Reality Check

Earlier today, I posted a blog entry about how many are getting a bit anxious to get the growing season started. There was such an interesting forecast update from the National Weather Service tonight regarding this same topic. Here's the post from their evening forecast discussion:

RUDE AWAKENING GARDENERS! TEMPS ARE BACK TO NORMAL AND THAT MEANSFROST AND SUBFREEZING TEMPS ARE STILL BETTER THAN A 50 PERCENT PROBABILITY FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS. GROWING SEASON FOR ANNUALS DOESN`T START UNTIL AT LEAST MID APRIL (UNLESS PLANTING COLD TOLLERANT VEGITATION). OUR FROST FREEZE PROGRAM BEGINS APRIL15 FOR SOUTHSIDE VA AND PIEDMONT OF NC...APRIL 25 FOR THE SOUTHERN SHENANDOAH VALLEY INTO CENTRAL VA...AND MAY 5 FOR THE MOUNTAINS (INCLUDING THE NRV).

MY GAGE FOR PLANTING... WAIT UNTIL THE OAK TREES LEAF OUT...THEN ITS PRETTY SAFE TO PLANT WITH LITTLE RISKOF FROST OR FREEZE. WHY THE OAK? THEY ARE ONE OF THE LAST TREES TO LEAF OUT. ONCE YOU ESTABLISH A SOLID LEAF CANOPY. ITS HARD TO GET A HARD FREEZE BECAUSE THE LEAVES HELP TO RETAIN THE NOCTURNAL HEAT LOSS (LONGWAVE RADIATION). SIMILAR TO A BLANKET.