I've got the same problem right now with Bletilla striata and Calanthe sieboldii. I know from bitter experience that the Bletilla buds freeze of if we have a prolonged warm spell followed by freezing temperatures, but this is my first year with the Calanthe. It's very common for us to get occasional days in the 70s in February, but the current extended forecast is for highs in the 60s, 70s, and 80s with no frost for the next 10 days. If we then get a freeze in March or, like last year, April, it will be a mess. This seems to be the new normal. I haven't had a good bloom on my lacecap Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Wave' since my third-grader was a toddler. It used to be reliable, but now it starts growing too early and then freezes. May be time to dig it up and replace with one of those new lacecap varieties that bloom on new wood. Nick Plummer, Durham, NC, Zone 7 (but maybe not anymore) On Sat, Feb 18, 2017 at 12:35 PM, Jim McKenney <jamesamckenney@verizon.net> wrote: > Fritillaria raddeana is up and it's much too soon. In my experience, this > species always emerges flower buds first. I checked the site the other day > and there they were, two fat clusters of yellow buds at ground level. With > at least a full month of wild temperature swings ahead of us, including > periods when the day temperatures might not rise above freezing, I'm > wondering what, if anything I should do.The plants are in the open ground > under what amount to field conditions. Plenty of mulch is on hand to cover > them.Any suggestions? Jim McKenneyMontgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA > zone 7, where in a sense we're still waiting for winter to arrive. > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/