Just got all plants out 2 days ago..acclimating in 70* day temps. 4 hrs ago I brought them all in (about 50) as the weather says severe storms moving in tonight w/ possible hail ( oooh, my achey breaky back).
I sure am glad I did cuz just moments ago it sounded like my house was being pelletized with rocks...so LOUD. I musta jumped 2 ft.. I ran in sunroom & thought the skylites would break. Winds blowing east at 60-70 mph with baseball size hail sited. I only saw golfball - large marble sized on ground now but it's not over.
Slowed down to just rain now so maybe I got lucky. Hope my car isn't all dented.
All plants gotta get hauled back out tomorrow as it'll be warm & sunny.
whew

That's a lot of work. But you're better off than me. In case a really bad arctic blast swings by, I am just going to snip off some budwoods from my existing trees in the ground.

We got blasted with more hail waking me up at 2am. The ave. here was just over an inch -never saw hail that big. DJ this morn said she saw many bad storms in south but never saw lightening like last night followed by the hail. Skies were lit up in all directions -like bombs going off everywhere non stop for about an hour. News showed baseball sized hail from Madison (75 miles west) & car windows busted out from it! My citrus with baby fruits would never handle a heavy load of those ice balls moving 50 mph. At least I was able to MOVE them.
This is still NOTHING compared to the rains in California...I feel for all of you.
Right now it's 80*, calm & sunny...like nothing happened

I WISH it would hail here again just to get a warm sunny day afterwards.
That was April 14..last warm day we had. It's been upper 30's - 40's lately & rain for almost 2 weeks now. I brought all plants in & will not bring them back out for at least another week--they can't take all this rain & nightime temps. There is snow up north!!! I've never seen such a cold ugly spring - esp into May 12th, & calling for more rain & low temps for 6-7 more days. We are 20* colder than average. I noticed some of my baby citrus are turning a dark color. Did they take too much cold before I got them in?? Prolly fall off?
This is getting soooo depressing I need light treatment!

Patty

If it were not for my plants I would be jealous. We had a wedding in New York this week and it was unbelievably cooler there than in London. Our underground train system is failing everyday in the heat (the lines are warping) and one of our rersevoirs supplying London dried up yesterday. Their are rumours that we are going to have to resort to standpipes in the street in the capitial by the height of summer, already we are on a hosepipe ban and their are ads asking us to limit ourselves to five minute showers.

On the plus side, by baby plants are loving it! They are getting the kind of start they just would not most years at this time here in England!

It miserable when you have to go to work in this heat though, the british are just not able to cope with it in general. I am in Court most days, and its tough have to keep a suit on all day and I feel really sorry for tthe judges and barristers here who have gowns on over their suits and those wigs! They must feel desperate!

Hope your weather bucks up for your plants!