MrsGreenThumb

I am a lover of horticulture, gardening and the environment. At age 8, I sent away for a package of Zinnia seeds for 10 cents and I've been hooked ever since. After 25 years of being self-employed, I retired. That only lasted 4 years and I now work in a water conservation program: I buy grass from homeowners who are willing to convert to desert landscaping and lose that thirsty green stuff. I pursue what interests me and you can blame my sister for getting me into this blogging thing.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Deep Freeze in Vegas

We've been having the worst weather since moving to Las Vegas. They say it hasn't been this cold for 19 years. I wore my 40 below zero Eddie Bauer down jacket for the first time since we moved here 10 years ago. For the first time, I'm not enjoying my job. Being outside in this weather is no fun. The worst though, is that my plants are freezing and showing the effects of this freeze that has been going on for a week. Our pool heater froze and had to be replaced as did some of our irrigation. That was expensive to say the least.
Some of the cactus are looking pretty sad. My angel wing cactus (above) had large pieces just freeze and drop off. That's pretty resilient so I expect it will be all right. The teddy bear cholla (pronounced choy-a) dropped a lot of joints. That's a pretty nasty plant. It's sometimes called jumping cholla. I'm not looking forward to cleaning it up when the weather improves.

The aloe vera took a big hit from the cold. It was pretty spectacular and has wonderful spikes of bloom. I suspect it won't be so nice this year.

The lemon tree is really sad. I know how those citrus farmers in California feel. I should have cut them and brought them inside. I'm going to try making lemon juice and freezing it. Hopefully it won't be a total loss.

Yet there is always hope. I have stock and angelita daisies acting normal. They have suffered no apparent damage.
Mother Nature is sure hard to predict. You have to love a plant that knows no adverse weather. You can see why I love those daisies.

8 Comments:

Blogger Motherkitty said...

Sad situation. I don't think your plants are dead and they will survive to bloom another day. We were supposed to have freezing rain, lots of ice, and snow today, but it has been between 35 and 40 degrees and raining. No snow, no ice, no freezing, just more water in our yard.

January 21, 2007 12:21 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

The weather is doing freaky things everywhere. A week or two back the blossoms were in bloom on the trees in Central Park. We had a cactus like the one in your first pic outside our diningroom window in our house in South Africa. I have not seen one since those many years back. I can "feel" the surface of it with a flood of childhood memories. Daisies are my favorite flowers too - they are so happy in a uniquely uncomplicated way. Some of your plants do look really sad ... I hope the weather improves and you can be back to your cheerful self in the warmth of the sun!

January 22, 2007 12:39 PM  
Blogger Justin said...

There was a little rainfall the other day n now snow fall has started. And hey, the dog n the cat are just lovely.

Thanks for checking this post dogs questioning a cat!

January 25, 2007 1:57 AM  
Blogger Rachel said...

Oh, so sad for the plants that don't tolerate the cold very well. I hope they bounce back for you. The aloe looks very sad though.

The weather has been weird!

January 25, 2007 5:01 PM  
Blogger Gary said...

This has been a strange year for weather. Some areas are having record cold, and others are having record highs. I would say that here in Houston it has been a pretty normal winter so far. No hard freezes.

January 26, 2007 8:40 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I thank you most deeply for your wonderful comment. I appreciate it more than you can know. 'I won't stand for anyone abusing my good nature'is my new mantra. Thank you again!

January 30, 2007 7:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What wonderful pictures - I enjoyed seeing your garden pictures, oh - and your kitty, of course. We are wintering in Arizona and I am LOVING the warm weather and the CACTUS - but missing my garden at home. I'll come back and visit yours!

February 09, 2007 10:44 AM  
Blogger Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I'm sure that your cactus will bounce back, but I would be upset to, to find my plants in this state. Ours plants hide in the winter months but this year we have many new buds because of our warm winter, freezing right now above ground.

February 18, 2007 7:48 AM  

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