Is it too warm too soon. How will it affect our plants.
I am not going to sugar coat this.
I am deeply concerned about this really, really warm weather this early in the year. It’s beautiful outside. Spent some time on the porch yesterday. It was really, really nice out. Pam, my wife, had a knee replacement and is only two days out of the hospital but even she made it to the porch for a while. Her dad knows that I’m a little overwhelmed right now so he decided to rake up the little branches under our Golden Curls Willow tree that is leafing out!!! It has leaves!
My father in law will be 84 in May and he’s raking up my lawn! He just loves to help and that’s all he knew to do. He’s a good guy.
My neighbor has a Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry that will be in full bloom later today or tomorrow. The buds on my Japanese maples are swelling.
This is not good as far as I’m concerned. In all honesty, I am deeply concerned. But as I was fretting about it this morning Pam reminded me that there isn’t a thing I can do about it.
So what’s the danger?
Frost usually doesn’t affect most hardy shrubs that have started leafing out. But a hard freeze, below 32 degrees F. can be devasting, and if we can make it to mid May without a hard freeze that will be nothing short of a small miracle if you ask me. After all, here in northern Ohio temperatures in the twenties are pretty common in April. So if we some how dodge that, we need to thank our lucky stars.
So . . . how do we protect plants from freeze or frost damage once they have started to leaf out? Some things we can protect, others we cannot. The ground is warm. Ground heat is a handy thing to have and we can take advantage of it to protect flowers, small plants, and low growing shrubs. If you suspect frost or even a hard freeze you should cover any plants that you are concerned with. Don’t use clear plastic at all when the sun is out. The clear plastic will only create more heat. But blankets, tarps and drop cloths work great. So do frost blankets if you happen to have any or can get them.
Cover the plants completely and weight down the edges of the covering. Not only are you trying to protect the top of the plant from the air temperatures or frost, but you are also trying to trap as much ground heat as you can, creating a micro environment around your plants.
Small trees and shrubs in your landscape can also be covered. Whether or not you can cover them to the point that you can do the same and trap in ground heat really depends on the size of the cover you use. But just covering the flowers and leaves will protect them from frost. A hard freeze that lasts for more than an hour or two you may not be able to protect them from that.
Other plants and taller trees in your yard, is there anything you can do?
When plants get covered with a coating of frost you can actually take a garden hose and rinse the frost off the plants and this actually helps. Often times with frost the damage occurs when the sun comes up and hits the frost covered leaves or blooms. The frost itself doesn’t do the actual damage. It’s the sun shining through the frost that burns the plants.
But you have to start this rinsing process before the sun comes up. You have to do it before the sun comes up.
Around here strawberry growers keep irrigation lines set up in the strawberry fields just for that purpose. When they think there’s a chance of frost overnight they are up at 4:00 am to start the water running. Often times the strawberry plants are completely covered with ice from the running water. But they just keep applying the water until it warms up enough that the ice melts away and the strawberry blooms are safe for another day.
Grape farmers actually take old airplane engines and mount them on a stand at the end of their fields and when they think there is going to be a frost they go out in the middle of the night and fire up those engines, with airplane propellers, to create wind over the wind to keep the frost from settling in.
So when you go to buy some strawberries this summer or grapes in the fall, and the price seems high, think about all the things the growers do to make sure they have a fruit crop to sell.
So . . . if you think some of the plants in your landscape might be damaged by a frost or a freeze, try to cover them. If you can’t cover them get out there before the sun comes up and rinse the frost away.
And now, we all have to keep our fingers crossed. These plants are leafing out way too soon.
I am deeply concerned and some what powerless. Such is nature. And nature does so much for us that we should be thankful for, we just have to roll with this and make the best of it.
And that’s why I love growing plants. Because no matter what happens I always have a huge supply of plants that impress and amaze me everyday. Click here to join the excitement.
As always, stay inspired!
-Mike McGroarty
It’s June 9th and the forecast is calling for a low of 26 overnight! It’s also blowing from the North like crazy, up to 40mph. Hoping the tarps, covers and mini-greenhouse will do the trick. We may get up before dawn to check for frost and “rinse” as you have mentioned.
I love your website Mike. Thanks for all the helpful info. They are forcasting 6 inches of snow here in Western PA tonight and tomorrow with lows around 32. I have seven blueberry bushes that I have been able to cover with the recent weather and they seem to be doing OK. I am not sure what to do with the snow forcast. I have been using sheets to cover them. Should I cover them or will the snow protect them?
Shery, I’d cover them if you can. Snow is a great insulator, but that’s for dormant plants.
I live in PA and we got a frost last night, I covered the plants but somehow my japanese maple cover fell off! I sprinkled it with water this morning to try to “blast off the frost” but the water froze right on the branches and leaves! I covered it up with the sheet anyways afterwards. What did I do wrong? Will I lose my japanese maple now(Bloodgood about 2 yrs old-5 feet high, leaves not quite unfurled yet)? Do you have another suggestion for what I should have done?
No I don’t. I’m in the same situation as you and I decided to let nature take it’s course. I have way too much stuff to cover. And most of it is too big to cover. If they are damaged, more than likely they’ll bounce back. They’ll just have to make new buds. It could be more serious than that, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Thanks for you reply! Sorry to hear that about your own yard, I hope this all works out well! Also, how long do you think I should leave the covers on the plants that I did cover after the sun comes up? Do I have to wait for it to be a certain temperature before removing the sheets/blankets?
Hey Mike, I live in central Alabama and the place that I live on is a steep hill made of rocks, roots and red clay-like dirt. Do you have any suggestions as to what would grow good in this area? I have a few things growing but mostly everything is in hanging plants. I would love to have someone landscape my front yard. I really need some help…..Thanks so much. p.s. I really enjoy your news letters and have tried alot of things in them, Keep up the good work.
Thank you mike. I had no idea about the sun and the frost.
HOW DO I GROW POTATOES SO THEY DON/T HAVE KNOTS ON THEM? I WANT THEM TO BE SMMOOTH.
Your info is always interesting and helpful.I live in Tennessee and with temps in the 80’s for over a week, we already have fruit,(apples, pears, and peaches) on our trees in our yard.I cannot ever remember picking polk salad this early in the year. Usually, the dogwoods, red buds and blackberries bloom before we have any fruit. This has been a very unusual year.
Thanks you for all your wonderful information.
Mike tell Pam good luck with her knee. I am going to have my other one done soon. We don’t have the cold weather here in Texas that you do, but all of our trees, bushes, etc, are budding out. The azeleas, dogwood, wiggela and bulbs are just beautiful.
I too am concerned about this problem as I live in Tennessee and this is a yearly battle for us. But the heat extreme so early I am worried about all of my large apple trees and other fruit bearers that I cannot cover up completely. As usual thanks for the great info and I’ll be sure not to complain about my next bowl of fruit.
Mike I love reading all you input but the one on mulch made me wonder. I asked if you thought the rubber mulch ( ground tires ) was any good for the beds around my home here in Englewood. Florida? My neighbor put black paper down then the rubber mulch. What’s your coment about this?
Janet
Live in Southern Illinois. Sure hope and pray we do have have a hard freeze. Not only would it effect the plants and flowers, but also the Peaches and Apples.
Also, enjoy reading your articles. I have learned a few things from you. Keep up the GOOD work. Thanks much!
Hmm when I first moved where I am in NC my figs came out in Feb . Then we got a hard freeze and I lost them all so I thought that was the end of it but new ones grew and I was surprised ! So sometimes this happens you know as like this year it is possible the same could happen or not . I think it is like a life cycle as the weather is so take it with a grind of salt !
Praying Pam heals soon Mike !
Mike, I’d add… be careful w/ the grape trimming late… don’t knock the blossoms off and thanks for the tip about taking frost off.. Same fear here in NY. Everything leafing out. Some budding…hard to believe we won’t get another frost. Will use your packing tech. for my lilacs and a couple of other small shrubs… I’ve lost plants to frost before and then had some of them reappear two – three years later. Lupines disappeared for years and are now returning after moving some other plants. Nice surprise. Question: why do the dear eat the delphiniums in my yard and not my neighbors?
Hi, Mike…..this is to acknowledge that Pam has been such a helpful support to you over all of the years of sometimes, poor income from landscaping and all of your various endeavors , then through the sucessful years ( this knowledge is from reading your bio on your web site )…….
As an R,N., I know that knee surgery is very painful , so make her some great fudge, give tight muscles a massage,keep things neat in the house , get her several pillows that you can place “just so ” so she can change positions and Mike, please pamper her a lot !
Patricia ….from Rochester N.Y.
Thanks Patricia, I’ve been all over that!
Mike, I am still picking the swiss chard and collard greens I planted last spring. I am in NE PA. I even found a few beets that decided to come up. Weird if you ask me but I am enjoying it.
What about the bees. Will they come early too for early blossoms
Everything here in WNY is leafing out at least 6wks. early. I’m in awe of these warm temperatures. I think we broke records 5 or so days in a row. My acer rubrum is leafed out already and many plants..lilacs, roses,and others have broken buds open already. Rhodies have buds on them too. Some perennials have flowers on them as well. We live in a 6b zone right around the Great Lakes, so I’m not too worried and the ice boom has been removed. That’s always a great help. It’s the outlying areas that are a zone 5 and lower that will have problems…more in the hills and valleys. Thanks for the info!
Very interesting article, Mike. I learned a lot about protecting plants from freezing. I found winter frost covers at Home Depot last fall and have four of them covering my tender plants. We had a unusually warm February this year in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and last weekend had 18 inches of snow! These covers look like little white teepees and protect down to 25 degrees.
They didn’t collapse under the snow load and
the plants look fine underneath. So glad I have them!
We are in Northern Ohio and our Cherry tree is in bloom.
I was wondering if it’s too late to start seedlings indoors or outdoors with plastic covering if it gets cold?
Thanks!
Beulah, timing is everything when growing plants. See this page: http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm
Japanese maples, are there any that will thrive in zone 9, S C Florida?
Roger, there are a few and I will do an article about that over at http://japanesemaplelovers.com
Loved all the great information I live in Eastern Washington and it snowed here last night.
Thank you so much for your wonderful gardening tips throughout the year. Here in Wisconsin everything is leafing out and blooming. I shared your “Is it too warm too soon?” column with several of my friends. You are terrific. Good wishes to Pam for a speedy recovery.
Love your tips and passion for plants. The deer here have destroyed everything below about 7 feet and we are unable to grow much of anything anymore…I have a few daffodils and thats about it. nothing is safe no matter how deer proof the claims are.
Wishing Pam a very quick and successful recovery!
My loquat tree is full of fruit in the foothills of southern Ca. This is quite unusual this early in the year. I’ve lived here for 20 years and have never had this happen.
We have broken records 5 of the last 6 days, in the 80”s several times…we should be about 57. Crazy. I’m worried too.
I have a Florida Home Pear Tree. It looked like it started to bud out in January. December was very warm here in central Florida. We had temperatures down in the 20’s about the 2nd week of January. My Pear Tree still looks like it is budding out. But, still no leaf action. I am worried the early budding and cold temperatures might have done it in. We did not have frost because of the winds. But, it did get cold for maybe 4 hours below freezing one night. I am not giving up hope on it yet. I fertilized it and I am giving it water every other day.
Great! Thank you so much.
Let me say that I signed up for your emails several years ago and have read everyone! I have learned so much. Again, thank you!!! Even connected with one of your Backyard Nursery Growers who is just minutes away from me and grew up a block away from where I live now. I will be buying at least blueberry bushes from him this spring. How cool is that?
Great info. I have a question about prunig my grapes. I usually wait until March to prune them because it’s not as cold and they haven’t started to bud where I live in upstate NY. However, as you have just written, it has been record high warm. Anyway, the grape vines had to be pruned because they were quite long. Did I hurt them or damage them too badly by trimming them with the budding brought on by the warmth?
Hope, I doubt it. Here most grape growers trim in December and January, but trimming them later should do any harm.
i to have been worrying about the weather as i was feeding cattle today my husband and i saw baby muskrats here in southern ontario not good this is terribly early trapping season is on so babes wont survive and just as the plants i wonder what will happen to the wildlife as well
Mike, thanks for all your useful information. I’m here in Raleigh, NC and just about everything has started to pop! Cherry and peach trees in full bloom. Little figs on the end of every twig. Onions and garlic growing strong in the garden. Have already planted all my bean/pea type seeds and they will be out in about two weeks, which is safe. Broccoli is just starting to head. This spring is a lot better than the winter we just had. Just hiope that it stays away until next winter. All mt tomatoes, peppers and egg plant are outside hardening up to be planted in a week or so.
Thanks for all you advice and help.
Tony Sterantino
Raleigh, NC.
Very useful hints. I am worrying about this unusual warm weather, too. Now at least I know what to do when a bad turn comes.
Thanks bunch Mike.
is it easy to sprout bamboo seed?
Joyce, I don’t honestly know. Most bamboo is grown via division. If you have seeds do a google search for seed germination database and just look up the bamboo.
oh mike, you’re in our neck of the woods. im really concerned about my neighbor’s peach tree, its blooming. in march! its too early! im also concerned about the rose bushes around my house and will be purchasing some cover for them. im praying that the weather stays mild, but not holding my breath.
thanks for continuing to provide awesome info!
Sending best wishes to Pam.
As Spring approaches we refer very often to your very informative website. Thank you…this article is a big help here in central West Virginia. When do you start seeds in the ground in Zone 6?
Kendra, thank you very much! Pam is doing better each day. Knee replacement is a challenging surgery.
Global warming is real, happening now, and caused by human activity. That’s what 98% of all real climate scientists are saying all over this planet. People can choose to believe whatever they want to believe, but belief alone does not make something true. Evidence makes something true. People can choose to not see what is right in front of their nose, if it makes them feel better, and they do. Also let’s not forget that the fossil fuel industry is spending millions of dollars to misinform… so they can just keep on making money. As gardeners and lovers of this Earth, it behooves us to alert people to the truth, and get all of humanity to change its ways… before its too late.
Roger-
You are misinformed about the 98%. You may be confusing that 98% of the climatologists AGREE that pollution and burning fossil fuels are BAD for the environment. However, no where near that number agree that it is the cause of the supposed global warming. During the Pleistocene (today) we are currently experiencing the cold era where temperatures are considered “Ice House”. If history repeats itself, temps will (are currently trending) rise to hothouse levels. We will be long gone by then.
Furthermore, fossil fuel industry is not spending much of their wealth at all on misinforming. They have no need to because we are dependent on fossil fuels.
Nonetheless, I agree that we need to change our ways, no matter how inconvenient it is. We usually do when we reach a point where the risks outweigh the costs.
i.e. the 1960-70s air and water pollution levels that were the worst in Earth’s history. We passed new regulation and cleaned things up but may be heading back to polluted waters.
@Ron. I have to support Roger. If he is off it is by a hair and it is you that is horribly mistaken. Here is why. Recent research has shown that at least 95% of Earth Scientists hold the consensus position that “humans are causing global warming” (http://www.skepticalscience.com/global-warming-scientific-consensus-intermediate.htm) and a “survey of all peer-reviewed abstracts on the subject ‘global climate change’ published between 1993 and 2003 shows that not a single paper rejected the consensus position that global warming is man caused (Oreskes 2004).” Since then the evidence has grown much stronger and support for the consensus position deepened and broadened.
So the scientific concensus as represented by the IPCC and overwhelmingly supported by climatologists is that Anthropological Global Climate Change – which will naturally result in local variations – some hotter and some cooler – is caused by the Earth’s rapid warming due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases caused primarily by mankind’s idiotic burning of our irreplaceable fossil carbon legacy with recent research confirming that, as long predicted, this effect is already being strongly amplified by runaway offgassing from defrosting (and hence decomposing) tundra as well as the sublimation of arctic marine Methyl Chlathrate and Hydrate deposits (http://www.greendump.net/tag/methyl-clathrate).
At this point, we could stop producing Carbon Dioxide and reduce our Methane release and the Earth would continue to rise in temperature due to these “tipping point” effects. Unfortunately, rather than reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the consensus opinion is that we have in fact increased our emissions of GHG year-on-year (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/business/energy-environment/oecd-warns-of-ever-higher-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html?_r=1&ref=globalwarming).
As for the amounts being spent to prevent action, we know that just one denialist group, the “Heartland Institute” has received millions of dollars to fund anti-global climate change propaganda (http://www.smarterearth.org/content/finally-we-get-see-global-warming-fraud-cash-and-it-isnt-pretty-so-why-isnt-it-all-over-news). Multiply this by the large number of propaganda sources out there and the number is indeed significant – not in terms of the fortunes being made on hydrocarbons or the costs that rapid warming will impose on mankind perhaps – but clearly enormous in relation to the amounts being spent on climate science, researching solutions and explaining the urgent need to transition from a legacy carbon economy – including reducing both populations and energy usage to sustainable levels – to mankind. If that were not the case, people around the world would long ago have insisted on urgent action as significant as the scale of the problem that the currently predicted and totally disasterous 4 to 6 C rise in the Earth’s temperature will bring to us and our children.
Thank you for you informed response and support! Listen to the experts, not your favorite talk show host (who are there for the money).
At one time most people believed that the Earth was flat…or that it wasn’t possible to clone a sheep, but science proved them wrong.
At the least, I don’t want my grandchildren growing up with asthma, or autism, or right next to a land fill…do you?
Gentlemen, do not twist what I am presenting. I am a staunch supporter of the scientific community and environmental preservation and can name dozens of contributing causes of increased possibility of your grandchildren growing up with asthma, autism, and/or a landfill. All preventable and supported 100% by scientific data, modeling, and lessons learned. Yet people are less willing to make changes because it will require lifestyle changes.
Regarding global warming consensus: It is not very difficult to get numbers in the 90+ percentile if you are polling or petitioning a group with a common opinion. The IPCC consensus was taken in 2001 and has been criticized as being misleading and not a majority of “Earth Scientist’s” opinion. The key wording is “opinion”. Who are these Earth Scientists and how many of them were polled?
Most scientists in the 19th century were considered atheists or agnostic because they would not challenge evolution theory. It did not mean that they all believed in the theory or followed Charles Darwin. Sometimes one voice is louder than the others. Throw in skewed data and false information and the mob will rule.
We all can agree that emission of man-made greenhouse gas is bad for our atmosphere and alternatives must be pursued. While it is easily the most controllable cause, I do not believe that it is the majority cause until all the facts are presented. Research is ongoing. One time people DID believe that the earth was flat; but science did not prove them wrong, adventurers, advances in transportation, and financial backing did. Scientific data was presented hundreds of years before Columbus set sail. Man had been in the “new world” thousands of years prior. And I am speculating that other man-made activities will be our demise before global warming will.
Good info. Mike. I actually have sprinkled water over my frosted plants before the sun comes up and it always works, so don’t stress people, if your flowers or small shrubs have frost on them, just sprinkle water on to melt the frost before the sun hits them and you’ll be fine.
Thank you Mike this is very helpful information. Your smiles are important to all of us.
My rhubarb are really growing, should I cover them until May? I live in PA.
Doris, only cover if danger of freeze or frost is present. don’t light starve growing plants.
We live in a cold (zone 2) area of Idaho where a freeze or snow can occur in any month of the year. If we let our overhead sprinkler run during a hard freeze, we save our garden crops. Thank you for the information on saving our blossoms from sunburn.
Thank You Mike for youre tips. Even though I am in Tennessee the plants are budding and blossoming way too soon. We can still get heavy frosts or even a freeze here yet this spring. I didn’t know that about the frost and the sun effect either. You’re advise is the best.
Thank you Mike for your tips, and I hope you don’t add too much stress to your lives over it. You see, our climate is changing for sure, becoming warmer, and it may well be due to a movement in the magnetic north pole to the NW. Here is what Dutch Sinse has to say about it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTa6hBVXzZE
Even the USDA has changed its Plant Hardiness Zone maps reflecting this change.
Such neat ideas..Mike, I have gleaned so much info from you though a little, tiny little, late in life, but thanx so much for your willingness to share your knowledge.
It’s not unusual in the Pacific Northwest for plants to be budding or blooming this time of year, but this year we are having usually cold weather. I feel the fear of plants growing and knowing that a freeze or frost can come along and destroy them. Think I’ll go out and cover a few flowers right now!
Hi Mike, I just read that the main reason frost damages plants is because when the ice crystals form,the ice draws moisture from the leaves. This loss of moisture results in dehydration thereby damaging it. Therefore it is imperative that you keep the ice rinsed off. This makes sense to me.
I love your passion and informative thoughts, Phil from Philly
My weeping cherry usually blooms mid April. The blooms began opening today, March 18th. And a number of my cuttings and liners are leafing out as well. Will be watching weather forcast VERY closely for the next couple of months.
Wishing Pam a successful recovery.
Like Tammy, I too am wondering about my roses. Is it too soon to uncover them and prune them do you think?
Patsy, that depends on where you live and whether or not the roses have new growth on them. You can uncover them, but if it gets cold again you may want to recover them during those cold periods.
Love the article, Mike. Very informative. I’m praying for not hard freezes from here on out. We are unseasonably warm here, too, and it’s wonderful to be able to get out there early and get a jump start on gardening chores.
Hi mike,
Thanks so much for the water info. I didn’t know that & will keep it in mind.
I was wondering about my Roses. I have several varieties & they r leafing out. Can I use water on them, as well? Also, I use the Bayer 3 n 1, too. It says to fertilize them when they starting leafing out. It’s so early in the year for them to be doing so. Should I go ahead & feed them? I live in central Illinois. All my Daffadils & Hyenthesis r blooming & everything else is coming up. I have quite a variety of flowers. sun & Shade.
Thank u Mike. U r awesome.
Here in Pensacola it has already gone above 80 degrees twice.
I planted most of my garden, and will see if I can get vegetables before it gets too hot.
We had a very mild winter, expect the environmentalists to claim it is global warming. The Sun has a-lot to do with the temperatures (we are having some solar flairs and hot-spots lately). It’s a natural cycle. Enjoy the warm weather, pull weeds, and get ready for spring.
Are you so sure that it is just a natural cycle? Are you a scientist that studies such matters? Most scientists agree that global warming is real and that humans are making it worse (ever hear of the hole in the ozone layer?). It troubles me that people are still believing and spreading such nonsense. Please get educated on the subject. If you love mother nature, then you should be the one to help others to respect and love it also.
You pay for insurance on the chance that something bad may happen, so why not open you mind and listen when experts are telling you that this is happening?
Wishing Pam a speedy recovery
Thank you for all your videos and helpful information
Thanks for the wonderful tips. I agree with you I think its far too early for Michigan to have 75 on March 15 and 16.
There is a tree farm here in Chipley, FL and the owner attaches Christmas tree lights (the kind that give off heat) to his lemon tree when a frost condition is expected. This is for one tree but the treatment could be expanded to protect additional trees.
My Garlic is in question. Cold, warm, cold warm. Here in NH I am not sure how this is going to grow this spring? Any suggestions, tips, help. Thanks. Yes it is a small field of it. Thank you for whatever you may add. Happy spring
Back in the days when Santa Clara Valley was mile after mile of apricot and prune orchards, the growers would mount airplane engines on stands and start them up on mornings when frost was predicted. The cold air gathers in the low spots, and if you can keep it moving, the frost does not form.
What a coincidence. I just had a conversation with a friend of mine this morning about a frost coming and killing the flower buds driving up prices. I’m going to remember about the watering thing when/if we get a frost. Thanks for all the good info.
Thanks for a great acticle. In CA I too have lots of plants leafing out & plants with buds. I cover as much as I can with burlap throws and pray for the rest. Each year I win some & always lose some….but the bird droppings always give me some new unexpected plants.
Did not know about washing off the frost and I think I will be getting a chance to try it out.
thanks Mike & all your readers for their information…..keep up the good work.
Jo
Mike-
When is a good time to start fertilizing trees and shrubs? I’m in Northern Illinois and use Bayer Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed liquid in the early spring around bloom time. I am reluctant to encourage the new growth this early.
I didn’t know that about frost and sunshine. Thanks Mike!
I found the article informative as well, and honestly didn’t realize that it’s the sun that does the damage after the frost sets in.
I’m in Florida, and we had only 1 day of frost, but it was not below 32o and only like 35o, but the windchill was that of 29o.
Non the less, I lost this beautiful house plant that 3′ tall with green and yellow leaves, but it kicks in, after being totally striped from the frost, and comes right back again. So now I am aware of windchill factors and damage that the sun does to the frost. I will just have to get up at 4am and hose everything down!
Thank you so much for all the useful and practical information you give to your readers! I live in eastern Maine where the temperatures have been scarily warm for most of this winter. Last time I walked the yard I noticed my lilacs are leafing out as we speak. Usually lilacs here don’t get going until mid-May, so that’s two months early. And we won’t even be able to take advantage of this maybe-extended growing season, as no Maine gardener with an ounce of sense plants anything before mother’s day, memorial day for veggies, etc.
So thank you for the ideas on how to protect the plants whose growth we can’t control!
Great article, I grow maples myself, do you have a place on your web for places to sell, like classifed add.
Mike, why don’t you pop over to http://japanesemaplelovers.com and tell me more about what you do.
I dont have that problem of frost in April, I am here in Mississippi,,,, my peach trees are starting there new growth and my persimmon, my lemon in a huge pot has flowers that are filling the air with their perfume… I use to live up North many years ago… since my parants never moved out of Brooklyn, they could not imagine the wonderful fruit trees and plants that you can grow here in Florida and the south….
even banana trees, papayas, oranges, persimmon, lemons, figs, avacodos, etc. It is really sad to think that people dont like to move out of the cold states, either because of family or friends, or jobs…. I believe in sunshine and warm weather.. summers can be a bit of problem with hummidity and 90ish weather.. but there is always air conditioning or the beach… I am glad I made the move in the 80s to go south… I am here in MS. for 3 years and started gardening here too… I miss my fresh bananas from my trees in Florida, so far over here they get a bit of frost on top but they come back to life, but no bananas yet,,, I wont give up…. I found a man who sells BUNNY POOP, so I bought 2 50 lb bags and hope to incorporate it into the soil just as soon as my land dries up a bit. We had a very heavy rain fall for 2 days and I am a little flooded,,, but todays sun will help dry it up…. thats about it for now…