Calling all our southern members

[carugoman]

In this part of Florida,the Panhandle-North;then West,along I-10...we get a snowstorm once a generation or so;the last one being in 1987. I think Crestview had 5" that night and by the next afternoon it was 71 outside,go figure? I've lived in southern Florida,where Miami was north by like 90 minutes of highway driving. A cold winter day,there,was the day you turned off the A/C!

Back here in Crestview,we have four distinct seasons: spring,which can last four days or four months depending on whether Al Gore thinks it's "global warming" or it's election year or both;summer=5 months-of which four months is hurricane season;fall,which can be up to four months depending on how the rest of the year went;winter,kind of like fall,but a little cooler and it rains all the time-two months duration.

As to what can grow and when,well...I'm a 7th generation farmer,if you have clue,please fill me in,ok? I do know that citrus is harvested in the winter-time. During July-August-September,even the turf gets burned up;time to head indoors and draw all shades! Transplanted Yankees actually think they can get roses to thrive in this weather even when the lantana blooms are drooping! Growing season starts two weeks after Labor Day and continues until it gets too hot the following year. Tomato,pepper and eggplant transplants go in 3rd week of February.

All y'all take care!

 

[chickiepoo]

I'm with you cynthia on the heat and moving farther south. No No.

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

I live on the gulf coast of Texas, about 30 miles from the beach. We are subtropical here. We do have seasons however. Leaves turn and fall and the grass gets brown. It does get cold in winter but rarely freezes. Have not had a sticking snow in a long time, I think 93, and then only 1 day and only an inch or two. We have wonderful spring times and beautiful gardens, but it gets really hot in summer. At times I stay in after 10am and dont go out until after 6pm. Basically big furnace heaters not required but A/C is definitly a must!

 

[KingsCalls]

East Tn...........here..........it snows but, usually in Jan., Feb. or March and some of the worst one's are in early April. I use to drive a truck for a living and it's funny in a way to see how people react to snow and other things in different parts of the country. Way north...like Wisconsin.....middle Michigan..........upper Ohio..........I've seen snow plows pile snow 6- 10 feet high beside the road and SCHOOL was still not called off for the day! Down south........Tn.-Ky. state line, it can snow just a little(be gone by lunch time) and guess what?.........SCHOOL was called off! Atlanta, Ga.(the loop) it can begin to rain and everyone is running 80 mph in a 55 mph zone and guess what? Everyone slows to 30 mph! They must be afraid of rain in Atlanta........Ohio.....it can come a really big snow and they drive like the roads are perfectly dry!(but, I've seen a lot of 'em go sliding off the side of the road to)..........I have an uncle that now lives in Ocala, Fla. and he says he misses the snow! I have seen some beautiful places while I was driving but, I love the mts., rivers, lakes and the weather and change of seasons right here in East Tn.!

 

[chickiepoo]

Yep, KC. Southerners are bred to fear snow. We don't have the equipment. We don't have the experience. We can't drive in snow. Or ice. Our buildings aren't designed for it. Does any one remember when Atlanta shut down for about a week over a foot or less of snow? The guys with four-wheel drive get a lot of entertainment, and somebody starts frying a turkey on their LPgas camping stove, and everybody sets back. Til its started melting good and you get the power back, and you know if your pipes are cracked, and start doing laundry. I have known banks to close here over an afternoon flurry. Because on the coast the weather is so fickle. Hurricanes we deal with. Tornadoes scare the dickens out of me.

 

[magikchick]

I live in SW Florida it's still in the 80's here.

I have tomatoes and bell peppers still growing. We are getting a cold front moving thru sometime this week, should get the temps down in the 70's.

Around Jan or Feb we will see a freeze and everthing will turn brown for a while.

 

[Itsme]

Thank you everyone for your replies.....

Wow tomatoes and bell peppers in December....who-da thunk!

 

[wclawrence]

Someone said something about Florida. That's not the south! That is a foreign country!

 

[speckledhen]

LOL, you aren't kidding! I was in Miami in the last few years. Yup, no southerners down there!

 

[homecatmom]

Trees change color and drop their leaves?

NOT palm trees!

Snow? NOT in Los Angeles! 2 seasons here too, summer & winter. Winter is cold cold here. It was 48 degrees this morning and the kids asked if they could stay home from school....NO. Today is only warm enough to wear a t-shirt (no tank tops) and peddle pushers (no shorts). But, not to worry, we will be back up in the low 80's by this weekend.....AHHHH Southern California!