Hi PBS members along the California coast,
(Those of you in colder climes can just have a good chuckle.)

Record lows were set in LA in the early hours this morning (Jan 14) and
tonight (early Tues AM) is expected to freeze again.
Here in Santa Barbara it was not a record low, but certainly the coldest
night so far this winter.

Right now we are all too busy shuttling our precious pots of bulbs back
outdoors from their overnight stay and removing frost blankets from beds
but when the extra work subsides, lets compare notes about what species
froze.

I lost the tops at least of the unidentified Amaryllid Ive been waiting
for years to see what it is, melted to mush even though covered. My Nerines
do not look happy but might survive. The Ipheion do not seem to mind a
thick coat of ice crystals. The tall Scilla make dark streaks when frozen
(even under a cover) but seem ok. The Narcissus tazetta blooms that laid
flat against the grass got frozen with brittle petals but then as they
thawed yesterday they showed no sign of damage. How can they freeze and
still be ok? The Amaryllis belladonna leaves got dark green and
frozen-looking, though still pliable, likewise the Agapanthus.

Here it was 30 F on the porch, 32 F under the fleece blankets, and 24 F in
the coldest spot of the unprotected bulb boxes. Under one plastic row cover
it was 30 F. The poly fleece, sold as quilt batting, insulates better than
the 1 mil clear plastic, sold as drop cloth.

How did others' bulbs fare in the freeze?

- Gastil
Santa Barbara, California
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