Changeable weather

I had two interesting comments via my Facebook feed about my last post.

tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedlings

Yes, climate change does mean we have more weather extremes and exceptional weather patterns.  No, it doesn't mean that we can plant tomatoes earlier than ever - the April 8 hard freeze of 4 years ago underscored that.

The exceptional snows of the last two winters fall within the predictions of variable weather and flows of air north and south, suggested by climate change models.

And of course, we should be babying our tomato seedlings in warm sunny spots, currently, however we can provide that. (Mine are still in the garden shed under lights and on a heating pad).

Among climate change models, weather in spring is increasingly variable.  Hmm.  We've certainly experienced that in the Southeastern US.

Read more...

Finally some sunny days

I guess I need to be grateful for sunshine, if not warmth. Last year by mid-February, I'd already planted my onion sets, and sown some early winter greens, lettuce, and peas. But every year is different, and climate change, in my view (and predicted by climate change models), is definitely bringing more changeable weather, especially in the spring.

My fall-planted garlic is just waiting for some warmth to start storing the carbohydrates that will fuel clove production in late spring. And, I'm anxious to get my onions and leeks in the ground.

And I'm anxious to get the raised beds set up in the mountains for our summer garden.

My gardening companion is not sympathetic when I think about my container plants that have succumbed to the extreme winter weather. He says that I need fewer containers to worry about over the summer! Hmmph. I suppose he's right, but I am sorry to lose the thymes, Spanish lavender, sedums, and santolina. I'll see what emerges as warmer weather returns.

Read more...

Why we garden

I've been reading about gardening in a time of climate change recently, not a particularly uplifting topic. So I've been thinking about what it will mean for our native plants, the plants we can grow in our gardens, wherever we are, and how weather unpredictability will affect the plants (native or not) that we love.

But gardening as restoration (of place and spirit) is an excellent antidote to environmental worries. What I do understand is the essential ability of gardens to restore patches of earth to support wildlife, and everything associated with a diverse array of plants. I know that we can transform barren spaces to areas that are both lovely and life-sustaining, and that communities, towns, and cities can 'green' themselves by planting a diversity of trees, shrubs, and perennials and encourage gardening for food and wildlife, and become living spaces in the process.

This is a perspective that has grown on me, as a plant ecologist interested in the natural world, and the wild plants and the wonderful diversity of plant communities that still exist on our planet.

I think gardening, and planting, is a way to actively restore our bit of habitat, and maybe more, as we seek to make a difference in how we approach living on the Earth. Nature restores habitat even more effectively if seed sources are available. Everything we plant is helpful in terms of taking up CO2, although I'm hardly worrying about that when I plant something. But by being good stewards of the little patches of earth in which we garden, we CAN make a difference by providing habitat, growing plants that don't need a lot of extra 'stuff' and vegetables (which are waterhogs), but nevertheless are the epitome of local food.

Read more...