I don't ususally get to capture a photo of frost on dandilion fluff - the two don't always intermingle. This was a couple of mornings ago. I'm hoping to be frost free for six to eight weeks now. Hopefully.
Well captured Melody. I hope the frost leaves now that you've got your photograph and stays away for quite some time.
Holy cow, you are still having frost? We were happy that it was cool enough this morning to open the house and turn off the air conditioning. We won't have frost until late October or early November. Loved your photo--very good!
@marlingardener -Yeah...I get quite a lot of random frosts. It's not uncommon for potatoes to be lost mid June. Last year I had my first hard frost the last week of August. That was it for beans and squash. My neighbour on the lake 8 km away was able to grow for another month. When it is summer here...things grow like mad. I have a semi rain forest area ( ostrich ferns, cedar trees etc.) Two properties over they don't have those. Very micro climate. I can call myself zone 3 if I don't include the frost free days and the negatiave 34 C winters with heavy snow fall. Frost free days has me zone 2. It's a fun one to navigate But I do love it.
Melody Mc zone 2 that;s a lot of frost. Sounds like tundra conditions harsh freezes,and drought . Would have a short season for veggie gardening.
Definitely not tundra although I have lived up North and have a friend in the Yukon - we both had much better luck with the long days combined with no frost . I could grow tomatoes outside beside my house. I have luck with some hardy perenials that are zone 3a as long as they are protected by the house. Every year is a crap shoot as to what lives and dies. Last year with the long winter and high snow levels I lost a lot. Some are coming back though Roses are my favourite, but even the hardy ones don't always overwinter. I don't know where I fit, but when the calculations are done for altititude and the number of frost free days I'm not zone 3. I can grow squash for example, but it has to be early and it never matures before the frost. This will hopefully be one of the first years that I see red tomatoes, because I started them early for a 10 week transplant. ( fingers crossed) Maybe I need my own zone....the Mel Zone All are welcome...it's a gentle and happy place to grow.
It's a lovely photo, and probably a rare occurence too. Your climate seems similar to where my sister-in-law lives, way inland and high up. They had frozen potato grass last July.
Melody you do have interesting and challenging growing conditions! Frost covers don't help with the warm weather veggies?
They do until about -2 C. After that I have to use tarps or quilts to try and get another degree. The only time I have a problem with this is if it rains or hails prior to the temperature dropping, because the remay/row cover/frost cover will droop and stick to the plants, which can creat an even bigger problem. This last frost was a dry cover and the row cover worked. It was crispy in the morning from the dew and frost but protected the beans, squash, zuchinni, corn, blueberries, lettuce and strawberries. Hubby made me a raised bed with a removable plastic cover for the artichokes. That helps a lot.
