
My condolences on the loss of your greenhouse plants. Hopefully, at least something will survive. I feel lucky I am not in your situation. Despite the ice and snow, my immediate area managed not to lose power, though other nearby areas did lose power, and the roads around my house were completely iced over until earlier today.

zands

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #31 on: February 22, 2021, 08:53:54 AM »
Kinda reminds me of the 1989 freeze,that one kept coming right across the pond(gulf) and deep into Mexico.

Hope the best for you Mark

Here some old tech http://blog.modernmechanix.com/how-does-it-work-oil-lamp-fan/

1989 was cold! We hit 17 at our farm in Sebring. Fascinating, fan by the way!

My parents lived here 1989 in 33321...... My father let all outside water taps leaking slow so they would not freeze. Their newly planted grafted mango tree froze down to the graft. The rootstock lived and put forth a rootstock mango tree of small yellow fruits which I ate when I visited. I was also deputized to gather them up about July 4th when I would come down. They were very edible and my parents froze them to eat later on.

NateTheGreat

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #32 on: February 22, 2021, 07:23:10 PM »
Sorry to hear that Mark. Goes to show how hard zone pushing in a heated greenhouse is, even for an old pro like you. Looking forward to see what you do next.

zands

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #33 on: February 22, 2021, 09:23:16 PM »
Mark----- You did all your backups and precautions for greenhouse and grapes. What can you do when you are hit by a once in 75 year weather event.
EXAMPLE --- the Texas windmills for electricity generation were not built with a heater within that draws from the grid. So they froze
IOWA windmills are going to be very cold every winter. They are build with  that heater that draws from the grid

 I predict -- Most of your grapevines will survive. They will come back from what they freeze down to.

kingoceanos

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #34 on: February 23, 2021, 07:37:02 AM »
I live in Conroe Texas (8b). My normal preparations of tents, frames with tarps and floodlights proved useless with the power out for so long. I am going to wait for signs of life before removing anything. I've had my citrus for twenty five years, They came back from a trip to Disney in Florida in my old dodge truck. Been missing that old truck for years, now I might be missing the citrus too. All the Avocados look totally dead I might get some growth out of the root-stock but the grafted material is probably all gone. I might try grafting again, just not sure at the moment.                                                         

I'm hoping for the best for you.

P.S. I've enjoyed following your posts.

swincher

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #35 on: February 23, 2021, 10:55:36 AM »
All the Avocados look totally dead I might get some growth out of the root-stock but the grafted material is probably all gone. I might try grafting again, just not sure at the moment.

Just curious which cultivars and how cold you got there. I've been hoping to hear "miracle stories" about some of the more cold-hardy Mexican cultivars popularized in recent years. I know the "Del Rio" mother tree survived the 1989 frost of ~10F, but it will be interesting to see if it and other allegedly cold hardy trees fared better than the more commercial cultivars, and whether own-rooted cold-hardy avocados did better than ones grafted on West Indian rootstock.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #36 on: February 23, 2021, 10:57:11 AM »
Thanks Zands, think the vines will be fine.

I live in Conroe Texas (8b). My normal preparations of tents, frames with tarps and floodlights proved useless with the power out for so long. I am going to wait for signs of life before removing anything. I've had my citrus for twenty five years, They came back from a trip to Disney in Florida in my old dodge truck. Been missing that old truck for years, now I might be missing the citrus too. All the Avocados look totally dead I might get some growth out of the root-stock but the grafted material is probably all gone. I might try grafting again, just not sure at the moment.                                                         

I'm hoping for the best for you.

P.S. I've enjoyed following your posts.

FINALLY got power last night.  That shower sure felt good and living in total darkness telling stories to each other to stay entertained gets old!  Needless to say lost a lot of food.  Managed to save some fine cuts of meats and of all things, some "gourmet" tamales LOL.  I feel sorry for those still with power.  ANGELS (crews) have been working around the clock to install new poles and get folks up.

Hang tough. One week later I'm seeing plenty of green.   I'll be posting varieties that are most cold hardy later.   There will be some surprises.   Sharwil was holding lots of Lamb and Sharwil fruit...looks really sad.  Reed may be one of the most cold hardy avocados out there if you can believe.  Am seeing green like 6' and above.  Keep in mind freezing started about midnight when my propane gave up the ghost with a low of 22F for hours. 

Am picking some fine citrus so that's a plus.  Annonas were covered up big time.  Any exposed areas are dead.

Don't do anything for a couple of weeks.  I and some other folks here can help with the wood, BUT, under your circumstances i wouldn't do avocados unless you can protect them with a large greenhouse with at least a 14' ridge or better. 

FWIW, out of all my my 5 avocado seedlings there is one that is wasn't even fazed!  Was on the greenhouse floor, green and as purty as can be.   

Good luck 


Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #37 on: March 12, 2021, 11:19:57 AM »
It's official, we (north of Fredericksburg, TX and west) took the brunt of the storms, 5 of them one after another.   :(  Old, tough live oaks got nailed.  Some livestock and exotic game killed due to a lack of water.  Total of 2,000 poles went down as I sit here waiting for broken oak tree branches to fall to the ground around the house being too high to reach!   Took 3 weeks to restore power to everybody by our utility angels working round the clock for 3 weeks.   

Am going real slow on pruning anything in the greenhouse, it's a waiting game.   

Had 22F for at least 8 hours, needed only 7 hours of propane, ran out, day 6 of being isolated and the night before I could get the car out on the highway.   Citrus is pushing very nice green shoots.  Avocado trees are green, been eating a lot of great albeit pre-mature Sharwil.   Much of it lost, turned black on the tree.  Lost all the Lamb fruit.  :(

All very recent and young grafts died, citrus and 2 Jan Boyce. 

Don't know about the annonas.  Even though the grafts were covered, they don't look good. 

Think the mangos are gonna make it.  Greenhouse floor is thick with leaves.


« Last Edit: March 12, 2021, 11:25:56 AM by Mark in Texas »

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #38 on: March 12, 2021, 11:23:25 AM »
Mark----- You did all your backups and precautions for greenhouse and grapes. What can you do when you are hit by a once in 75 year weather event.

Grapes are fine, sap is running heavy, dripping at the cuts.  Am about half way through with the pruning.  Big PITA though with each vine taking about 5 minutes and having to use heavy long handle pruning clippers often.



bovine421

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #39 on: March 12, 2021, 04:33:40 PM »
Mark----- You did all your backups and precautions for greenhouse and grapes. What can you do when you are hit by a once in 75 year weather event.

Grapes are fine, sap is running heavy, dripping at the cuts.  Am about half way through with the pruning.  Big PITA though with each vine taking about 5 minutes and having to use heavy long handle pruning clippers often.


Mark most historic weather events get a name. What are they calling this the Comanche winter.

I do have a question I have to ask you. Do you use binoculars to see if your mailbox flag is up or down?
Tete Nene Julie Juliet Carrie Ice Cream Coconut Cream Little Gem  Dot  Mallika PPK  OS  Pina Colada Cotton Candy Buxton Spice Karen Michelle M-4 Beverly Marc Anthony White Pirie Lychee Cherilata Plantain Barbados Cherry

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #40 on: March 13, 2021, 07:49:10 AM »
Mark most historic weather events get a name. What are they calling this the Comanche winter.

They're calling the event "Winter Storm Uri", 2nd paragraph in the paper op.  Where they got that name I don't know.   Speaking of Comanches, a German immigrant by the name of Meusebach drafted the only native American treaty that has never been broken as our area was settled by German immigrants.   https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/meusebach-comanche-treaty

Quote
I do have a question I have to ask you. Do you use binoculars to see if your mailbox flag is up or down?

Say what?   :D

bovine421

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #41 on: March 13, 2021, 08:07:17 AM »
Mark most historic weather events get a name. What are they calling this the Comanche winter.

They're calling the event "Winter Storm Uri", 2nd paragraph in the paper op.  Where they got that name I don't know.   Speaking of Comanches, a German immigrant by the name of Meusebach drafted the only native American treaty that has never been broken as our area was settled by German immigrants.   https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/meusebach-comanche-treaty

Quote
I do have a question I have to ask you. Do you use binoculars to see if your mailbox flag is up or down?

Say what?   :D
That's a Midwestern inside joke. When I used to visit my grandmother as a child in Missouri.   She would ask me to walk to the mailbox. I would practically need to pack a lunch for the trip. It was a good thing there was a shade tree on the way. :)
The anniversary of the Texas Rangers is in a couple years I was listening to a program where an author was discussing his book.
To put it mildly! Life in Texas has been historically  harsh.
Tete Nene Julie Juliet Carrie Ice Cream Coconut Cream Little Gem  Dot  Mallika PPK  OS  Pina Colada Cotton Candy Buxton Spice Karen Michelle M-4 Beverly Marc Anthony White Pirie Lychee Cherilata Plantain Barbados Cherry

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #42 on: March 13, 2021, 08:19:42 AM »
That's a Midwestern inside joke. When I used to visit my grandmother as a child in Missouri.   She would ask me to walk to the mailbox. I would practically need to pack a lunch for the trip. It was a good thing there was a shade tree on the way. :)
The anniversary of the Texas Rangers is in a couple years I was listening to a program where an author was discussing his book.
To put it mildly! Life in Texas has been historically  harsh.

Funny stuff, thanks for sharing! 

Lots of history in this area, grass roots developments like Fort Martin Scott and the buildings.  We have a fabulous park, museum, sculptures dedicated to all the Texas Rangers that died in the line of duty.  Have an annual event with all the goodies - rope making demo, free tours of the old jailhouse, cowboys' lodging, etc., teepees, a real Comanche pow wow, etc.







Old jail cell




« Last Edit: March 13, 2021, 08:22:10 AM by Mark in Texas »

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #43 on: March 13, 2021, 08:24:29 AM »
600 yr. old live oak at Fort Martin Scott.  BTW, Luckenbach is just outside of town.   A relaxing tourist trap to have a few beers and listen to a walk in sing and play guitar.



Feb. 16 temps - top row, 3F outside.  2nd row 33F inside the greenhouse.  2 more storms was the final blow.


« Last Edit: March 13, 2021, 08:29:06 AM by Mark in Texas »

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #44 on: March 13, 2021, 08:55:43 AM »
Nice Mark, we visited that artist place on Orcas Is. Wa. years ago has beautiful place his sculptures are a trip!!
hang in Mark 8)

Wow, just noticed this!  So you visited with Anthony Howe himself?

Yeah, to say he's a trip is an understatement.  His latest stuff is as wild as ever.

https://www.howeart.net/new-page-3   

shaneatwell

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #45 on: March 13, 2021, 03:33:16 PM »
Hey Mark. Hope enough survives to keep you going and on the forums. Good luck! Interested to see what's the most hardy.
Shane

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #46 on: March 13, 2021, 05:55:23 PM »
Hey Mark. Hope enough survives to keep you going and on the forums. Good luck! Interested to see what's the most hardy.

Hi Shane.  Yeah this will be a good test regarding cold hardiness.  I'll post the results in a week or so.  I think the survival will be 100% on the citrus and avocados.  Things were really looking good with all trees about to explode in blooms.

What's interesting is how good the oranges are with absolutely no damage.  Am puzzled when citrus orchards staff run around placing smudge pots with a forecast  into the 20's. 

johnb51

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #47 on: March 13, 2021, 06:51:33 PM »
600 yr. old live oak at Fort Martin Scott.  BTW, Luckenbach is just outside of town.   A relaxing tourist trap to have a few beers and listen to a walk in sing and play guitar.



Feb. 16 temps - top row, 3F outside.  2nd row 33F inside the greenhouse.  2 more storms was the final blow.



Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana), one of the great trees of the American South from coastal Virginia to Texas.  Magnificent tree.  Another even greater tree of the South--longleaf pine--which several conservation groups are working at restoring.  Aside from fruit trees, two of my favorite trees!
John

Mark in Texas

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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #48 on: March 14, 2021, 10:30:12 AM »
Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana), one of the great trees of the American South from coastal Virginia to Texas.  Magnificent tree.  Another even greater tree of the South--longleaf pine--which several conservation groups are working at restoring.  Aside from fruit trees, two of my favorite trees!

Funny you should bring up longleaf pine.   Beautiful lumber, trees are being replanted.   Gave a local historical restorer a bunch of it that was in an old house he tore down for us. 


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Re: Major winter storm!
« Reply #49 on: March 14, 2021, 03:07:27 PM »

What's interesting is how good the oranges are with absolutely no damage.  Am puzzled when citrus orchards staff run around placing smudge pots with a forecast  into the 20's.

You think lack of winds from being in a greenhouse makes the difference?