If you haven't looked at the forecast for the end of next week, I encourage you to do that if you have anything that could be at risk - people, pets, pipes, plants. I see a prediction for 20° here next Friday night, after a high that day @ 34°. That will be the coldest day in years!

Seeing a prediction on weather.com for a low of 37° in Tampa that night. Please be aware and prepare if needed.

It looks like the lowest for us is 27, which isn't abnormal, but I saw 14 for Atlanta next Thursday. They can keep that weather up there and away from us.

Yes, I will have to get the outdoor faucets covered with their Styrofoam covers, make efforts to protect chemicals in the shed and drain all the the hoses. I make even have to take steps to protect the two fountain pumps from freezing.

I hope that holds, Ham! Unusual when it's warmer somewhere north of here, but it happens. Especially if you watch Alaska. There are warm spells along the coast.

Larry, hey, neighbor! Those are the thoughts I'm having. And thinking about getting a heater for laundry/kitchen area. So much could go wrong with plumbing in those unheated rooms. Also have a fountain to protect, but that's an easy one, it's solar. Just need to turn the bucket over & bring the pump inside. One good thing is it's not a work day the next day. That could have ended up being the coldest shower of my life.

When I look to see if there are any trees or shrubs for sale @ L's, I'm not seeing anything. Have you been by there recently? Is it all decorations in the plant section, or is it just empty?

My friend informed me that I spoke too soon. It says 19 for us next Friday morning.

Oh {insert expletive of choice} !!

purpleinopp,
I went to Lowe's just the other day, to shop for Christmas gifts. There was lots of empty space in the plant section even then. They now have it pretty well set up with a rail down the center of the plant display tables so a covering can be quickly placed over them if necessary. They also have a huge tent set up in the parking lot for Christmas trees which is probably mostly empty by now they could move plants into if necessary I would think. Not long ago they had more milorganite than I thought they would ever sale, but the day I was recently there I could not find any.

Thank you very much, Larry. That saves me from driving over there. I'll stick to my usual plan of not shopping for plants until 2 weeks after the last frost.

Sometimes as late as May seems better for looking. I keep going in April and it's still slim pickings. But, that's for places like Lowes and Home Depot.

L's is my only option, besides WM, unless I drive a LOT farther. WM so rarely has anything that I want to buy but if I happen to be there anyway, I look.

I am an hour north of Atlanta, and I see that we are due to get to 23 on Saturday and down to 9 degrees on Thursday! Brrrrrr! I will need to bring a few potted plants into the garage for the week. I may even bring in the potted pansies. Likely the pansies would survive the cold, but I feel it would set them back a lot. What do you think?

I haven't had any pansies in temps that low, IDK. They're OK in the mid-20's, but 9 is a different realm of BRRRRR.

I think thr pansies would live but if you can take spare them having the freeze they'd probably like that I guess. I usually have pansies in the ground all winter here. Seems they all live thru but won't bloom unless weather is tolerable.

When I asked the pansies, they said no way did they want to stay outside in 9 degree weather. Hubby took pity on the plants (or maybe he just can't bare to have me pout when something goes awry in the garden), so he fashioned for me this plant-mobile out of a hand truck and a spare piece of wood. We can wheel the pansies outside in the warm afternoon sun, and inside during the freezing nights. The pansies are happy - I can see it on their faces. 😉

I'm glad you speak Pansy.

"Hubby" did take pity on the plants and no I can't bare to have Lori pout !!!

our troubles begin tomorrow .... with a 100% chance of rain showers and SLEET before 9am

then things warm up ...by Thursday near 52° with a 30% Chance of precipitation .... by Thursday night a 20% chance of rain and SNOW before midnight - with a predicted LOW of 13°

Friday - Sunny, with a HIGH of near 28°

Friday Night - with a predicted LOW of 15°

Saturday Mostly sunny - with a predicted HIGH of near 35°

can handle the upper 20's ....but when temps drop into the teens, raccoons want to break into the attic ....

when temps drop into the teens ..... pipes built into outside walls will freeze .... to prevent that - will drip faucets that are on outside walls ....and open sink cabinets and place portable heaters nearest exposed under-cabinet pipes ...but within reach of an ac outlet without using an extension cord -

the number one reason for house fires in the winter is using portable heaters with an extension cord

Geez, those are some cold temps. Good info about the pipes. I'm seeing 17 instead of 19 for Friday night. All of my zone-pushing was fun while it lasted, but I knew a harsh winter would come.

Time to make some foods that bake for a long time.

So far they're predicting rain/snow Friday, but our concern is that they're predicting it's going to be 19 Saturday morning. I'd take snow over ice any day.