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Last week, the plastic was quietly folded up and the lumber was put away for the summer. Not even once in the entire month of December did the temperature dip below zero. And the prospects for cold in January don’t look good either. The average Sarnia temperatures for the month of December are -2.5 degrees Celsius. That’s according to Environment Canada’s data as posted on their website. Figures for December 2006 are not yet listed, but my guess is the number is closer to 5 degrees. That’s good news for heating bills, but bad news for ski hill operators and backyard rink builders. Gardeners have already noticed a few dandelions appear. In warm sheltered spots such as the south side of a house, bulbs are beginning to poke through. Flower buds on Lilacs are swelling as if it were March. Does this unusually mild weather spell trouble for plants? Time will tell, but I will carefully predict that when April arrives, gardeners will scarcely know the difference. God, through Mother Nature has a miraculous habit of dealing with unusual quirks of nature, and this spring will probably come and go without incident. Is there anything gardeners can do to protect their tender plants that are already beginning to show signs of growth? Other than pray for colder temperatures, there’s little we can do. It might be a good idea to add mulch to the base of plants in order to prevent roots from freezing too severely, but doing so might be an exercise of too little too late. Gardeners can take comfort in the fact that sprouted bulbs can withstand a certain amount of cool weather. Severely cold weather might damage the leaves and perhaps flowers, but the bulb will almost certainly remain viable and unharmed for future years. Leaf and flower buds of trees and flowering shrubs such as Lilacs may be adversely affected if they are subject to a cold snap after continued swelling and possible leaf growth, but hardy stems and roots will scarcely be affected. Peach trees can sometimes sprout a quick set of leaves and flowers after an early warm spell, only to be followed by cold winter weather. It is too early to tell if that might occur this year, but the hardy stems and roots will keep their health even if tender flowers and leaves have been harmed. In spite of the fact that unusual warm temperatures are not likely to harm plants and trees, cold weather and a deep freeze are good for soil and roots. Any farmer will argue that a winter deep freeze improves soil texture, resulting in improved root growth for crops. A deep freeze reduces soil compaction, improves soil drainage and makes life happier for worms. |
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