I hear ya, fig! My mother used the same phrase because I'm a worrier, too. The last several years have all been different. We're suddenly humid in this dry as dust climate, have triple digit summers like the ones we moved away from in SoCal, snow that melts soon after falling, temps that jump from below to above freezing all winter, just different in every way. I enjoy the warmer winters, but worry about my roses not having the consistent insulation they need. Now, I'm worrying about fungal diseases that I know nothing about. I worry if these changes are here to stay or will we be back to 90" of snow, mild summers and the dry climate that fungal diseases can't live in. Are we still zone 5 or have we moved up a couple notches? Should I continue to stick with hardy roses, or can I now safely plant more tender ones? So far, none of these things have been a problem, but I worry about it, borrowing trouble. Those words, by the way, are from Matthew 6:34. I'm sorry you're a worrier, too, but I bet we're not alone. And, I'm SO jealous of your teas. I hope they all thrive and adapt to your climate. I tried two of the hardiest ones and neither made it through a very mild winter. Growing roses may not help worriers, but it does teach patience!

Fig, I bet the Teas will be fine. We have Spring freeze thaw here and tips can get frozen, then they put out growth again and are fine. This happens into March and April. Wishing you the best.

@flowersaremusic z5 Eastern WA If you grow roses, weather is something that's always on your mind. I wrote a long (hopefully) humorous post a while back on what rosarians complain about. It got a lot of love, lol.

I've grown teas for years, but even though our summers seem hotter and longer, I have more dieback now than when I started so long ago. I think it's attributable to the wild(-er) swings and less settled weather we have now as the seasons change. I value my teas and chinas above almost all my other roses, but it's just getting harder to keep them happy.

As for Matthew 6:34, mom also used to quote the last part a lot, too: "...Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof". Boy, ain't it true?

@Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR Sheila, I'm hoping. This winter is just soooo weird that I'm expecting comparable weirdness this Spring! lol. I think I'm most worried about canker/dieback if the freezes come after a long warm spell. I've NEVER had buds and basals form this early. Our last frost date is April 21! It's scary.

Fig, I can't comment on how you weather is likely to be or how it might affect your roses; our climate is so different that my experiences don't apply to your situation. I do want to wish you patience, tranquillity of spirit, and luck while I'm at it! Gardeners go through a lot of highs and lows, but so far, our gardens have survived.

I feel you so much fig. It could have been me, instead of you in everything you wrote. I am the same exact way, and have the same weather. We thankfully didn't have any of that crazy winter weather, which I am thankful. I think they will all be just fine , we just can't help but worry. I understand. Good thoughts and prayers to you.

Hang in there, fig! Roses are tougher than any of us give them credit for. Even if you do lose some cane they should come back just fine when it does warm up for good.

Fig, we had wise mothers.

Here is the link to the thread you referred to. It's a classic. As gardeners, a healthy sense of humor is absolutely required. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4697608/x-post-the-mindset-of-a-rosarian#n=30

@flowersaremusic z5 Eastern WA Thanks so much for locating that thread. I'm even funnier than I remember, hehe. But then so is everyone else! I think it's much better to laugh than to cry when it turns out that we weren't "borrowing trouble" after all, and our worst fears come to pass. Even in those times, there's always something to find humor in...mostly in ourselves.

welp....here it comes. Two nights of mid-twenties coming up. Wish my roses (and azaleas, and camellias, and...) luck, lol.

John

Yep, it's The Easter Freeze again. This March we've had temps down to about 24 at times and they could handle that while dormant but then it warmed up a lot. Now everything is leafed out, clematis plants are shooting up, and I worry about the new growth. Good luck to us all.

I am worried as well. We are having two nights of freezing weather too. :(

While here in Southern California, we are not only in a state of drought, but we have been experiencing a series of unseasonable wind events.

Today, March 31, we have hit 93 deg. The Dry east wind is screaming. 9% humidity. Many of the roses have few leaves . . . They've been blown into the next county or (more likely) out to sea. Rose blooms are either drying to potpourri as they open, or not opening at all, sealed closed by dry outer petals.

I am very, very tired of wind.

I wish there were something we could say or do. I support efforts to reduce climate change and am so hoping for rain for So California.

@jerijen Jeri, I'm so sorry to hear about conditions out there. I was just looking at the weekly agriculture forecast, and they seem to give a slight hope of some shower activity out there in the near future. I know that rain this late is rare for you, but I'll be hoping for that even more than mitigated temps here.

Here in the New Orleans area, we were at 86 degrees today and tomorow morning we will be in the 30's . At least it won't be a freeze. I hope all of you have a higher temperature then they are predicting. Promise to pray for all of your roses tonight. Can't help it if that sounds silly.

Freeze and thaw is a way of life here in Michigan. You get used to it and learn quickly which plants can take it and which can't. I'm not worried about the roses. It may freeze off some of the little growth that is out there now but they will come back.

Jeri, wind is my least favorite weather too. I'd rather have 6 inches of snow than gale force winds! It always makes me very on edge for some reason.

Wind makes my mind itch!

John, I think the chance of measurable rain in this area is down around slim and none. Maybe next December. If we're lucky. San Diego Co. might get some tropical stuff, but that won't get up here abouts.

Oh, snow is good! I'm always glad to see snow, at least as far as the garden is concerned; not so much for driving.

Jeri, that sounds hideous: you have my sympathies. What can we all do about climate change, in our own actions? And how can we convince our political representatives that it's a crisis that must be tackled now? I keep planting and hope for the best.

Weird weather here, too: two months of drought so far, no significant rain in the two week forecast, and it's warm. Last week the power company worked on the poles and lines below our house. They had to bring in some machinery, which meant levelling the tractor road that passes below our house to make a platform, and cutting out some trees and brush. I came out and watched, and asked them to spare the garden if possible: the head of the crew roared out "Occhio al giardino!", and, for that reason or others, they managed not to touch it. It was impressive considering how tight the space was. Our neighbors had previously logged a portion of the woods below our house, too, so now we have a brilliant view down the valley, a patch of bare and blinding open space courtesy of the power company right below our yard, and our house a kind of garden fortress, walled and turreted and bristling with vegetable defense. There's the persimmon tree, a largeish box--box moth has mysteriously not yet appeared this year, and thank Heaven for its mercies--the wisteria pergola, the truly enormous 'Archduc Joseph' rambling over all, and more, more, more: all the height and mass and density of green we can fit into the compact space around the house.

Well, I clicked on "like" for these posts, but in many cases what I mean by that is that I truly sympathize with all of you and am praying for our planet; it really sounds like by now everybody is experiencing the terrible effects of Global Warming.@Melissa It's way too dry here in Tuscany as well. I wanted to ask you two things: one, how often do you water? and two, do you know anything about the life cycle of the box moth? It has, alas, arrived in my garden. Luckily I only have two plants, one of which has been affected by the pest for the past 2 years. I want to get rid of it,and was wondering if it would be safe just to cut it down and use it as organic matter,or if it would be necessary to put it into the composter ?

Southern California today . . . Within sight of the ocean. 105 deg.

Ugh, Jeri. That is just nasty. I wish I could send you some of our cool (cold!) air. A trade to average out both of our extremes would be nice.

Oh, Jeri, that is awful this early in the year.

Horrible, Jeri. The Future is upon us.