Freezing, Frying and Flying

See Photos at bottom

We can talk about the weather with anyone in nearly anyplace around the world (providing they speak your language…if not, sign language will work). Nearly every region has a line that goes something like this: “If you don’t like the weather in (any location) just wait a while and it’ll change.” West Texas is one of the most changeable. I’ve seen a dust storm, converted to falling mud by rain, beaten into mush by pounding hail and covered by a snow blizzard…all in one day!

The last few days have been notable (understatement). Monday, the high temperature was a sizzling 93F (34C) followed by a nocturnal freeze 27F (-3C). Today we have tree-toppling high winds. To top it all off, we are in a serious drought. Certainly hasn’t been boring!

For the freeze, emergency measures were called for. Fourteen tender new tomato plants were gently set out just days ago. I slid a brown paper sack over each one and slopped dirt on the edges to anchor them in place in hopes of warding-off the frost. Thankfully, it worked.

After frying and freezing, today things were flying. Grit and grime from New Mexico has tinted the parched wind a light brown and toppled the mesquite next door on to our power lines. It was shocking! Currently, the damage is limited to a severely smashed chain link fence. Number 1 took off from work and helped me chainsaw it free (I think he enjoyed the break). Power is out all over our town and the countryside is filled with brush fires. Other than that everything is OK.

Mowing down Hairy Vetch & Rye in future Tomato Bed

Paper sacks in place ready for frost

The morning after...safe and unfrozen

Danger! Mesquite over power lines!

Another electrifying view

Winter Woes

I am not a lover of Winter. Outside the Charamon Garden, it is forty shades of brown. It is not a pretty time of year in West Texas. We had a good color display in Abilene this autumn but those beautiful leaves were soon on the ground.

Usually my garden is a green oasis in the midst of the brown. But the current freeze has been so hard I covered everything I could with floating row covers attempting to minimize damage (not working too well as my last inspection confirmed). So the beds with Carrots, Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale and Collards are out of sight. The garlic and cover crops offer the only green with their wild winter grass, Austrian Winter Peas and Hairy Vetch. It has been so dry (well over 50 days now) that the places that don’t get water from the well are parched and dead.

I had hoped to supply greens for the folks brave enough to come to the market on Saturdays but the cold has brought everything to a halt. I usually go out for my morning coffee and break the ice in the birdbath for the thirsty avians but this morning it was frozen solid. This global warming is killing me!

It is even too cold to pull weeds. Some hardy souls may venture out to tidy things up but I figure it can wait until my fingers won’t turn blue. So, I stay in the study and write blogs like this.

Gardening in West Texas is a challenge. Eight years ago I began improving our sandy/clay/alkaline soil and it is really looking good and growing most vegetables well. Our water is not ideal as it is full of gypsum and sodium but it sustains things until the next good rain. The weather is unpredictable with a sunny warm day on Monday and bitter cold on Tuesday. We have gentle warm breezes one day and fierce and unrelenting winds the next. Now, now, stop crying…I knew what I was getting into! I don’t think I would know how to garden where it rains regularly upon fertile loam and the seasons are predictable.

In the meantime, eat your veggies. Nonnie and Pop said so!

Freeze Predicted!

Dad told me so. He said, “If you hear thunder in February, there’ll be a freeze in April.”   Well, he may be  right. We did hear thunder in February and a frost is predicted for Friday night.  We thought we were safe down here in zone 7b. The tomatoes have been set out and caged. The potatoes are sprouting. Fruit has set on the peach and plum trees. Tiny little figs have appeared on both trees (more like bushes). It’s been a rather coolish spring but another freeze? Egads!

Another piece of fiction is the “Mesquite Tree” theory.  Local wisdom has it that when the mesquite trees begin to leaf out, the danger of frost is past.  I have seen this one fail also.

That’s West Texas for you. We are far enough south to have some balmy spring days but subject to cold fronts roaring out of Canada and down the plains. That’s because it’s all land between here and the Arctic Circle. If we had an ocean between us and the arctic, it would moderate the weather and we’d be growing citrus and relaxing under palm trees.

Thankfully, we have tomato plants in pots should our worst fears be realized. We will move them inside right before the scheduled freeze. It remains to be seen, however, (1) if the forecasters are right and (2) what will survive the frost.

In the meantime, eat your veggies (if they survive the frost)…Nonnie and Pop said so.