Snowmageddon!

(a pic from my office)

ok, I guess I jumped the gun in the last posting because during this last week we got a blizzard in Seattle. So, several inches of snow accumulated within two days. I did manage to put the burlap back down over emerging bulbs (for what it's worth), but I am pretty confident that the broccoli is now beyond care.

And, as quickly as the snows came, they quickly disappeared. Temperatures raised, rains came down, and the snow melted pretty quickly. But, that's not the end of it. Seattle also got a lovely wind storm a few days ago. It managed to knock over the lightweight plastic shelving system on my deck (the one with all my potted cyclamen) and create more problems. I've now repotted my cyclamen for the fourth time since I've begun collecting them. Needless to say, the stupid plastic rack goes. I'll have to brainstorm an alternative solution, but the pots will just have to sit in the corner of the deck on the floor.

A New Year

Well, January is here, and weather reminds me of October and November. This has to be one of the mildest winters on record. December was certainly one of the most dry. There was very little rain. Also, I remember only a few nights that got down to below freezing. The fact that my broccoli is still alive attests to this.

Yesterday I got outside and got some work done in my plot. I folded up the burlap and raked up and removed the leaves I laid down a couple of months ago. They were quite dry and hadn't decomposed much. Also, I tried to clear out as much of the weeds (there are plenty) that took root since last fall.

Some of the perennial bulbs are beginning to poke up above ground, and I noticed some new growth with the hellebore and cyclamen coum. I expect to see these plants start to take off by early February (maybe sooner with such warm weather). I just hope there is no major cold snap yet to come.