Shards of Frost
This spring is so nerve-wracking with frost threatening the past couple of nights, especially with all the warm weather tempting flowers to put out tender buds. Thankfully, the magnolias finished blooming before the frost set in. The veggies in the unheated greenhouse escaped unscathed, but just barely. The next few nights are predicted to be much warmer, so the tomato plants are headed out into the greenhouse this morning. They are very soft from being grown under fluorescent lights so they need some stress, but not too much of a chill, to toughen them up before they go out into the garden in a few weeks. If the nights get too cold again, they’ll be whisked back into the warmth of the house.
It’s been a crazy weather roller coaster, and frankly I get motion sick. At least that’s the feeling I have knowing that the frost came just as the first year of Asian pear blossoms were finishing. Will there be any fruit? I know the rhubarb won’t let me down. The stalks are about 8″ (20 cm) now, I was hoping they’d be at least 10″ (25cm) before I began harvesting. I didn’t grow up with rhubarb. How do you know when to start picking them? Does size matter? I’m more than ready for some rhubarb kuchen so break it to me gently if I have to wait.
With a whole summer full of flowers ahead, I really shouldn’t whine about the few I may have lost to frost or the need to wait for my rhubarb. The peonies enjoy the cooler weather and there are early spring wildflowers even now ready to bloom. As the last shards of frost melt away with the warmth of the sun, we can only appreciate the beauty and the bounty that surrounds us and anticipate so much more to come.
This entry was posted on April 13, 2012 at 9:12 am and is filed under gardening with tags frost, photography, plants, rhubarb, spring. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
April 13, 2012 at 3:02 pm
I hope you and your rhubarb are staying warm through the roller-coaster weather!
April 13, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Thanks for your good wishes. We’re supposed to be in a warm streak for now with thunderstorms in the forecast this weekend.
April 13, 2012 at 10:39 pm
You can pick rhubarb whenever you want, really, so it’s just a matter of thinking whether you want to wait for larger stems or if your present need is urgent enough to justify a smaller crop.
April 14, 2012 at 7:15 am
It does feel urgent. Do I want to wait? Nah. Thanks, it is time for some rhubarb kuchen!
April 14, 2012 at 8:13 am
HI! I saw you liked a post on my blog…thanks! I see you are from Beaver Dam Wisconsin?! I’m originally from Wisconsin-born and raised. I grew up in Mukwonago. Great blog! I’m going to add it to my links list!
April 14, 2012 at 8:30 am
Small world! My mom is from Okinawa, but I’ve lived in Wisconsin all my life and sadly only speak English. I read your “gaijin” post, too. Good luck with all your challenges.
April 14, 2012 at 8:38 am
Okinawa! How wonderful! Out of all the Japanese music, Okinawan is my absolute favorite. Most people have been very nice to me here in Japan-but there are some that need to learn a thing or two…as there are everywhere! I’ll be stopping by your blog to read your gardening adventures and such!
Have a great day (we are just ending ours here in Japan)!
April 14, 2012 at 9:43 am
My mom will be happy to hear that. Have a great tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.