Dumb question

[ducks4you]

I know asking a dumb question here is pretty safe. This winter I understand that the ground froze 20 inches deep, 2 inches deeper than normal, or average. We've had really warm weather in the last few days, 65F yesterday, after waking up to -4F just last Friday morning!
So, it is just the top few inches of dirt that has thawed, or is it all that has thawed?
I'm thinking just the top few inches that has turned to muck, but I really don't know!

 

[seedcorn]

Usually, just top. Why you see ponding in fields.

 

[ducks4you]

That makes sense. What is an indicator that we've had a full thaw! I have some juniper trees I want to transplant.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When the ground is frozen down deep, the water can't soak in and disappear. The frozen layer is impervious. When I worked in Kazakhstan we could tell when the ground had finally frozen because the worst of the muddy season had passed. The ground was very flat and the water finally had some place to go, straight down.

What kind of soil you have has a lot to do with it. A sandy soil will drain pretty quickly when it thaws. A clay soil will hold water even if it is thawed. And if you are getting a lot of rain it can be hard to tell. We had another minor muddy season in the fall just before it froze because we got rain then and our soil type really got muddy when wet. Not nearly enough sand in it to drain.

 

[digitS']

Illinois (and 48 contiguous states) soil temperatures at 4" (link) Looks like it is close to thawing in your area, Ducks'.

The ground thaws a little quicker than I expect each year, altho' I may just be getting used to warmer winters, is all ...

Air temperature is only partly the reason. Heat rises from whatever the temperature is year-round. That's about 55°f, here. Once it thaws, then it seems to take forever to get up where seeds can sprout in less than a month of Sundays. The 55° would be okay but hours of darkness and average daily temperatures work against it.

But, I digress - I'll go back and put what might be a useful link at the top of this ramble ...

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Umm....maybe this is a dumb answer, but could you dig a hole and check?
The top inches of soil are thawed here, but when I tried to dig a hole the other day it was still rock hard about 6" down.

 

[seedcorn]

Not dumb at all. If you can dig it with a shovel, it's not frozen. Go plant

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Wow that was a really good question. I hate the thought of frozen soil to 20 inches though. Brrrrrhhh.