Irrigation in cold weather
Jane McGary (Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:53:27 PST)

I'd like advice on irrigation of winter-growing bulbs during periods of
cold weather. Here we've just had five or six days of sub-freezing
temperatures. Beginning today, the temperatures are moderating and are
expected to be a few degrees above freezing for at least one week.

As I recently mentioned, I grow most of my bulbs in unheated frames, where
the temperature rises a little during sunny days even when the ambient
temperature is sub-freezing. (The frame light structures are vented at the
bottom.) Today many of the pots (which are plunged to near the rims in
sand) seemed to me to be less moist than they should be at this stage of
the plants' growth, although there is a little moisture in the lower part
of the soil, where the roots are.

Should I water the plants now, even though they may be exposed to
sub-freezing air temperatures at night? Or should I wait a few days until
it begins to rain again -- meaning that it will not freeze at night, and
the plants won't have bright sun on their foliage? Are they safer in
circum-freezing temperatures when a little on the dry side, or when fully
hydrated?

Apologies to those who get this from both PBS and Alpine-L.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA