the joys of spring... in JANUARY!

First you have to watch what the plants are doing, and then you watch what the animals do in response to what the plants are doing........start planting your edible garden guys!

Rainbows
Jane

Originally posted by westcoast

Something is off.

I have had similar thoughts as to what will happen come next year. What is going to happen to these trees and plants that seem so confused? WHY are they behaving this way? Because it isn't just about temperature. I have lived here for over 30 yrs and we have had mild winters before...something else is up I dunno what.

Hi

I totally agree and have been thinking the same thing... it si still fairly cold here, we have jad warmer winters and still everything does it's usual thing, so what has changed this year? it's almost like the plants are just ignoring the fact it's winter. Whaere are they getting the energy from?

A question for the green fingered out there: Once a plant flowers does it have to live out it's cycle or can it revert ? I ask because some of the flowers (pic 3 especially) started flowering when it was unseasonably warm, we are now back to normal but they and others continue to flower, whats going on?

I have a plum and a cherry tree in the garden which are already sending out buds, so what happens when we do finally get a cold snap? do they just die and we get no fruit next year? and what are the wider implications?

Definitely a tad worrying.

Originally posted by Pelvi
Let's hope it doesn't just get cold all of a sudden, if it does these plants wont be ready for such a thing. I have a sad feeling a lot of everything will die if it believes its time to blossom and then BAM winter hits and it might mess up the cycle.

yeah thats what im worried about... not for my flowers or even my fruit, but the wider implications

reply to post by kdog1982


funily enough I have no seen squirrels recently, which is weird because my house backs into the woods and I often walk in the woods, go logging, collecting kindling, that sort of thing, and always see them, but not recently... Just googled it and apparently they don't hibernate in the uk, they just hunker down when it gets cold or really wet/windy.

off for a slow quiet walk in the woods to see if I can find any.

reply to post by karen61057


hey karen, I picked my wife a rose from my garden just the other day... now surely roses dont flower mid winter right!?!

I'm in Minnesota, and by now we usually have 3 feet of snow or more, and almost nothing is covering the ground, there is some snow, but the weather warms up for a few days and it is mostly gone.
The temps have been in the mid 20's to lower 30's. Usually in January we get -20 f and lots of snow. I don't think we have seen -20 this year yet.

If I read the thread correctly, this is a la nina year, and up here, that USUALLY means bitter cold. When there is an El Nino year, we warm up quite a bit. This all seems very backwards to me.

So I would agree, the weather is strange, although it is nice.

Ya here in the Lower Mainland of BC, north of ATS member WestCoast it has been unseasonably warm and dry if you can believe it. Having our driest December on record and an average daily high the highest in some time.

Which I find humorous because in the Local dailies the Vancouver Province & Sun as well as our local newscasts were predicting for us to brace for the cold and get ready for the snow cause this could go on record as the worst winters ever.

So far yes it has felt "warmer" had a few nights under zero celcius little ice on the windshields but not really close to winter yet like it normally is.

This got me to thinking as a clearly now nuclear paranoid resident of the west coast of north america. That the whole upper 49th parallel and those in line with the fukishima disaster are experiencing odd sets of weather. We all as well know that the whole issue is highly under reported. I am no expert but could there be any coincidence that pops up in the near future showing so. Guess we wait and see.

But ya overall one heck of a winter (snicker, snicker) worst one on record (snicker, snicker) hope I'm not eating crow in a month LoL

SaneThinking

reply to post by doubledutch


Would this ALSO mean the plant aren't as nutrient rich as usual? I mean think about it, before they blossom they HAVE to be doing something important. I just don't feel as if they will healthy and fine if winter doesn't come and trash them, I still think something is fishy with them.

reply to post by SaneThinking


hmmm, hadnt even considered fukashima!

good point



are there any weather geeks in ats land who might be able to explain what's up (assuming it's not due to radiation)? and anyone else in the UK experiencing this other than in the deep dark south west?

Im in southern Alberta, and so far this has been the warmest winter Ive ever seen. We havent had any real significant snow fall yet, my patio door is open as I speak, and its gorgeous.
I cant say that Im complaining about having a warm weather in Canada, but usually by this time the temperatures have dropped at least a bit, and even if the snow melts, at least we usually get some snow.

Im worried about the crops this next year, Im not an expert, but Im pretty sure the snow plays a big part in keeping the ground moist. I guess well just have to wait and see.

Maybe this weather isnt bad, but I cant shake the feeling that the other shoe is going to drop, and it wont be pretty.

As I just posted in another thread, the robins (birds) are back already. We usually don't see them until at least mid April.

Do not fear, the plants will be fine. They will just return to being dormant, when the weather cools again. I have seen this often over the last 50 years, and it does amaze me that plants can be so resilient to the ever changing temperatures. I personally am enjoying the last few days of 60 degree temps in January. It would be helpful if everyone would include in their post where they reside, so we call all get an idea of the overall picture. I am in the Missouri Ozarks. Looking forward to the deep March snows, to herald in Spring again.

Here on the coast of South Carolina has been pretty warm this winter. Actually, its been very warm this winter. A typical January here requires hats and layers to fight the wind and cold but Ive been in shorts and tees pretty much daily! Today its 70 degrees, sunny and windless..

I hope its just a warm winter and not a precursor for anything larger..

Weather outlook 2012 www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov... Hope this is the temp link

Looks like a warm Spring ahead for the U.S. www.weather.com...

The sun seems way too North rising this morning. I know that sounds crazy and it is but here it is blazing over Ohio warm as spring. I noticed it setting farther in the north all fall when I was walking. Usually this time of year the sun seems way more in the South when it rises. Probably just my imagination. Enjoy the weather regardless Notherners :1

Reason for this unusual winter is North Atlantic Oscillation. During "normal years" its negative. Difference between Negative and Positive NAO is that when its positive, low pressure center is over Greenland, while high pressure center is at Azores. During negative NAO these pressure centers move little, high pressure moves eastwards, and low pressure moves near Canada. They also get weaker.
This causes Europe get more rain and North Europe also gets warmer weather, while East and South get colder. I don't know about effects in North America.

North Atlantic Oscillation

NAO-Index now