Last week we rolled around and looked at those who covered their plants. This week I thought it would be interesting to look at the results of not covering the plants. Also, on a couple of occasions, the effects of protecting the plants.
We are being catered by The Peached Tortilla in Austin. Our entertainment is Meatloaf.
Menu
THAI CHOP CHOP SALAD
chopped napa, fried tofu, green apple, fried shallots, Thai vinaigrette, rice puffs, peanuts, Fresno chiles, watermelon radish, fish sauce caramel, herbs
BRISKET HASH
kimchi miso corn, sweet potatoes, Fresnos, onion jam, pasture-raised fried egg
ask your server for our vegetarian option
SHORT RIB BENEDICT Korean braised short rib, grilled ciabatta, kochukaru hollandaise
FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH Asian slaw, Japanese pickles, gochu glaze, easy tiger easy bun
served with Belgian fries
KOREAN STEAK & EGGS BOWL sous vide hanger steak, sunny side up eggs, kimchi, egg furikake, rice
AVOCADO TOAST
miso scallion creme fraiche, alfalfa sprouts, watermelon radish, lemon oil
served with greens tossed in yuzu vinaigrette, add soft scrambled pasture-raised eggs
All manner of things to drink.
Let’s go.
Our first stop is an unprotected cactus. Don’t know how you would protect it, but freezing temperatures create havoc.
Some cascading plants put in after the great freeze last year are toast again this year.
The ground cover takes a hit but will come back.
Last week I showed this expensive green cover. The next is a view of this week.
The cover did not work. Frost burn on the new plants.
A major hit, but expected to return.
The Carolina Jasmine is gone. This was from the big freeze last year.
The boxwoods have signs of frost burn.
The Viburnum growth has been affected. It should not hurt the plant.
A shot of blossoms from protected plants. (Producer photo)
A protected hanging basket.
I hope you enjoyed the tour and wish you a wonderful week. Sit back and enjoy the food and music. If you haven’t seen this video I would recommend it even though it is a little longer than most.
Fiction Favorites 
That looks brutal. Not sure how some of those could be protected.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pretty tough I would say.
LikeLike
Excellent.
I really like series.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Rabirius.
LikeLike
Oh, that poor cactus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know right? Wrong plant in the wrong place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some plants just aren´t meant for the cold no matter how hard you try to protect them. Meatloaf was a force to be reckoned with! A great video.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I heard his record of this song but never the video. Super performance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting that the expensive cover didn’t work. Thanks for the Meatloaf video. He will be missed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree about meatloaf. I think the problem with the expensive cover was it was like shade cloth and too breatheable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The hanging basket looks gorgeous! Thanks for the tour, John.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you could come along.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll have the short ribs, John. We are at 37*F right now, I’m afraid to look outside and see what our plants look like!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is cold for you guys. I hope everything is okay. At least it is not below freezing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All is well. I find it clean, and brisk!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing how so many plants are vibrant enough to overcome a bit of burn. Then again, not all. Thanks for Meatloaf’s classic song!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Frank.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing my post today, Michael.
LikeLike
Its the natures way, some can stay, some must go. ;-( But at all, Texas will bloom again; i am sure. Thanks for the tour, John! Enjoy a nice Sunday! xx Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Michael. Enjoy your Sunday as well.
LikeLike
I hope the damage is either temporary or manageable. It looks like a lot of mature plants were affected.
I’ll have the steak and eggs bowl. I know, I moved on from the damage to breakfast pretty quickly, but I was just out finishing up after our storm and it’s 6 degrees.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s okay to move quickly to breakfast. Need to fuel for the day. 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s 15 F here this morning, a heat wave compared to yesterday morning’s 0 F. My best to you and your neighbors in dealing with the vagaries of nature. You do what you can, hoping it works. A lot of trial and error involved in the learning process.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes indeed, Tim. Mostly error unfortunately.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s another thing about cacti. They never, ever should be watered when a freeze is coming. I stop watering mine in about November, and only give them a drink if a few days of warm weather are certain. If they’ve been watered and a freeze comes, the internal cells will burst, and they go all mushy. I wondered if that tall one might have been as much a victim of water as cold temperatures. I suppose it depends on the species, but I sure learned my lesson: when they tell you to water plants to help them get through a freeze, don’t include the cacti!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. Super moist plants just don’t make it. Thanks, Linda. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Meat Loaf is a wonderful way to start the morning. 🌞 I love the producer’s photo, a beautiful reminder that Spring is just around the corner. As for the outside plants, your area is starting to look like ours. BTW, I’d hate to be the one to try to straighten the cactus. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would not go near that cactus. Thanks, Gwen. I hope you have a super Sunday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved your neighborhood excursion. I’m sorry you had a freeze.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We are going to have another over next weekend too. Thanks, Molly Shea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so sad that the green cover didn’t work. I’m glad some of the plants you showed, will come back, and I’m thankful for the pretty photos of those that were protected. It reminds me that spring is not that far away and there will be color and blooms to usher in the warmth.
Thanks for the Meatloaf video, too. So many great ones gone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure, Mae. It is sad how many are not with us anymore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do hope many of the plants can be cut back and will return to normal.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think they will be okay.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have the same problem with some of our plants, We cut them back and they do well. I took in my chives and they are growing like weeks under a regular lamp. Outside, our third weekend in a row of spotty snow and cold temps!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I needed chives this morning but was out. I should get a plant. Thanks, Noelle
LikeLiked by 1 person
I couldn’t find any plants, John, So I grew the chives from seeds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a dramatic picture, dear John! Let’s hope deep roots will help most of the plants to get recovered. Producer’s photo is amazing, very inspiring! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Maria. Yes, we have to hope.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve had single digits all week here. We don’t even try, but we tend to have plants that are used to winter. Meat Loaf was one of my all-time favorites.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Meat Loaf was great. Thanks, Craig
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so sad to see those plants taking a beating, John. Strange weather happening this week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it is. Here not there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful protected flowers in the mist of the freeze 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Denise.
LikeLike
It is winter. Even winter hardy plants don’t look good this time of the year. Most of the non native plants will look rough or dead. Even some of the native plants will even fit that description. Come spring those that have survived will green up and few will be the wiser for it. And the tender varieties will be replaced and become fodder for the next winter. Now for another cup of coffee and to put the feet up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Coffee and feet up. What a life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the music of Meatloaf. I just uncovered all my plants and I am happy to say they survived the COLD night.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent, Karen. 😁
LikeLike
Sorry the expensive covering did not work on the house I liked. There is no good way to cover tall cactus. Nice of the producer to share photos of lovely blooming plants after all the sad ones damaged by the freeze.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jo
LikeLike
Meatloaf was a favorite in my cassette deck as a teen- sad to hear he’s gone. Sometimes the plants will come up from the bottom if you prune the dead stuff back. We had a chilly (for us) winter, as well. Mother Nature is up to her games again 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes she is. Thanks, Jacquie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes I wonder who is heartier—plants or humans? I played Meat Loaf’s Bat out of Hell album on vinyl until it had tons of scratches on it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can imagine. You could near both sides at the same time it was worn so thin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So sad to see such damage, John. I, too, am concerned over my perennials, but fingers crossed, they manage to weather our hard freezes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
IN your area they re used to it. (Hopefully)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the Meatloaf song, John! Thanks for sharing the photos and the after-effects of the freeze.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the visit.
LikeLike
I hope most of the plants make it and do come back. That hanging basket is gorgeous and in the winter too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes It does well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How DO you protect a cactus anyway?
Nice ode to Meat Loaf.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do you guys suffer from box moth? It’s utterly devastating our box shrubs and hedges and thr only answer are awful chemical sprays. We are scrubbing ours out this year – we swallowed our principles for the wedding – and will replace them. Such a shame another invasive species has buggered us about
LikeLiked by 1 person
We don’t have box moth. At least not to the point of noticing. Seems a shame to replace them since they make such lovely hedges. Better that than chemicals I suppose. Good luck.
LikeLike
Thanks John. I’m sure herself will devise something
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to hear at least some of those plants will make a comeback. The weather has been so weird lately.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think so too. Teri. 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
We who live in much colder climes don’t expect to see frost damage in places like Texas. Of course, you guys get some pretty cold dips now and again. I suppose the cactus didn’t stand a chance…
LikeLiked by 1 person
No it didn’t. We are getting a low of 19 next weekend. Yikes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yowza!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Need the down cover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No kidding!
Your bones would be rattling in my neck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a shame about the young plants that burned despite the covering. Hopefully, they will recover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure they will. That cactus is toast though.
LikeLiked by 1 person