It's been the strangest winter so far, extra cold in December, and extra mild for the most part in January. Has this been the case for most of you in the area? Sunny and in the 60s yesterday and the forcast looks mild for the weekend. Not complaining, though, since I have'nt seen anything sprouting that should'nt yet. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Neal.
Unseasonably Warm?
Other than my EV daylilies thinking it's March, it's been just FINE with me. With heating oil prices as high as they are, I'm actually tickled it's been as mild as it has been. :0) But, yes, definitely a weird one...
My EV daylilies are doing that to, but they seem to do that regardless (and look cruddy all winter). I've enjoyed being able to get out and move some shrubs around this winter- a nice jump on spring. I even moved a Rhododendron that had layered itself from my mother's house (keeping my fingers crossed). And right there with ya speaking of heating costs. Looks like the December bill will be worse than January.
We can only hope it stays like this! LOL I really hate cold weather! :-)
I just hate my Daylilies growing then when we get that inevitable freeze in March, having all of them look really sick until the new growth starts. :-)
Well rain again here. The problem with all this rain is that we won't get any in July when we need it. It is suppose to be warm again today and a nice weekend.
I have to keep looking at the calendar to make sure we are in the right month.
:) Kathy
Well we had 60's/Snow/50's this week.
I looked around last evening.
DL's are up and amazingly some Tradescandia are up too.
Pulmonaria 'Redstart' should be blooming by next weekend.
Though having a bloom or two in January isn't that unusual for them.
Funny thing is the Snowdrops haven't made an appearance yet.
Ric
I am loving this warm weather. The wind is what is bothersome to be out in. I just worry about the warm temps rushing things and then we have that late freeze and the new foliage looks bad. I have a few hosta nubs coming thru and I am waiting on my Lenton roses to bloom.
I cannot wait until the real Spring gets here!
Teresa in Southcentral KY
The last time I remember weather like this happening, it was year we moved here [winter of 1997] It had been hot and dry like last summer with a cool Dec followed by a warm Jan. Then it hit, 25 inches of snow. Sure hope it doesn't happen again. A couple of yrs ago we thought we were out of winter and had that terrible ice storm, so anything is possible. I know a lot of areas say if you don't like the weather wait a day, but this area really means it! I have worried over plants that start growing only to be hit with ice, snow, freeze and frost--but there's not much I can do. It comes with the territory, and I happen to like the territory in which I live. So be it.
Yes, it the curse of Kentucky......to never know whether to put the winter jackets or the shorts away.
I send my kids to school in coats and then sometimes by the afternoon they will be in their short sleeves.
Tuddy you are in a beautiful area, my oldest graduated from U of KY last May. She is now at Dayton still in the Ohio Valley Region.
Tuddy, Where are you from originally? I'm a transplant from New England, been here for 19 years and lovin it.
:) Kathy
Oh gosh Tuddy, I had forgotten about that snow! It was days before we could get off of our property on anything but the tractor. DH drove the tractor to the store to get milk!!
Warm here, too. And sunny.
My giant allium are coming up everywhere. Rumex, daisies, clematis, daffs, crocus, Rozanne geraniums, too. Don't know if that's good or bad. ..think I'd better get the mulch out again.
Not a peep from my snowdrops.
Can't believe you have pulmonaria ready to bloom.
I think we should really try to 'push' our zones next year, don't you? LOL Famous last words, I know! ....
This warm weather we are having is absolutely fickle. Teases us into wanting to to start planting too early then bam, blizzard conditions and below zero temperatures that send us shivering back indoors next to the woodstove. Yes, that is Ohio River Valley weather for January.
tabasco would the Pulmonaria be deer food?
If not we got plenty for you.
Ric
I remember one freaky snow storm in the 90s. My SIL and 3 kids were in from Chicago, they brought shorts because it is usually warmer here. We were without power for 4 days!
A neighbor came on his tractor to take them out to the main highway.
We soon bought a 4x4 and a generator.
I'm really enjoying all the garden reports from all around the region. Everyone's making great observations, thanks! I call KY weather North meets South, with all the cruelties of both.
tabasco, I can't wait to see pics of all those purple orbs of alliums floating above your other beauties (Siberians was it?), I just know you're going to make me drop some bucks on big alliums in fall!
Neal
Uuuggg, chickweed is one of my worst weeds. That's what I've been spending some of these warm days doing; weeding it out-hoping to get a handle on it before it starts seeding.
I just came in from inspecting and saw something that alarms me a bit. Some of my hydrangeas are breaking dormancy. I have some buried in straw and some that bloom on new wood (I was'nt as concerned about them at the time) that I had'nt gotten around to piling straw on. The uncovered ones are budding at the base; I'm new to hydrangeas so this may be normal. Anyone else noticing this?
I dont have hydrangea [my pink one died off years ago]. I do have bulbs peeping up.
I saw in the paper that Moscow was having bitterly cold weather right now. I kind of wondered if someone else was getting colder weather while we are getting warmer weather.....I figure that there is just about a certain amount of heat to go around.
In 2003 while Europe was having record heat that summer, we were unseasonably cool.
Well the snowdrops have popped up.
They should be flowering here in no time.
Centaurea montana is always up, usually has it's last flower in Dec, but the new growth is showing flower buds.
I went out to check the Hellebores.
They have popped too.
Here's a pretty well developed flower bud of Helleborus 'Royal Heritage'.
Ric
My helleborus foetidus has flower buds.
The iris reticulata are up.. What are they thinking? They usually bllom beg.-mid March.
I even have Penstemon smalli seedlings sprouting.
Ric-
The deer haven't ever touched my pulmonaria.
ROX
ROX
That is good to know.
tabasco's place is a Deer Haven.
Ric
I have daffies and hyacinths coming up. Also have some snaps still as green as can be...and some black-eyed susans still green too!
Haven't seen any of the daylilies or hostas up though.
We are on a windy hill also...always blows here!
According to a local weatherman, this is the second warmest January on record for our area and we still have 10 days to go. Warm weather this early is so deceptive - we get caught off guard when the cold comes roaring back. Remember the Cincinnati RU at the end of April last year? Snowed all day Sunday in Columbus. In fact the local record for most snow in 24 hours occurred in April.....I think it was over 12". So as much as I am loving this warmth now I know my garden will pay for it later.
I have a single Creeping Phlox bloom........took this pic today. My Naked Ladies are up and so are most of the daylilies. Also just poking through are Lesser Celandine, Wood Hyacinths, a few Daffs, Wood Poppy and 3-4 of my fennel has new growth. The birds have been singing spring songs for quite a while now.
Diane
SE Ohio
Forgot to mention one........the first of the Pussy Willow popped today !
Well it's Official.....
after the second coldest December in record.......
WE have had the warmest January in over a hundred years......
How's the rest of the region doing?
Ric (course I drove to work this morning in the snow)
39° F for January here. This is the warmest since 1880 when it was 45º. Now that must have been unusual.
My fear is the freezing weather we are sure to have before all is said and done and this will kill all the creeping phlox and the pussy willows :( Not to mention, what's this going to do to fruit trees this year!
While it is enjoyable weather, for sure...everything must come in its time.
I'm concerned.
Wonder what that spring was like back in 1880?
:) Kathy
Kathy, I wonder.
Below is a site that you can check your state for temperature and rainfall for over a hundred years back.....
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cag3/cag3.html
I saw my first honeybee today working the crocuses.