Using perennials as guides for scheduling plantings for growing seasons is taking a hit this year, I suppose. When they respond has to do with past weather, not future forecasts -- we all have to realize that. But, their development has really been caught off guard here in Spring 2023.
My steady guide for planting peas and potatoes has been the blooming of the Oregon Grape bushes. Okay, the nextdoor neighbor has 8 Oregon Grapes. One has flower buds beginning to open. Near the distant veggie garden, I still see none with any yellow show. And yet, we suddenly are having record warmth. It's difficult for me to imagine that there can be much cold left through the month. And yet (once again), the Weather Service has forecasts of lows in the thirties Sunday morning and continuing!! That might take us very close to freezing and it sure should discourage anyone from setting out tomatoes, eggplant or peppers.
There's little reason for me take the risk. I have sown the plant starts anticipating that they would go out in the open garden in about 2 weeks, not NOW. I'm not sure how something like kale and lettuce would appreciate having been set out about 1 week ago and having to deal with this 80+ degree heat (27+°C). Those plants and others are in the hoop house and experiencing those temperatures. It must help that the sunlight is filtered through the plastic and, they are not having to deal with the wind and wild swings in temperature early morning to mid-afternoon.
Steve
ETA: I wanted to say something about other plants blooming: Another neighbor's cherry tree had no noticeable blooms 2 days ago. I was having trouble distinguishing it from the 2 other trees growing behind their house. Boom -- it was covered with blossoms by yesterday afternoon. The tulip blooms appeared in my yard 2 or 3 days ago and are burning up. Native Balsamroot Sunflowers and Service Berries are only blooming in one nearby location, along the southside of a steep hill in full sun and just above the river. The Black Locust are not blooming and don't appear even close.
