We are going from cold to warm and back to cold again like we’re on a fall-winter rollercoaster! Some of the plants are still looking good, others are starting to show some damage from the cold.

Both the plastic and the fabric row covers came off while the wind was howling over Thanksgiving weekend and I was out of town. I ended up pulling some metal t-posts out of the shed to add some extra weight to the row covers. The real key is having things tight enough so that the wind can’t catch a loose spot somewhere and tug it looser and looser.

The fava beans and the mustard greens behind them are less than thrilled with their exposure to temperatures in the low 20s. I’m not sure if the beans have grown enough to tolerate the winter. I guess that’s why they’re experimental!

On the other hand, the spinach is firmly in the “couldn’t care less how cold it was” camp. In fact, the spinach looks pretty darn tasty!

I think the radicchio is also right there with the spinach. It is looking great and even starting to curl up and begin to form heads just a little bit.

Okay, so this isn’t out in the garden. Poinsettias do NOT like cold weather, which makes it incredibly ironic that they are a Christmas plant. This one is a pretty cool newer variety.

This week’s Temperature Data:

11/28/10

Outside: Min = 20, Max = 70

Fabric: Min=20, Max = 82

Plastic: Min=32?, Max = 94

11/29/10

Outside: Min = 26, Max = 49

Fabric: Min=??, Max = ??

Plastic: Min = 31, Max = 94

11/30/10

Outside: Min=21, Max=49

Fabric: Min=28, Max=60

Plastic: Min=32, Max=94

12/1/10

Outside: Min=29, Max=51

Fabric: Min=31, Max=60

Plastic: Min=34, Max=74

12/2/10

Outside: Min=31, Max=63

Fabric: Min=32, Max=71

Plastic: Min=35, Max=85