This warm weather is fooling mother nature. I live 300 miles due west of Chicago. My 2 pear trees are in full bloom. We can still get frost and snow in the midwest. (If so, no pears for me this year) The apple trees are still in bud stage, (I think) so they may be safe.
but my parents in the UP of Michigan said the maple sap was flowing real well and then came to an abrupt stop when it stopped freezing at night. I hope my uncle got enough out of his sugar bush to send some my way.
Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
This past Feb-Mar has been the warmest since I've been here. Last year it was darn cold.
A few years ago, `09 I think, we had a long warm spell in early March and all the trees budded out and then leafed out. Then we had an ice storm and hard freeze for a few days after and all the leaves died and fell off.
In mid April there were no leaves on any of the hardwoods and in was pretty ugly. I mean, Spring is just beautiful here, but without the trees being leafed out it was ugly. Most of them did come back and leaf out by mid-May, but it kind of felt like the best part of Spring was lost that year.
All the trees are leafing out right now here. Our Crabapple tree started leafing out before it even bloomed, but it still bloomed in spectacular fashion this year.
Things are growing so fast here right now you can watch the forest close in around you. Really, you can, and it's pretty amazing when you take the time to see it.
We farm, and it is kinda scary .. 80 degrees in March .. WHAT WILL THE SUMMER BE ???
Question... will the sap start flowing again if it freezes again.
I don't think so. As Bill mentioned above wild fluctuations in temperature can be real detrimental to flora that depend on temperature change to tell them what season they are in. I imagine the sap season is pretty much over for most of the areas that produce it. Maybe I should stock up before the local stores run out of last years batch.
Registered: 02/23/03
Posts: 2124
Loc: Meadow Valley, CA
I've had a hard time snow camping, only been on one real trip this winter, the rest have been on minimal snow or on dirt. It has still been cold enough that my fruit trees are not blooming yet. I'll check this weekend when I get home. Bulbs are up though the last two weeks. Duane
Here in Bend it is not unususal to get a cold frost the first day of June, and we have maybe a 90 day growing season in the Summer. It _CAN_ freeze any day of the year. Our plants are adjusted to it, pop up late and grow like heck.
Jim
_________________________
These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.
Registered: 02/23/03
Posts: 2124
Loc: Meadow Valley, CA
One of my apple trees has some Fire Blight. Not surprised with the early, warm Spring with some rain. Ideal conditions for the spread of the disease. I've cut off one small limb so far, may have to take a larger one. Then there is the quail picking at my small potato plants. Duane
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