February 2011

Norman, OK Temperatures, February 2011

Winter in Oklahoma is typically schizophrenic, but these last few weeks have been a doozy. For example, right now it’s 66 F and balmy. Mike is sitting on the patio reading, getting a sunburn, and icing down a couple of beers in the snowdrift a few feet away. Just three days ago we had a record-breaking -31 F in the state, and it was 1 F when I left for work at 7:30. Our school district has missed 7 days due to snow and ice, and it’s possible that we could miss more. However, it probably won’t be next week, ’cause the highs are going to be in the 60’s and 70’s.

Thank goodness Mike decided to construct those hoop houses last fall! Without those, the carrots, turnips, rutabagas, kale, bok choi, oriental cabbage, arugula, leeks, cilantro, beets, chard, and mustard greens we’ve been harvesting would not have survived, much less continued growing, with these fluctuations between single-digit lows and 80 F highs.

Not everything is in perfect shape, of course. Most of the mature lettuce was ruined by the bitter cold, and there is some “burn” on the other greens. But the lettuce, cilantro, and arugula

seedlings look fine. I am especially happy about the carrots, which I’ve never had much luck with before now.  Next year I’ll plant twice as many.

This little sprout is growing too fast! (says grandma)