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January 2007 update: We have had an unusual winter so far – although I have been waiting years for a usual winter. Warm temperatures certainly occurred in December and into Early January. The average temperature for December was about 7 degrees above normal and for January was about 5 degrees above normal. We sold loam and arborvitaes in early January for the first time in memory. What does all this mean? Not much to your plants (I’m not addressing the whole global warming issue). Plants have evolved and survived though thousands, and even hundreds of thousands of years, ice ages, and volcanic eruptions. If nothing else, plants adapt fairly well to short term changes. Yes, some of your daffodils may have started to emerge from the earth. Yes, some buds may have started to swell on a few early plants. But in all likelihood no long-term damage will take place. We actually get calls every year for early daffodils. The rapid change from semi-warm to very cold is probably the biggest issue, but plants are prepared for that also. In order for a “northern” plant to start growing again after the end of the fall, it needs to go through a certain period of cold temperatures. The longer the cold period, the easier it emerges from dormancy. For example tulips that receive only 14 weeks of cold period will bloom after 30 days in the greenhouse, but if they received 22 weeks of cold, the same tulips will bloom after only half as much time in the greenhouse! Since plants have evolved with this type of protection, warm weather in early or mid winter is more or less “ignored” by plants in the landscape. In short, plants are sometimes smarter than us people. |
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