Living in central Florida, I should be in the midst of a robust winter garden with lots of cool weather veggies growing vigorously. The reality is, however, lettuce struggling to survive after a weeks worth of overnight temperatures below freezing, thick coatings of frost and hard freezes with temps in the mid 20's some mornings.
The fact is, this winter is bringing Florida its coldest temperatures not seen in several years. Yesterday, our normal high temperature was 70 degrees. The garden thermometer never made it past 39 followed by an overnight temperature down to 26. We've seen a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain fall over parts of the area this past weekend. That kind of precipitation hasn't occurred here in nearly 30 years. It's anything but normal here. Not only are the temperatures cold, but the duration of the cold air is unusually long lasting.
I have come to the realization that my winter garden will not happen this year. Walking out this morning sealed the deal as I discovered my dirt was frozen and crunchy, for the first time ever! A little left over moisture from yesterday's rain made the dirt icy.
I do, however, have hopes for a better spring and fall garden. A hope that all these freezes are helping to kill the little soil born critters that never die during our typical mild winters. I have hope that my cabbage seedlings will be ready to go when the garden warms up and they're free from the threat of being iced over in the morning.
For now, I'll enjoy our crisp, frosty mornings and hope for a well rested garden that will awaken with vigor in the coming months!
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