Weather: The sensor for my digital thermometer is hanging on a newel post about a foot from the door. I noticed that the base records often would show a current temperature that was up a few degrees from the low. For a long time, I attributed it to natural fluctuations in the air temperature.
I have just begun to realize that it rises when the space heater is running on my inside porch. The porch is not insulated and the crank-out windows are leaky, as is the space under the door. The heater is set to keep maintain a minimum temperature.
What I did not realize is that, if cold air is coming in, then warm air may be escaping. I noticed the snow always melted first in the area near the windows, but again thought it was related to the fact that was on the east side of the house where the sun strikes first. I now am realizing heat from the house may also be warming the area. The garlic chives are only breaking ground in that area Elsewhere they are still dormant.
Moisture and cold air still are moving in the upper atmosphere, causing high winds most afternoons. Small amounts of snow fell Sunday morning, Monday evening, and Thursday night into Friday morning. It usually is gone by afternoon. It may not be much, but probably it is enough to replenish what the previous week’s winds have stolen.
The winds also remove a bit of the topsoil. Yesterday morning, I found an exposed label for a rose bush that must have been buried since it was planted in 2004. It did not survive the winter, and I did not replant roses in that area.
The last remains of January’s snow disappeared this week from the west sides of the house and garage.
The sun’s angles continue to change. I have not noticed the difference in altitude, though I know it is there. Earlier it came in around 7:30 am through a window facing north. Now, it comes in through the door, which is farther east, and strikes a mirror. From there the rays reflect into my eyes.
Last snow: 3/11. Week’s low: 12 degrees F. Week’s high: 59 degrees F in the shade. Winds were up to 38 mph in Santa Fé on Thursday.
What’s green in the area: One-seeded junipers, and most cultivated evergreens; Japanese honeysuckle and all the cultivated yuccas.
What’s green beyond the walls and fences: Horseweed; June, needle, smooth brome grasses.
What’s green in my yard: Leaves on Apache plume, cliff rose, fern bush, bearded iris, grape hyacinths, garlic chives, vinca, large-leaved soapwort, wintered-over snapdragons, hollyhocks, sweet peas, Queen Anne’s lace, black-eyed Susan, chocolate flower, chrysanthemums.
What’s turned red in the area: New growth on trees in the rose family, especially apricots.
What’s turned red/purple in my yard: Leaves on some alfilerillo, coral bells, coral beard tongues, Bath pinks, golden spur columbine, pink evening primroses, blue flax; some stems on roses are pale green and some are maroon.
What’s turned yellow in the area: Branches on a big weeping willow.
What’s gray in my yard: Snow-in-summer.
Animal sightings: If they are about, they are leaving no trace.
Tasks: Too cold and too windy to venture outside.
Weekly update: The local hardware store had its supply of seeds in stock when I stopped by a week ago Monday. They were not yet picked over, so I am now supplied for the season.
The cycle of plant catalogs has changed since conglomerates absorbed many companies. They used to arrive between Thanksgiving and New Year’s for serious gardeners. Now they come later for people who do not order until they see signs of spring. As the companies have offered fewer and fewer varieties, I have ordered less. That has led to fewer catalogs being mailed, fueling a downward cycle. I did not get many this year.
I did get one luxury catalog that offered bearded iris roots for $65.00. I looked at the price and the flowers, and wondered who exactly wanted them. The colors and color combinations were not unusual; the petals were not as frilled as were some cheaper ones; they were not fragrant and did not rebloom.
I was not repelled like those who think any indulgence is a sin. They are the ones who run advertisements telling you that the money you spend on coffee in one day could feed/ vaccinate/ educate X number of children in Africa/ India. People who make contributions to charities do not measure them in coffee spoons. Bill Gates can afford both.
But, I did wonder who wants prize iris. Yes, there is an American Iris Society that awards medals at its annual convention. The meeting and exhibition this year is being held in Las Cruces in April.
However, I have never seen that translate into sales. The catalog offers irises that won the Dykes Medal for $9 to $12.50. You can get one of each for $44.
This is not like roses or potted perennials that cost more if they can claim an award. The iris sold locally are generic from companies that specialize in inexpensive roots. They are sold by color. Unfortunately, they usually have germinated by the time I see them because store temperatures are warm.
One does not usually plant just one specimen of plants that take up no more than 60 square inches of space (6" x 10"). If one planted the three that catalogs recommend, one would spend $195.00 for one clump of special irises.
It has been a while since I priced trees locally, but I think that would buy at least two fully mature trees with large root balls. A neighbor of mine bought two ashes like that a few years ago to replace some globe willows that died. He had to find someone with a back hoe to dig the holes.
The reason I still get the catalog is I do order from them. Their quality is much better than that offered locally, and it is nice to have some choice about color. However, I shop the pages with prices between $12 and $15.
That is more than I would have paid years ago. Then I objected to one nursery in Santa Fé selling potted irises for that kind of price. I thought the pots and dirt probably cost more than the rhizomes. They certainly did not claim to be award winning varieties.
Times change. Conglomeration and the need for company executives to be paid more every year have brought higher prices. Heavenly Blue morning glory seeds that cost $1.10 in 1989 were $1.39 in 2001 and $1.59 in 2013. The price was up to $1.79 in 2020 and $1.99 this year. That increase was determined before companies claimed they had to raise prices because labor and materials were dearer. A .20 increase in two years versus the seven years between 2013 and 2020.
Bearded irises are worth more than most perennials. If you can get them to survive the first year, they last for years even with drought and variable summer and winter temperatures. However, one learns that the simple ones often are hardier than the more expensive ones. The generic ones I planted in 2000 that cost $2.82 each are still alive. Divide the price of a $12 iris by 20 years and the price is comparable.
Notes on photographs: all taken 12 March 2022.
1. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) that I bought in 2018 that went to seed in the area under the leaky porch windows and has wintered over; it originally was a yellow Rocket.
2. Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) emerging in the area under the leaky door.
3. Green bearded iris (Iris germanica) leaves; most leaves died but not all.
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