PNW Cold Front - Do I need to worry?

[Louise Parsons]

Greetings from Corvallis, Oregon, ~350 miles south of Duncan. Yikes, I hope
that the Weather Channel ~is in error.

This is really bizarre: Dracunculus vulgaris and Arisaema sikokianum have
already sprouted --new pink shoots are peeping above the soil. Speaking of
A. sikokianums, Jim, the variegated lot that you contributed to the seedex
a couple of years ago has had beautiful variegation, even on the very young
leaves.  ...Dormant now and safely in pots, but it was lovely this year
even as a youngster! Trillium are sprouting and Dicentra oregana has full
new leaves. Dracunculus is pretty cold-hardy, but won't stand -13.

I just tucked various arisaema babies in the basement just in case. To keep
the larger ones safe, I put the tubers top-side up in those breatheable
veggie bags (the ones with all those tiny holes in them) with barely damp
peat and sand and made slits in the top in case they sprout.

NOAA is only predicting lows in the 30's here for the next four
days.  Hmmm...We are usually colder than Seattle-Tacoma area because we are
backed up to the highest portion of the coast Range, Mary's Peak and
massif.  During cold snaps, it tends to block the otherwise mitigating
maritime influence. Better USDA zone maps show a red "zone 7" blob right
around Corvallis FWIW ;-)

Lily enthusiast and grower Jesse Gard first shared with me the tip of
stringing Christmas lights around critical areas.

"Chance favors the prepared." Pasteur

Winter cheer anyway,  Louise

At 10:41 PM 12/4/00 -0500, Jim wrote:
>I had to look at the weather website, and still can't believe that it says
>-13F (but it does!) Has it EVER been that cold in your area?
>
>I would think that a very heavy mulch would help, maybe even a temporary
>plastic covering on top. Your ground temperature should still be fairly safe
>for a few days, if you can keep the heat from escaping.
>
>Keep us posted on what happens.
>
>Jim