It might just be me but has anyone noticed your garden behaving strange from the weather lately?
This Christmas Cactus is blooming in March. It seems a little confused. My local temperatures have gone from the mid 80's to the mid 40's as each successive cold front rolls through.
Usually the cold fronts don't make it this far South at this time of year.
The difference in weather here in Florida this year is due to El Nino. It is a natural cycle occurrence every two to five years due to periodic warming of the
central and eastern pacific waters. El Nino usually lasts about 12 months and the one we are in now was announced July 9th 2009.
central and eastern pacific waters. El Nino usually lasts about 12 months and the one we are in now was announced July 9th 2009.
It effects the subtropical jet stream allowing for cooler and wetter weather in reach down in Florida.
Researchers predicted for Florida that the Winter temperatures would decrease 40% from normal and that we would get 50% more rain during the dry months here.
For Central and South Florida El Nino significantly increases the chances for tornado and for severe weather.
So the extra long January freeze and the rolling cold fronts were predicted and can be attributed to El Nino conditions.
The good news is that the El Nino going on now helped from us getting slammed by a hurricane last season. Also the wetter conditions reduced the number of wildfires that we have been getting in the past few years during the dry season.
So for a few more months we can expect unusual weather for Florida.
That was no consolation for my Black Flamingo plant.
This is how it looked in early December when the temperatures here were still warm and toasty.
This plant is Chrysothemus pulchella if you like.
It likes the shade and has leathery coppery green leaves.
I found out while it likes the heat and being in the shade it
doesn't like the cold fronts we have been getting.
doesn't like the cold fronts we have been getting.And here is the proof. This is my Black Flamingo now.
Below 50 degree's apparently it didn't like.
The upside is that when consistant summer weather arrives it is supposed to come back again.
Anyway I still have the Orchid's blooming to cheer things up.
This one is soaking up some late afternoon sun.
It is a Phalaenopsis type named Chien Xen Pearl.
And some more progress toward my 2010 challenge .
For this week I started six more seeds in the yogurt cups.
They include:
2-Butterfly flower [Asclepias Tuberosa]
2- Sunflower
1- Jubilee heirloom Tomato
1-super beefsteak Tomato
------Sanddune----
