I would have never thought that I would pay such close attention to the weather, especially not in two very different areas of the United States. I’m not sure this is accurate for you folks in Minnesota, but the sense I get is that your winter has been a little more intense than in recent years.
I know you’ll probably laugh at this, but it’s been a longer, colder winter here in Florida as well. I don’t have a long history in the warmer climate, but the winters I’ve experienced here have been very mild. We’ll get anywhere from two to four nights when sensitive plants need to be covered because the temperature gets below the freezing mark. Usually, after the freeze, it warms up quickly here. This winter has been a little different with below-freezing temperatures more often than normal, and when it got below the freezing mark, there were a few areas very near our home that set new records. I know the funny part of this story will be when I tell you those record cold temperatures dipped below 20. Yes, that’s 20 above zero.
Most of the owners of the 90,000(+) homes here cover sensitive plants, but when it’s nearly 15 degrees below the freezing mark for several nights in a row, there aren’t many plants here that will survive, and the proof was evident all around central Florida.
It didn’t take long before landscaping companies came knocking on doors trying to drum up some work. I guess I can’t blame them; those dead plants have to be dug up and replaced, and there are a lot of them – but then there are also a lot of landscape/lawn care companies where we live.
We lost some potted plants, but nothing big, and nothing we can’t replace.
I’m guessing the colder-than-normal temperatures will be a reason for the prices of oranges and orange juice to be a little higher than normal.
A nice thing about the weather in Florida is that it might get uncomfortably cool for a while (a few days and nights), but the temperatures rebound pretty quickly – as I write this column, the forecast is calling for mid-eighties most of next week.
I know you still have a few weeks before the snow will start to melt, but it’s coming!
Have A Good Week!
