Maud! Anyone! Help me, please

[weaselwomble]

Bloody snow. Nothing was covered and now it's all covered in snow and my hyacinth leaves have just flopped over and I have been so excited at my first year with a garden and its not fair stamps foot

Will they be ok? What can I do? All in pots if that makes any difference, all bulbs planted in the last month. Please help, Tia

[moondog]

Heheh, very good title.
No help whatsoever I'm afraid but had to express my pleasure.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Shake the snow off gently. Hopefully that's the last of it and it will warm up towards the end of the week.

In general I shake snow off everything I can get too

[weaselwomble]

Why, moondog? Glad it pleases you anyway.
Will that work Laurie? Thank you, I've been so worried. Will the bulbs be ok then?

[LaurieFairyCake]

It worked for my tulips last year but they were still wetter even when it warmed up so I can't say they looked in show condition .

[LeucanTheMopsis]

Hyacinth leaves are fine with light frosts, bit of snow.Theflowersarenotsohardythough-pleaseexcusememyspacebarhasjustmalfunctioned...

they'll-be-fine!

[weaselwomble]

Ok, thanks, I'll brave the ice shortly then. Not fussed about show condition, flowers would be a start.
On a brighter note, I have one of those bulb in a box houseplant things that I bought a week after Xmas half price. Never got round to doing it, found it last week and it had grown, flowered and died in the box without water or light. Deadheaded it and within maybe six days it has grown 4 inches, the leaves are dark and lush and there's a completely new bud just about to bloom. Plants amaze me.

[weaselwomble]

Haha thanks leucan, I'm just learning so that's handy to know.

[moondog]

I was under assumption it was a reference to Tennyson's 'Come into the garden, Maud'.
Is ther a poser called Maud?
If so, hence reason for her name I tihnk!

[weaselwomble]

There was a poster with that exact reference but I never knew why. Please continue believing I'm witty/ funny :)
Is maud not around anymore?

[MisForMumNotMaid]

A couple of years ago when we had late snow after a warm spell my early bulbs like my daffodils all had stunted growth. I had flowers just a couple of inches off the ground more like ground cover plants than the long stems we usually see. The next year they were back long again.

Most early stuff is reasonably hardy. The worst weather for damage is very wet followed by very cold. The damp gets into the plant and then freezes and the moisture expands as it freezes doing damage from the core.

[weaselwomble]

That makes sense. I'll give a little more tlc over the next few days and hope for the best.

[LadyMud]

I'm sure Maud will be along shortly. She's probably busy in the garden shaking the snow off her plants

[weaselwomble]

Haha.
Just in case I've caused offence, I know there are lots of you green fingered folk, I could only remember maud and Humphrey who I don't think is around any more?

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Wow. I've never been summoned by name before. I'm flattered.

Anyway, all the good advice has already been given. Shake off as much snow as you can from top growth so that it doesn't snap (although perversely it's actually a good insulator). If you're in a snow-bound area, it might also be a good thing to make sure your pots are standing on pot feet or bricks, so that they don't crack if they're frozen for a long time.

And, yes, the name is a reference to Tennyson.

[weaselwomble]

Hello maud. Lurker here but loved hearing about your garden and your posting style in old threads.
I have some feet so wil do them at weekend, hoping we're through the worst of it. Thank you thank you thank you!
How's the garden?

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Bah. Posted a reply just as MN went offline.

My garden is being lashed by freezing winds and I have had to put extra bricks in the bottom of my giant plastic growhouse to make sure it doesn't keel over. I have been enjoying all the new shoots and buds, but am now worried that they'll be damaged by frost.

[funnyperson]

Maud: the Genie of the thread.

Come into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat, night, has flown,
Come into the garden, Maud,
I am here at the gate alone ;
And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad,
And the musk of the rose is blown

[funnyperson]

In this frost woodbine spices seem very far off

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

Yes, but I do love woodbine and have several in the garden (honeysuckle, not fags, obviously).