We've had a few beautiful fall days. It's been in the high 60s and low 70s. Today will be at least 70°, but this afternoon will be windy. We plan to get the plastic up over the little GH before the wind gets here.
The leaves are turning and the crepe myrtles have dropping their leaves. The oaks are still pouting and holding on. Since we have several types of oaks (which drop foliage at different times), we'll be raking leaves until mid-January at this rate.

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and remembered to set their scale back 10 Lbs!

I think we need one more cold snap to get all these leaves down in a hurry. They are turning and giving us beautiful fall colors not normally seen. But they are still stuck pretty good on the Elms, the Tallows, and the Sweet Gum. The largest Red Oaks are almost half way done dropping. But as always, the Water Oaks will lag behind until January, just when I think I am done. Oh no. I h ave plenty of work for me to do here!! My friend saw my backpack blower and told me, "You'll always have a job!" He ain't kidding! LOL

Upkeep with the leaves has been a challenge this year. I have been blowing them every 3 days to keep up since October. But with these winds, I need to be out there every other day to keep the job down to a manageable level. I think we are at the peak of 12 bags a week. But seeing how I mulch them now, it's a bit more work. Truth be told, however. I would much rather be outside cleaning than doing cleaning chores of the indoor kind!

We just finished setting the plastic on the little GH. Still have the door to cover, but we're in for lunch (after 2 PM). We had very different ideas of how the plastic should be attached. I would have taken a little more time and made it neater. It's done and now I can fill it. It's supposed to be 77° this afternoon.

I was in the attic this morning pulling boxes out. We were in the midst of reno workers here last Christmas, so we had gift giving at DD's and didn't put up the tree.

We had a little rain this evening, but the temps will be in the 70s through the weekend. Most of the trees finally lost their leaves. Guess it's time to open the hoops and let the plants breathe for a few days!

Unpredictable weather as usual. After the abrupt change to cold, the weather has been mild and brought some rain. Wishing for more rain and enjoying the mild temperatures. Warm enough that I've hauled out a lot of the plants that had been brought inside. I've now acquired a cart to help me with the large containers. It won't pick them up for me , but it does roll them to a new location so I don't have to tote them . The oak leaves finally let go.

Our oaks are holding onto their leaves. Waiting, I guess, for a couple of days before Christmas to make a mess! I'm going out to open the doors and let a little fresh air into the GH and the hoops. I'm not moving anything, though. After a few nice days, we're heading toward some bad weather says the weather guy. I don't want to be shoving plants around in freezing weather.

THIS WEEK 1/5/15. TOMORROW for some. By THURSDAY for South Texas. PPPP=Protect Plants, Pipes and Plants!! Something COLD from the north is commmming! My Angel's Trumpet is loaded with buds and blossoms!

And pets!

The forecast for our area is possibly 23° on Thursday a.m. We lucked out last night, only down to 27.3° last night, wonder if luck will hold. I HATE this winter!

We had temp of 26 during the early morning. Now we are supposed to get even colder mid week. Everything looks fine in the hoops. I put a small oscillating heater in the new GH. It seems to do the trick. It was 42 before the sun came up. I put the brugs and cuttings in the new GH because they could appreciate a little cooler atmosphere. I didn't use bubble wrap this year, but I'm rethinking that now.

Linda, I don't think we've had winter yet! We were in t-shirts a few days ago, wondering when the cold weather was going to get here. Now we know! It's finally here.

I am kicking myself now first, for not being ready for that first early cold snap and now this one. I think secretly deep down, I was hoping for a gentle winter. The first cold snap took me by surprise and I (neatly) tossed everything into the GH for protection before the GH was completely ready. I am paying high electric bills due to the leaky floor. I should have taken everything out and did up the floor right when the weather was good. I forgive myself because I know it has been a unusually busy fall. But now I pay higher electricity bills. Seems the heat dish is going all the time from sun down til sun up. But the GH plants *are* thriving, and even blooming. And that I feel good about. We'll see what happens on Thursday. "Snow pellets possible on Saturday." Whaaaaat??? Hang in there everyone. 74 days til spring!!

Cheryl, I hope the arrival of spring won't be like last year. If it is, you can add 30 or so days to that 74!

What's a "heat-dish"?

A heat dish is made by Presto. It's named Heat Dish. I have one from Costco. It really heats up! It has safety features, in case it tips over. It will buzz and cut off. The buzz will give you a heart attack. It's loud. I "tolerate" it because DH thinks it's safe, but I will check on it during the night.
I prefer the three oil radiator style ones we have in the hoops. In the GH that we inherited from DD, we have a tiny Pelonis oscillating heater that DD sent with the GH that has been surprisingly efficient.

for the information.

Well, I probably gave you more than you asked for! I worry that our heat dish may get turned over by an animal (raccoon) that gets in to the hoop for warmth while we're sleeping. I also thinks it slurps up lots of electricity when it kicks on.

As far as I can tell, this is a 1000W heater. I use two, 1500W heaters in each greenhouse and on my enclosed porch, so I am using quite a bit more electric power than you.

I guess I never bothered to look at the wattage before. I don't power the heaters up to the highest temp, but little Pelonis and the oil filled are all 1500 watts. Don't know about the heat dish, didn't look.

If I want my plant collection to survive winter, then I need to use the heaters. (I believe DH thinks it's probably cheaper than the shoes I used to "collect"). The plumerias are in the garage.

Tonight we're supposed to be in the 20s. I'll probably be up around 3 AM to check on things.

Watch that garage temperature, Sandi. I lost dozens of Plumeria three years ago that were in my garage. I never even considered that the temperature can be nearly as low there as outside. Stupid! I learned my lesson and now have a temporary greenhouse built against one (inside) wall of the garage, covered with solar blanket material, and with a small heater.

I hope your shoe "collection" is nothing like my wife's!

Our garage stays relatively warm in the winter. It's on the south side of the house and under a heated upstairs. My shoe buying days have been limited by the prospect of an impending knee replacement. I'm now in "sensible shoes" for a while.