The past ten days have delivered a cold spell here in Greeley which have allowed me to conduct a study of my yard in the infra-red spectrum. I have been venturing out with a laser point infrared thermometer and measuring the temperatures of key areas in my landscape during the daily light cycle during the shortest days of the season in order to find out exactly what climates are present. I recorded the temperatures on south facing walls, near the foundation, and on the north side of the property in the shade in order to start understanding my property in greater detail.
This is what I learned:
1. I have several micro-climates that will maintain a soil temperature of 25 degrees F even during -2 F night temps.
2. There are some places around my foundation which supported live red onions all of the way until the 27th of December. This was possible despite 20 degree temperatures and severe winds.
3. The thermal mass from a south facing wall in my back yard is sufficient to warm nearby soil to melt snow even into the evening during sustained cold temperatures below 20 F.
So, what do I plan to do with this knowledge? I want to run an experiment with a Fig tree in the warmest micro-climate. I believe that it might take as much as three years to get to the point where it will yield however, I am patient and the addition of figs to my edible landscape will be fantastic!!
You could do a similar experiment with an infrared thermometer. There is still time in the dark winter season to find the temperature differentials of the micro-climates in your outdoor space. You might find miniature zones as much as two gradients higher lurking somewhere that could be used to plant that exotic that no-one knew was possible.
Showing posts with label Greeley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greeley. Show all posts
Monday, January 3, 2011
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Getting ready for the Garden Tour
I had the pleasure today of attending a tea. I am not normally the type to get invited to a tea. But here I was surrounded by a group of very nice and very sophisticated gardeners all sipping from expensive china and snacking on little sandwiches without crusts and eating those delicious little finger foods that had been frosted or dipped in chocolate. I of course had some tea and let me tell you it was very good.
The purpose of this tea was to discuss the upcoming Greeley Garden Tour an event which the very name of which I have to admit stresses me out a little. The idea here is that a committee of experienced master gardeners select a group of about a dozen homes in the city of Greeley with outstanding or unique gardens in order to showcase them and to raise money for a scholarship for nursing students. Needless to say they invited me to this tea because I have been selected, screened and approved for this honor.
I was amazed at how real gardeners share so many of my values. They were excited to have my weird ideas about productive and intensive produce plantings shown alongside the traditional flower gardens prevalent in this area. They were excited about the varieties of plants and my experiments. I described a few of my specimen plants including my persimmon and almond trees without criticism or the raised eyebrow that usually stares back at me when I usually describe my yard. A group of open minded people excited about plants.
This just might be the definition of gardener.
My stress comes from the reality that on the last weekend of June over 350 people will be walking through my yard! I have so much to do. I really need to address finishing the cedar benches for the west side of the house where people will walk to return to the front of the house. I need to plant the ground cover of creeping strawberries or emerald raspberries in the stone pathway. I need to make repairs to the flagstone patio, I still need to turn the garden and clean up the strawberry patches.
As every gardner knows - when it rains it pours!
The purpose of this tea was to discuss the upcoming Greeley Garden Tour an event which the very name of which I have to admit stresses me out a little. The idea here is that a committee of experienced master gardeners select a group of about a dozen homes in the city of Greeley with outstanding or unique gardens in order to showcase them and to raise money for a scholarship for nursing students. Needless to say they invited me to this tea because I have been selected, screened and approved for this honor.
I was amazed at how real gardeners share so many of my values. They were excited to have my weird ideas about productive and intensive produce plantings shown alongside the traditional flower gardens prevalent in this area. They were excited about the varieties of plants and my experiments. I described a few of my specimen plants including my persimmon and almond trees without criticism or the raised eyebrow that usually stares back at me when I usually describe my yard. A group of open minded people excited about plants.
This just might be the definition of gardener.
My stress comes from the reality that on the last weekend of June over 350 people will be walking through my yard! I have so much to do. I really need to address finishing the cedar benches for the west side of the house where people will walk to return to the front of the house. I need to plant the ground cover of creeping strawberries or emerald raspberries in the stone pathway. I need to make repairs to the flagstone patio, I still need to turn the garden and clean up the strawberry patches.
As every gardner knows - when it rains it pours!
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