Change of climate affects your garden – We can easily say that this winter and spring has had some unusual weather. We had eighty degree weather in the middle of February and March, followed by a quick rain. This was repeated several times. So does this kind of weather affect your garden? Let’s dig deeper.
What is a normal California winter and spring? So normally our winters should be wet. A lot of rain and average temperature of 68 degrees. By March when the spring begins at the end of the month, the weather warms up and we can start planting summer veggies and fruit.
This winter has been different, we’ve had heat waves. In January and March, I organized Beautification day at Culver City High School, and both days we had 80 degree weather. I have been organizing those kinds of events for close to a decade. This is the first time that between September to May, I have actually had heat waves during those kinds of events. I also had one entire week in the beginning of March that it was too hot for me to plant anything. That normally does not happen, I normally plant between October to May without dealing with the heat waves.
How does warm weather in winter affect the plants? Plants rely on weather to tell them what to do. Warm weather is a sign for deciduous trees ( those that lose leaves over winter, like peaches) to release new leaves after the winter. Winter crops like lettuce, broccoli, arugula, cabbage, cauliflower would usually go into bloom with warm weather at the end of their growing season. Heat makes those kinds of vegetables bloom which results in the creation of seeds. Normally this occurs around the end of April. Soil has also dried out much faster. Dryness causes plants to be stressed, wilt, nutrients do not get absorbed as well, and the harvest is reduced. Insects like to attract the plants when temperatures are high as well since plants are stressed and are easier to attract.
What is different in gardens this year? Plants may act differently this year because of the weather. The heat in winter burned many plants. That is especially true for succulents. They get dry looking spots, that is sunburn. Those spots do not heal, you have to wait for new leaves to develop and for the burnt leaf to fall off, which may take a long time.
Trees shoot out new leaves with heat. This is especially dangerous if after a heat wave, it gets cold. Those new leaves would be very sensitive. The sudden cold spell would cause the tree to lose new leaves, or damage them. Fruit trees also may start blooming earlier than expected. Another heat wave could burn the new flower. Fruit may also develop way earlier in a season. This is very true for pomegranates this year. The tree gets trimmed in winter. The heatwave in February made the flowers develop very early. I noticed the tree already has a small pomegranate. Normally the fruit is ready in November. This year it is uncertain if the fruit will develop properly and when it will ripen. But my guess is, it will not be November.
Another surprise this year is jasmine. Normally, it starts to bloom in late April and peaks in May. This year it happened much earlier. As I am writing this article in mid April, the jasmine is in full bloom.
How about those beautiful jacarandas trees that spoil us with their purple flowers. Normally, they start blooming at the end of April just like jasmine. This year they are already in full bloom and many have already finished blooming.
When I asked on Facebook Culver City Garden group if people noticed any changes. One person commented that her harvest of cherries is much smaller. Another added that her asparagus bloomed a whole month earlier than normal. Then another member of the group said that overall everything is blooming much earlier.
Flowers blooming earlier won’t really affect us much. However, the insects, birds, the ecosystem that is in a garden and relies on plants will receive pollen, fruit, and protection at different times. So a migrating bird that relies on a specific berry in October may not have that available or in a smaller amount. Nature thankfully is able to recover and adjust. But there is always a cost to any changes.
What can I do? Observe your garden for any changes. Look for any bugs that are not welcome on your plants. Mulch your soil so the moisture is regulated. Fertilize your garden so plants get extra nutrition. Deep water your garden. I use the rain water from rain barrels to flow out into my garden, especially near the trees. Not much else can be done. If you lose crops , you just have to wait for next year.
Gardening can be hard at times, but there is plenty to be thankful for. So go out there and enjoy the jasmine and all the flowers blooming a bit earlier.
Happy Gardening!
Joanna Kotwis
