"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Too early and right on time.

 We are having some amazingly mild weather lately, and from what I've been reading, so has a lot of the country.  I'd say many of us are due some mild weather after a year of real extremes.  I've been seeing posts and hearing people talking about some of the plants that are already showing buds or making their way up through the soil.  As much as I love seeing those signs of spring I'm a little nervous that we could and probably will get some really cold weather.  Some plants will be fine either way, but there are some that might not be.

 The main one I'm wondering about right now is this Magnolia 'Vulcan'.  I was hoping this might be it's big year to really put out some blooms since it's still fairly young.  It's already budding out and this seems far too early, then again I'm not experienced with Magnolias other than knowing that a freeze can kill the flowerbuds.

 In the same bed the Ninebark 'Little Devil' still hasn't lost it's leaves.  The Ninebark in my backyard dropped it's leaves weeks ago.

 Thinking the Pulmonaria seemed really early caused me to check back on my blog and see that they are actually right on time.  I have pictures of them blooming in late January.

 Violas haven't stopped since I planted them in fall.

 More Violas in another bed.

 I went out to the backyard and thought I smelled something good.  I went to check that the Sarcococcas are right on time and blooming like crazy.

 Why am I showing a picture of our bunny Blackthorn?

 Because Sweet Pea found a Hellebore (Helleborus x sternii) 'Blackthorn strain'.  She thought it was meant to be that we have that growing in our yard.  She used her own money to buy it and it's planted close to Blackthorn's hutch.

As I looked at our raised beds and noticed the Chard, Kale and beets growing I found two of these plants.  Since I've never grown it before I thought I would see if anyone else agreed that it was Pak Choi.  I started some from seed and had sprouts that were quickly mowed down by the slugs. It sure looks like the pictures I've found online.

Are things early, late or right on time where you are?
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

25 comments:

  1. Hi Catherine,
    Yes, over here on the other side of the state we've been enjoying mild temps (highs in the 40's!) and sunshine, so nice. But none of the spring bloomers are close yet, and I haven't noticed any leaves budding up from the ground. But a couple of autumn crocus are STILL popping out new blooms, several months after they started blooming! Cute little things. Hope your magnolia is spared frost damage.

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  2. The hellobores are blooming and the magnolias are full of buds - we're not getting that terrible weather that was called for. I have high hopes for a good show of early daffodils in less than a month if it stays this way.

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  3. Hi Catherine, I am wondering, since your magnolia tree is still fairly small if you could protect it from frost by covering it with cloth and maybe even put a heat lamp in the little tent? Do you think that is overdoing it :-)? You are growing very pretty and unusual varieties of violas. Did you grow them from seeds yourself? In any case I am crossing my fingers for you that no harsh cold spell will hit your tender new growth. Here in San Diego it is also fairly warm for this time of the year and things are sprouting quickly. Since we don't get frost there is nothing to worry about, except that I don't get around quickly enough to prune all my roses!
    Christina

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  4. Wasn't today such a beautiful day? I'll have to check my Sarcococca, to see if it's close to flowering. Love your bunny, he's so cute, and I don't remember you mentioning his name before. I love the name Blackthorne, it sounds like a character from a book. It has been such unseasonable weather, my oakleaf hydrangea's leaves haven't even turned, let alone fallen. I wonder if it will last all winter.

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  5. Oh yeah...things are early AND late here too. There are some plants that are still green and lost of things starting to emerge and/or bud. I'm most worried about the plants who haven't gone dormant yet...don't they need that time of dormancy to survive? Oh well...if there's one thing I'm good at, it's fretting!

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  6. Today makes it feel like spring is here, but I know that it's still early January. Garbage bags work well if you need to protect something from the frost, but they aren't very aesthetically pleasing, oh well. I thought blackthorne was a bunny from watership down, but I could be mixing it up with another book. I have pok Choi growing, but they are much, much smaller so I'm not the best expert. I'm sure hoping the mildness continues and spring comes quickly!

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  7. Those magnolia buds should be fine, Catherine. They will know when to open, but once they are showing color and you are expecting a hard frost, throw a sheet or something over them. It may be that Vulcan is a late enough bloomer that it won't be a problem. Good luck!
    Frances

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  8. I have been enjoying this mild winter, but really am thinking the plants will suffer greatly in our area. We are going to be in the forties all week until Friday. That is definitely not seasonable. Then it drops to the mid twenties. I see a lot of shivering buds.

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  9. My Magnolia is starting to develop buds too. It's never bloomed, but I was told that it takes the young tree's awhile to acclimate to their new surroundings. It's surprising to see new growth on plants that should be dormant, and like Scott, I'm worried about a hard freeze to come back out way. Hm. The weather continues to be unusual. Thanks for the advice on my Hellebore. I blame you for my new addiction ;)Cheers, Jenni

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  10. Here, too, in the Cotswolds in England, it is feeling more like spring than mid winter.

    Mowed the lawn today as weather dry and no frosts forecast for at least a week.

    Lots of early and late blooms too but, oddly enough, many of the typical spring plants are in flower - they all look as if they will be on time.

    Let's hope we don't all suffer from a late cold snap. I'm enjoying the weather after the last two winters as it is!

    Johnson

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  11. Here, too, in the Cotswolds in England, it is feeling more like spring than mid winter.

    Mowed the lawn today as weather dry and no frosts forecast for at least a week.

    Lots of early and late blooms too but, oddly enough, many of the typical spring plants are in flower - they all look as if they will be on time.

    Let's hope we don't all suffer from a late cold snap. I'm enjoying the weather after the last two winters as it is!

    Johnson

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  12. The above comment was meant to read that the typical spring flowers aren't in bloom yet!

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  13. Warm here too Catherine. My gardens are thinking it's spring. I'm wondering and thinking that the usual early arrivals like daffodils etc might not bloom well this year. I don't know. I'm afraid that I might have done the wrong thing by clipping my plants that are wanting to grow. New green is everywhere.

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  14. Hey Catherine,
    It is suprising me te read that almost every part of the world the climat is different then we usely have. Overhere a lot of rain no frost at all and heavy winds last weeks. I read a post from a shrubbreader in Holland when it's going to be cold unexpected he gives the advise to put outdoor christmaslights on the ground around the plant it gives roots of the plant enough warmth then. The plants in my garden are almost 6 weaks earlier coming up as normal.
    Have a lovely week

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  15. The violas are lovely as is the bunny. The last photo does look like pak choi.

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  16. It's a crazy crazy year this year and while I like the mildness I am so dreading it too. After 2007 when we had a late freeze after all the trees had leafed out it is a scary time for us. Many of the older hardwoods like oaks and pecans as well as pines are still dying from the freeze in 2007 and subsequent drought that year. I hope this does not happen again. Very scary as our trees won't be able to handle it well and trees are my passion. As for things on time my pulmonarias are ahead of yours (very rare as you know!). They have not bloomed but are full leafed out. The quince are blooming as are the hellebores. Both are about a month early. Some other things are dormant but won't be for long if we don't get some good cold weather. On a good note I would never ever be able to build a pond in a normal year!

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  17. Here in Scotland it's a similar story, extremes through the year then an unusually mild winter. SUmmer was so cold that a lot of Spring flowers started in late autumn and have continued over winter. Others like annuals just haven't died back. But like you , I'm sure the cold will come and give everything a big shock.

    Your garden looks great and I was wondering if you might add it to Folia the online gardening website (it's free). I'm always looking to encourage more gardeners to join and am having an extra push this week while the weather is keeping most people indoors.

    It's a great resource for gardeners and has helped me keep on top of my 800+ plantings with photo's, notes, journals, milestones etc. They have an extensive plant wiki and a seed stash section where people can also list seeds for swapping. Here's the link to my Folia page so you can see how it works: www.myfolia.com/gardener/CDfolia/invite.

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  18. On time for us but we need the snow cover to protect the plants from extremes and munching deer

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  19. Our temps are really screwy too. I have two new Ninebarks, and even with our freezing temps (we have had some nights in the 20's and two nights in the teens)..the leaves are still on the shrubs.
    Not sure what to tell you about the Magnolia buds... good luck!

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  20. Sweet Pea is definitely destined to be a lifelong gardener...she's already buying 'must have' plants! ;)

    We're worried about the weather too. As much as I'm loving all this glorious sunshine (especially after we almost got washed off the mountain last year), some of our fruit trees are starting to push growth. It's just going to take one run of freezing weather, or a poorly timed rain storm, and we may find ourselves sans fruit in the spring. Crazy weather. I'm sure there's no such thing as 'normal' weather any more!

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  21. My Magnolia blooms in the spring here but with this strange weather everything wants to grow now.
    Sweet Pea is going to be a great gardener.

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  22. Hi Catherine, I would be nervous for your magnolia buds too. I’m not an expert on them but know what it’s like to be waiting for the first good show of blooms on a plant and the anticipation that comes with it (thinking of my white wisteria a few years ago).

    Here in the UK we haven’t had the cold temps and snow of the previous two bad winters but instead have had very strong winds causing damage and disruption to travel this time.

    Out early? I’m delighted to see some hellebore buds opening. I’m also delighted this in only one in a clump that is at this stage so if the frost/cold does get them there should be others to come :-)

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  23. I really like your blog, and will be watching to see your progress. We are brand new gardeners with giant dreams and plans, and relatively no experience. So - it could get interesting. As much as I can learn from those who've been doing it longer than me, the better. I love your pictures.

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  24. We have had bizarre weather here as well, course it is Texas... we are kinda famous for that. 70 one day, 30 the next. It confuses the plants though. the Violas are beautiful and glad you posted the photo of Blackthorn- so cute!!!!

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  25. It definitely looks like you have some Pak Choi on your hands. Wish I did. Mmm.

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