Northwest Palms

winter already somewhat severe

One thing that sucks about Olympia is that when we get in a fair-weather pattern in winter and an inversion sets up, we are right in the middle of it so it is pretty cold and foggy down here. While places like North Bend will be having lows in the 40s and highs in the 50s and sunshine (and on the coast, and, to a lesser extent, Seattle), we will be stuck with cold foggy weather in the Olympia area. We have had several light frosts so far this winter, but last night got all the way down to 24F, which is pretty surprising - in fact, colder than the airport for once - I can't explain why. there was a very heavy white frost on everything. Today the fog burned off at about 10:30 and the sun was out, but it only got up to 38F for a high. When I was out there just before sunset, there was already "fresh" frost on everything (so tonight will probably also be cold) - but wherever the sun hadn't reached, this morning's frost was still there. So things like bananas, cannas, gingers Tibouchina and such are definitely pretty well done for this year.

I have been away from home for a while once again. When I got back I found that our snow on Nov. 28 or whenever it was must have been quite heavy (I guess I knew that) because trees and shrubs all over the garden are leaning severely or worse, pretty much all over the garden. A big branch broke off my largest euc (E. parvula), and most eucs are still not too happy - they grow up for a few feet and then horizontal. A few of them are flat on the ground and/or broken at the base - so I will be able to make plenty of walking sticks to give away for christmas. A lot of other plants are pretty trashed too. Phyllostachys vivax is completely smashed to the ground. So I have been outside standing things up and tying them to stationary objects nearby, for the more severe cases - but a lot of the eucs, I am just going to let them grow up all crooked; they will look cooler that way anyhow. The garden is quite an etherial sight with eucs and bamboos everywhere leaning horizontally, smaller plants crushed and everything covered with very heavy white frost. If the frost happens again tomorrow I will get out there with my camera....it almost qualifies as a white christmas.

On a positive note, the wind hasn't done too much damage this year, although we did have a few good windstorms.

Merry Christmas to all.

The following thread was started by Ian on December 25, 2001 at 0:58 am PST

...this should bring clouds and keep things more temperate. The Olympia area ground fog usually only lasts 5 to 10 day, and, at least the fog is burnig off every day!

Interesting how much colder your low (24f) was compaired to my (28.9f) the same night. You must be taking your readings on the top of the hill by the greenhuse? But I did record my lowest temperature this winter the next day in the garden at 27f.

GARDEN NOTES: Cannas are toast, t. fortunei, takils and butia capitata show some signs of dark and light leaf streaking. Butia bonnettii, T. latisectus, and hum. x cerif. are doing great.
Musa bajoos is ok, but musa Skimm. is not looking good at all. All the tender understory palms are wrapped and ok. I also wrapped some of the gingers to see if they will over winter for me. All other garden things are ok.

Did you read the weather page in todays Olympian Newspaper?

I guess it could be true if they are talking about the whole county.

This is what it reads;
Today: Partly sunny with patchy morning fog and highs in the 40s. Lows 27 to 40. Thursday through Friday: Mostly cloudy, chance of rain. Highs in the 40s. Lows in the 30s. Saturday through New Year's Day: Mostly cloudy with patchy late night and morning fog, chance of a little rain at times on the coast. ( I didn't know we were on the coast) Highs in the 40s. Lows 27 to 40.
HA!!! HA !!! HA!!!!

The above followup was added by Roger, Olympia 8b on December 26, 2001 at 9:05 am PST.

It is really quite mysterious to me how these frosts work out; it almost never happens that I am colder than the airport. The thermometer is in a fairly representative position in the garden, just a bit up the hill from the house, but not up by the greenhouse. Christmas morning it was 20F at the airport and 26F here - go figure.

It is also strange that our fog isn't burning off, when it is in town. Yesterday it looked like it would and then it thickened up again. So we only got to 35F. Usually it will burn off out here before it does in Olympia, but this is more reliable in the spring and fall.

didn't read the weather page yet.

The above followup was added by Ian on December 26, 2001 at 5:43 pm PST.

I love this plant, but don't grow it because I don't feel like digging it up every fall.

Are you growing it outside? Please tell me what your experience is with it?

Sorry to hear about your damaged plants.

The above followup was added by Jeff, Victoria, BC, 8b on December 26, 2001 at 7:38 pm PST.

I have had it in the ground since summer 1999. It always grows back, but has never got big enough to bloom after the first year. Of course our 24F we just had is the coldest it has been through since I planted it. It is in a slightly (but not extremely) sheltered location.

The above followup was added by Ian on December 27, 2001 at 2:00 am PST.

I was away for a week on the mainland for Christmas . It was clear and cold in White Rock . The ponds were frozen over and the frost never did thaw out during the day . When I returned home and checked what my minimum temp. was , I wasn't to upset to see that our low was only -1.1 degrees celcius . Everything still looks great , even the bananas . Hope you all had a Merry Christmas . Cheers , Joe

The above followup was added by Joe ,SaltSpring Island on December 29, 2001 at 2:34 am PST.