Gardens at Coppertop

March Picker

Unexpected

We live about as far north as one can live in the western U.S., in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. The mountains’ snowpack is below normal due to our relatively warm winter. Our hope is that February and March will bring some cooler temps and enough precipitation to raise the snow totals at higher…

March Picker
1 minute
, ,

We live about as far north as one can live in the western U.S., in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. The mountains’ snowpack is below normal due to our relatively warm winter. Our hope is that February and March will bring some cooler temps and enough precipitation to raise the snow totals at higher elevations.

Bulbs have been pushing through soil about a month ahead of their usual appearance. It could be a very early spring up here! We’re feeling the urgency to get out and prune the orchard now. Shown below: one pot of many pots of tulips, oriental hyacinth out front, and two of dozens of daffodil clumps showing unexpected progress.

8 responses to “Unexpected”

  1. Audrey Driscoll Avatar
    Audrey Driscoll

    Extremes are the “new normal,” maybe? We had a mild December. Hellebore buds started emerging around Christmas. Everything was green. Then in mid-January, temps fell to -12C (10F) and stayed well below freezing for several days. There was a brutal wind from the northeast. By the end of January we had record-breaking warm temperatures around 12C (54F). Most of the buds on my Corsican hellebores (the big green-flowered ones) turned to mush.
    It’s too early to tell if any perennials have been killed, but these extremes have surely stressed out some plants. No buds on Clematis armandii, for example.
    Maybe your location isn’t in the path of Arctic outflow winds from the Fraser Valley in BC?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. March Picker Avatar
      March Picker

      We also experienced the mid-January freeze, but now have the crazy warmth, too. It’s difficult to predict anything, except more climate change, I think. The snowpack (our source of summer and fall water) is alarming. Gardeners in particular must adjust. I really don’t want more and more people moving north, but sadly, that will probably happen, too.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
  2. Judy@NewEnglandGardenAndThread Avatar
    Judy@NewEnglandGardenAndThread

    We are seeing dramatic weather changes in our part of the country as well. We moved from growing zone 5 to zone 6 this year, and our winter sports industry is struggling trying to maintain snow while the ice hockey and ice fishing are not doing so well. Last year we had a very late killing frost, and it took out all of our peach crops and a lot of our apples. Not sure where this is all heading, but it sure is challenging for farmers and home gardeners.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I once heard a program through my membership in the Native Plant Society of NJ. If I remember correctly, the speaker worked for Longwood Gardens in PA. They are instituting a complete action plan on how to deal with the climate changes that will cause, if it hasn’t already, stress to their trees & plantings & ultimately means a decline in their health & longevity. Part of their plan is to perform techniques to help with their survival such as Air Spading but a large part of their plan is to determine what plants will be best suited for a changing climate & likely a changing zone. Meaning they may introduce plants from the zone or maybe even 2 below them. The idea of this as a fellow gardener, is mind-boggling to me. But more mind-boggling is the fact that there are still so many climate-change deniers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. March Picker Avatar
      March Picker

      As a Master Gardener here in Clallam County, Washington, I’ve noticed and appreciated the opportunities that have greatly expanded to dig deeper and learn more — here’s one such opportunity:
      The 2024 MG Advanced Education Conference will be held September 27-28 online. The theme is “Gardening in a Changing Climate”.
      Anybody is welcome to submit a proposal to present at the conference.
      Proposals are due by March 11, 2024

      Like

      Reply
      1. jody1928 Avatar
        jody1928

        Thank you for this. I will check it out. BTW, my name is Jody Tatum. I see I was put in as anonymous. Guess I need a WordPress account

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
        1. March Picker Avatar
          March Picker

          Hi Jody!

          Like

          Reply
      2. jody1928 Avatar
        jody1928

        Just looked up the conference. I saw the keynote speaker Rebecca McMackin, speak at the NPSNJ annual conference 2 years ago. She’s pretty amazing, as well as the entirety of the Brooklyn Bridge Park restoration! It’ll be a great conference!

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

Leave a comment

Trending