Vegetable beds

Two weeks ago, we had not had a freeze yet. It wasn’t but 3 days later that the first freeze arrived and we had 6 nights below freezing including two nights down to 23 degrees. Almost overnight the garden is now brown and mushy. G has done a bit of clean up clipping down the salvia, covering the gunera and digging up a few of the tender bulbs. Fortunately, the tropicals made it into the greenhouse and garage. We had to run the propane one night.

We also had to clear out the vegetable beds. We had a few carrots and beets left but something had been gnawing on them.

Now we are waiting for another arctic blast. One of those Fraser River blasts where the Canadian cold slips down along the west side of the Cascades. The forecast has been a moving target. Right now it is a little bit of everything starting with heavy rains and winds tomorrow and the freezing temperatures arriving into the week. How soon they arrive will determine if we have snow or not. For a while, temperatures down in to the teens was predicted but right now the forecast is for mid-low 20’s. We will be a little bit colder.

Here’s what the garden looks like now

Melianthus major took a hit

Milkweed

We cover the crown of the Gunnera with the leaves to protect it from the cold temperatures

We will let the leaves collapse around the main stalks of the banana to protect it

Remnants of the blooms

Phyllis’ Fancy – cut back. Hard to believe it was in bloom just two weeks ago

Lobelia Tupa

Saliva regla

Fading salvia blossom

Mahonia x media ‘Charity’

Kale

It’s a jungle in there – the cool greenhouse

Agave pups

Aeoniums

Echium

Echium

Brugmansias in the garage

Brugmansias and agaves in the garage