All cold on the uk side of the pond!!
 

Well, the snow has arrived very early here, I wondered how many other OB readers are already having to turn up the green house heating, or move precious plants to avoid the frost?

or like me, are fretting about whether or not the differential between the house and the green house might do more harm than good. My lowest outdoors temperature has been -7.8 C, my lowest greenhouse temp has been -1 when I forgot to adjust the heating, but it is mostly succulents and cacti, just four cymbidiums which are spiking (but they are wrapped in fleece)

Advice, your experiences and weather updates - all are of interest to me!


Happy December

Heather

My mom brought the Cyms and Den kingianum off the balcony for good, it's cold and snowy in Lyon. I wrap them up in freeze cloth (whatever it's called in english) and they stay outside until it goes a few degrees below freezing, unless the cyms are spiking.

Up here in the Netherlands we have a nice coating of snow (by dutch standards) and the temp is going down to -9°C (15°F) tomorrow. On top of that it's very very windy, so once you factor in the windchill it's something like -25°C (-13°F) :icy And I have to bike to and from work in this weather. With the wind and icy bike paths, it's treacherous! One colleague bikes 40km round trip to go to work. That's what I call being brave!! Dutch and their bikes is something I'll never completely understand!

Cycling in the snow
 

About thirty years ago, I cycled everywhere. One day, in a rush to wrk, I slipped in behind a car, and flicked the back wheel over a patch of black ice. To make matters worse, I fell on my house keys which were in coat pocket. That bruise was something! At least I bounced back in those days. Now I'd probably break something....
Take care on your bike!

Still at least the dog likes going out and rolling in the eight inches we have had so far:rofl:

8 inches???? :shock: seriously?? wow. We had less than an inch! I don't usually associate the UK with snow!

It really is cold isn't it. My outdoor thermometer registered -9C over the weekend. My greenhouse got down to 0C for about 20min when I forgot the door (really don't know how I could do that in these temps but there we go) it's generally getting a min of 5C though which is what I'm aiming for.

Like you I've had to adjust the heating. I have a really low level 180W heater which just gently lifts the temp, but it's just not been enough this week. So I've had to start using the second more powerful heater.

At the end of October hubby and I lined the greenhouse with the bubble wrap (large bubble stuff) and that really helps keep the heat in.

How is the snow around you? We've just had a thin covering here despite the really low temps. The main problem has been ice on the roads which means the slightest use of the brakes causes skidding. Where my sister is down south it was so deep tonight she couldn't drive home. Luckily it's just within walking distance... she just hasn't been walking because she's imminently about to go on maternity leave. Her hubby was really sweat and walked in to where she works so he could accompany her on the walk home.

Ah, I missed the reference to 8inches of snow. As far as I can tell, both the North and South are bad, while the Midlands where I am is not so bad (we've got less than an inch here). As far as I can tell where my sister is in the south they've had more like 4" but the roads have become gridlocked as a result.

Well, in total eight inches since Saturday morning, but it has snowed pretty continuously since it got dark tonight, so who knows?? We have had a slight thaw today so now it is freezing up again and tomorrow's driving will be hazardous to say the least, Being on the east coast, we catch it straight from the north sea. My daughter's college was closed on Monday (probably while they gritted the paths betweeen buildings after the w/e) opened today but closed at lunch time over travelling cooncerns for the more distant students and members of staff, and is closed again tomorrow!!

fortunately, my husband can work from home for a few days at a time. He normally drives 15 miles each way, it takes him twice as long when it'slike this

Hi all,
I have just left Europe and am now in 'sunny Kenya'
I was in Amsterdam yesterday and I have to say it was REALLY cold compared to the W Atlantic coast of France! We were supposed to stay in Amsterdam all day But ended up going back to the airport as just too cold! Camille you mentioning Bikes made me smile... I don't think I have ever seen so many bikes 'parked up ' together in my life !!! an amazing sight! - more bikes than in China? :)

Well, hope it does not get much colder for you all!
Some of my mums orchids are in flower & are Amazing ... like alot of us I wish I lived in the tropics.... :cloud9:
I'll post some pics tomorrow or the next day
ciao

Kenya??? SOOOO jealous! Have a good holiday!

Thanks Heather!
I didn't get around to taking pics today - I'll try & have a go tomorrow..
she has some supr specimen plants of Coelogyne massangeana, Onc sphacelatum & few others in flower.

Well, last night another 5 or 6 inches of snow and so I thought you'd like to see some pics of not so sunnny North Lincolnshire . I don't think we can expect it to get any better for the next few days. :biggrin: (I love it!!)

We took these pictures this morning, we took Jess off the lead as we quickly realised there were no cars coming our way!

Gee I live in snowy New England, and we haven't gotten any yet- unusual to have nothing by the first day of December. But, I won't begrudge you the snow- you may keep it over there!
:snowball

I'm jealous, why didn't we get that much snow??? We only got a light dusting. :(
What breed is Jess? She looks cute, under that winter coat!

We only had a light dusting as well, except we keep getting a new light dusting each night this week.

It clears off the roads during the day, hanging arround on grass and plants etc. Then overnight we get another light dusting over everything.

According to my mom Lyon is also buried in snow. They got something like 15-20cm tuesday afternoon/night, and with all the traffic the snowplows couldn't even do their job. My mom manged to get to work yesterday, only to have her boss send her home again!

Still adding to the totals daily here!

Jess is mostly whippet, we don't know for sure as she is a rescue dog. We have had her for four years now but she still bounds through the snow like a pup

Snowing pretty heavily here just now!

Snowing here too, but thin powdery snow that doesn't accumulate very fast. The snow is nice though, everyone is in a very festive mood to celebrate Sinterklaas this weekend (and later this afternoon at work!) Sinterklaas= Saint Nicholas, and it's more popular than christmas, although xmas is gaining more and more ground (double presents for the kids!).

the snow really does look beautiful, guys.

by comparison, its about 24 deg C, rained all week, and is supposed to rain all next week too. So much for summer!

snakecharma

I used to have a handle on Life, but it fell off.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Well, the ice continues, and as it thawed a bit midday yesterday we ventured out in the car to do a supermarket shop = madness! The roads were rutted ice and in town, slush, but the loonies were out in force at the carpark, not being able to see the bays, they were parking in lines nose to tail. This would have been ok except someone decided that parking on the side about ten feet behind our car was ok - it meant we had to do about a seven point turn to get out of the bay (on snow and ice),and then a further turnaround to get to the exit. (maybe this should have gone in the rant column):rofl:

tonight is supposed to be at most - 10 deg C

Well, if it makes you feel any better, we got 7 inches of snow yesterday and today we will have a high near 20F and a low of 2F. With wind chill it should feel 10-15 below.

Well, not feel better, but sympathise!! How do you keep your plants going in conditions like that?

We have small conifers in the garden that are bowing over with snow that has frozen to the ground, so they can't spring back - I've lived here eleven years and that has never happened before. I think the biggest problem that Britain has as a whole is that most parts of the country don't get weather like this more than once a decade or so, so we don't have snow shoes, tyres, four by four vehicles etc as a matter of course, because we don't expect it.

Plus our gardens are suffering because someone said global warming would bring us Mediterranean summers and wetter warmer winters - so a lot of people have planted up gravel gardens with what are proving to be tender plants. I don't want to get into the whole climate change debate here, but whatever is happening and whyever it's happening, the predictions weren't much use to the suburban gardener in Britain.

We have to bring some tender plants in for the winter. Some can take being left in the garage unwatered others need to be inside. We cover roses and similar plants with lots of mulch to help them winter over. Those that are bowed over we either let deal with it themselves or try to help break them free to some extent. Those that are inside get less humidity and more attention than normal. I like to think that it is time for inside gardening! :) We expect this EVERY winter so we do have 4x4s and snow tires here. Either that or we have to hibernate till spring. The kids were out just loving it yesterday.

I really hope all your hard work outside isn't ruined. Keep us posted on how you are holding up. I am just dreading for the really cold weather to get here.

Hibernating may be the answer!!
 

You know, Jonada, I think hibernation may just be the right idea! It may also explain why I'm so sleepy all day, which is not like me at all, usually I'm on my feet and busy all day.

Do you even bother with a green house for your plants, or is it just too cold in Wisconsin? Am I right in thinking Little House in the Big Woods is set in Wisconsin - my sister loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and I remember their winters were far worse than anything I've ever experienced.

good luck with your winter. Unless the planet really is going "to hell in a handcart" as my Dad says, we should get a thaw before mid December, which will mean mud and fog and probably rain. ~On the whole, apart from the parlous state of the roads at this time, I prefer snow!!:D:D

There is a syndrome (one of about a trillion) that has to do with lack of light that may explain your tiredness.

I do not have a green house at this time, but SOOOO want one. But, you can't get just any green house to help plants survive in our winters. Therefore, cost is problematic.

I am not really sure if the Laura Ingalls books were set in Wisconsin or not. Wouldn't doubt it though. I know the winters here are not as bad as they were when I was a young pup.

My father also thinks the world is going to hell in a handcart and I am really starting to believe him. However, our thaw won't come until March or April. I'll trade you weather for a while in Jan!!!!!! I want to keep my snow for Christmas.

I Wiki 'd LIW and Little House in the Big Woods is set in Wisconsin.

I don't think I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) the usual description of feeling tired at this time of year as I am not in any way sorry for myself, just tired since the snow came - I think it's the sheer physical effort of putting snow to one side on the paths and walking through it with the dog!!

You are probably right. Lots of exercise and fresh air will put anyone into a great sleep. Is the dog enjoying it?

Yes, but she's very annoyed at having to dig out her tennis ball, she loves to chase it and bounds through the snow. She also loves to roll in the snow and the coat she wears has to spend the rest of the day drying on the radiator!

Nary a flake here in Western Massachusetts, but I'm sure our time is coming.
One model of climate change that I have seen is that Europe, particularly the British isles and Scandinavia are going to get colder, if the Gulf Stream upwelling gets disrupted- whatever that is, it is supposed to be what keeps Europe much warmer than the equivalent latitudes in North America.
It's global climate chaos.
I hope you get nice sunny weather that slowly melts the snow.

Thank you, Connie. I hope you get a proper white Christmas!

Pity my poor daughter, who took a lift to college today because the bus hadn't shown up. After the morning session, she had no more lectures, so as I cannot drive our small car in this awful weather, she decided to walk to the bus station to get a bus home.....

When the bus eventually turned up, it was the one that goes to the college to pick up students before getting back to the bus station and then our village. So it took her back to the college she'd walked from......

It was running at least forty minutes late and on the way back to the bus station it got stuck in an untreated road......

so at about 6.00pm my husband got back to Scunthorpe from his work (twenty miles away), and managed to negotiate the road where the bus was stuck, and got her from the bus and brought her home.

So she spent four and a half hours trying to get home. And it has been no more than -3 degrees C all day here.

What a story, she would probably have been better off staying home! (I'd be glad for to have a valid excuse like that to stay home and enjoy the snow :blushing:) Is she going tomorrow?

Over here the snow is melting, but then is freezes at night/morning, so all the slush freezes over. Riding my bike to the university was beyond treacherous today. The worst is the brick roads (they freeze quicker), this evening the thin coating of slush/water became ice.

I am not sending her tomorrow, she is exhausted because she is on a diet and didn't have any extra money with her to buy food while she was stood waiting at the bus station.

It is only the fact that the ice had formed (in the thaw on Saturday )on our gravel drive that allowed us to clear down to the frozen gravel, and finally make the entrance of our house safe again. My son took great delight in breaking it up with an axe!!

We are expecting a thaw by the end of the week, but the night time temps are still fit for a freezer. So more ice!

Take care on your bike, Camille, you don't want to end up with a broken bone.

What a saga! Over here, in New England, everybody has at least 1 all wheel drive vehicle and many have small pick-up trucks with plows they can mount on the front.
We still have no snow, and none forecast. It's cold finally though, so we'll have snow soon enough.

In New England you get buried in snow every year, so it's normal that you're equiped for it! I miss living in CT or VA, we never get as much snow here as there was there. Over here in the netherlands lots of snow (that doesn't melt overnight) is supposed to be a once in 5 year thing, but it's been 3 years in a row that we're getting it! No one is equiped for tons of snow, and last year all over europe it was hell, most of the airports closed, no trains, no buses, no mode of transportation available except for your own two feet. And this was because of only a foot of snow in most places! Takes more than than for the northeastern US to grind to a halt.

Well I believe in prophylactic worrying. It's amazing what preparing for the worst will do- it never comes.
If you remember your umbrella, it won't rain.
If you forget your boots, there will be lots of slush.
Or another way to look at it is as a version of Murphy's law. :rofl:

I too believe in being prepared - but there comes a point where it isn't cost effective . Having a 4x4 in a country where it rarely snows and fuel costs £1.20 a litre that's £5.40 or $ 8.65 a gallon when you can manage the rest of the year in a car that does 55 miles per gallon as opposed to the 25 of the 4x4, plus the fact that most of these vehicles cost more than a normal saloon and therefore more to insure, maintain etc- well, sometimes we just have to make the economic choice.

My beef is with the authorities which make it difficult for volunteers to help out by having crazy rules about fuel duties for off-road vehicles(tractor) being much lower than on-road vehicles, so the farmer who runs his tractor with a snow plough is told he has to use the on-road fuel, plus stump up for different insurance instead of being thanked for providing a public service.

Wow, Hedge that sucks. Both the gas prices and the restrictions.

The weather is getting ridiculous. Last wednesday in Lyon is was well below freezing and they had over 20cm of snow (almost 8 inches). I spoke to my sister this evening, and today it was a sunny 19°C! (66°F!). And tomorrow is supposed to plunge right back down to near freezing. Talk about yoyo weather, the effects of global warming are upon us.

we had a day above freezing hurrah!! Tomorrow it is set to be even warmer, but then the nights go back to sub zero.

Jonada, love your avatar photo!