December 2021 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Mariette]

The winter seems to begin later from year to year and then unfortunately it lasts longer into 'spring', which will probably disappear at some point.

It´s similar in our western part of Germany: in the nineties the ground was often frozen in October, the new millenium started with hardly any frost before Christmas. Our winters became milder and milder, yet the periods of sharp frost start in the second half of February nowadays. This means many plants like hellebores are well advanced then and tend to get harmed by the cold and onfollowing damage due to botrytis.

[Robert]

Mariette,

We too are having the same general late spring, killing frost pattern. Climatic patterns have changed over the past 40 years. Currently, mid-winter temperatures can be extremely mild. Many hardy plant species, including native species, begin to break dormancy. This weather is too often followed by an acute, short-duration cold spell of freezing temperatures. The temperatures are not extreme; however because the plants have broken dormancy, many can be severely damaged. In some cases, hardy woody species are killed to the ground. The impacts are very dramatic.



It snowed at our Placerville property for the first time since February 2019.



As one can see from the photographs, it is only a light dusting of snow. The last major snow event at our Placerville property occurred in December of 2010. Consistent snow events with consistent snow cover ended in the 1980’s. 

Jasmin's comments:

In those days, depth could range from 8” to 20”.  How much we took for granted—and even rued if we were stuck in it--that we now miss!  As gardeners, we all have our complaints about the weather.  Jasmin and I wonder if we knew then what we know now, would we have a changed attitude?  Since that is impossible, we can only see life as an adventure, with the destination yet to be revealed.  Gardeners have always needed a flexible mindset and resiliency, enough attachment to care deeply, and sufficient equanimity to let go when confronted by the obvious failure or demise of certain plants.  It has taken us all these years to reach this state.  We once attempted to hold on to certain plants, or replace them, or have back-ups to potential plant deaths.  Now, we enjoy and love what we have, for as long as it lives and is in our lives.  We still do everything we can, and are willing to learn from our mistakes; however, the persistence to hold on and unwillingness to let go is gone.  Now, we are open, and envision something more appropriate for the changing situation as it evolves.   

[Mariette]

It´s interesting to learn that we share the same problems in so different parts of the world. Thank You for Your contributions, Robert and Jasmin!

Over here, the weather is still very mild, we enjoyed 12 °C the last days.

Buddleja x weyeriana ´Sungold´is still in flower, accompanied by the hips and buds of a climbing rose, ´Sutter´s Gold´.



A Geranium nodosum developed a nice leaf-colour in autumn, unlike its brethren.

[Yann]

It's also spring here, i hope we won't have severe late frosts

[Robert]

Picture is a container full of rooted cuttings of Prunus mume with many flower buds getting ready to open. In many ways, Prunus mume is our harbinger of the new-year. As discussed by Ian Young in his Bulb-Log, we grow many trees in our small garden as bonsai. Prunus mume is a must for us. The sweetly scented flowers are a delight and we make ume pickled plums from the fruit.

Mariette,

I remember selling Sutter’s Gold roses at a nursery during the mid-1970’s. Seeing a photograph of this variety in your garden caught my attention.

Yann,

Have spring-like conditions prevailed in your region for the whole autumn season? Or have there been periods of both warm and cold temperatures? Hope that your garden is doing well and adjusts well to changing climatic conditions.

[Hoy]

Here in Norway we have in average (1991-2020) 22 fewer winter days now compared to the 1961-1990 average. The spring comes earlier and the fall lasts longer. But we can still have rather cold periods in winter even here at the coast.

Although I always look forward to the first flowers in spring I'm always anxious as we will certainly have late frosts! The native plants here at the coast are used to mild and cold periods so they rely mostly of the daylength but exotic plants seemingly rely more on temperature to decide whether it is spring or not.

[shelagh]

 Frost overnight despite the weather forecast saying it would be 6C. Bright sunshine today and lots of shrubs budding up for a hopefully colourful spring.

[Leena]

30-40 years ago would your garden normally be covered with some degree of snow cover at this time of the year?.

Yes, there would have been more snow then, and also snow lasted longer.  I remember in 1990 was very unusual in that we could dig in the garden already in April. Usually it was in the first week of May. Also in the 90's it was usual that first frosts came at the end of August (though not winter) and we rarely had beans and zucchini growing in September. Winters have become shorter in the past ten years though the change started earlier.

Robert, your garden looks so nice, I like all the trees in the garden. Here we have to have open space for vegetables, in the shade growing season is still too short, but in your garden trees probably shelter from the heat in summer.
I liked what Yasmin wrote earlier, something to think about and learn!

Mariette and Yann, you have such nice weather still!
Here the past week has been warmer, above freezing and even +5 one day, and it rained two days so the little snow we had is gone, but ground is still frozen deep.
It is now turning colder, and Friday there was so nice frost in plants that I took some pictures.
Coming week will be around -10 or colder, and there will be snow at the end of the week, so we will most likely have white Christmas:).

[Leena]

Couple more pictures.

[ArnoldT]

Arum italicum.  Holding it's own in the weather.

[Robert]

Leena,

You are very accurate! Many of our “sun” plants benefit greatly from the diffuse sunlight provided by the light shade canopy provided by our trees. This keys into my discussion of photoinhibition. Most of our trees are fruit trees. They provide delightful fresh tree-ripened fruit. Both ornamental as well as food crops grow healthily and productively under the fruit trees. The light shade helps our plants in many ways: For example, the light shade of the fruit trees helps ameliorate the worst impacts of mosaic virus on Cucurbita maxima and C. pepo species. Higher levels of squash production can be maintained despite mosaic virus infection. Many ornamental species benefit from the diffuse light too.

BTW – I enjoyed the photographs of the frosted/frozen leaves of various species in your garden. Such scenes remind me of frozen perennial species in the high elevation portions of the Sierra Nevada before the autumn snow begins to accumulate. It is such a serene time to be in the mountains. It is so quiet. The insects are gone and most of the birds have moved to warmer locations. Sometimes the wind can be heard whispering through the trees. It is a pleasant ambiance to bring back into the garden. Thank you for sharing.

[Jasmin adds:  You mentioned you could not have so many trees, as it would diminish what sun you do receive.  Have you considered niwaki?  Through training and shaping the tree or trees, you can limit the size and impact.  It can be like a bonsai, except in the ground, which is more suited to your climate.  Although niwaki can encompass many sizes, we have a variety.  It is critical to balance a certain neglect with a vision of what you would like, and what your larger garden vision is.  We had to remove a number of trees because we had not been able to tend them during our years of caregiving.  Some grew too large.  A number of beloved plants were lost, not just to climate, including the horrible fires and their smothering fog of smoke, but to neglect.  While there are ones I can live without and do not miss, others still hold a place in my heart.  Since I am a spiritual person, I think they are in Heaven somewhere, waiting for me to enjoy them once again.  The ones I most miss, that I wish we had been able to keep alive in containers, were the Pakistani mulberry (oh, the delicious fruit!) and the Cupressus cashmeriana which got much too large for our space, and the Rhododendron lutescens which did not enjoy air pollution.  However, I loved its sweet yellow flowers greeting us whenever we returned home (We had it just outside our garden gate, dividing the front and back gardens).  I am indeed sentimental, feeling no less loss for beloved plants, than for beloved companion animals, or human loved ones.  Lately, Robert is the main gardener, as I have a very large project I plan to complete, concerning avian health care, that is taking a great deal of my time.  Bless my husband for taking on being my “wife” in certain areas so I can do this!]

[Hoy]

Jasmin (Robert),

I hadn't heard of Pakistani mulberry. It seems to be a cross (Morus alba x rubra) common in USA but not here. I have recently planted mulberries at my summer house but not this breed! Seems it is not available in Norway.

[ArnoldT]

Tronnd

I've read about the Pakistani Mulberry.

I just planted two weeping Morus nigra.

The Pakistani one is not hardy here in Eastern USA.  So I doubt it would be hardy for you.

The fruit have the highest percentage of  Resveratrol of any fruit.

[Hoy]

Tronnd

I've read about the Pakistani Mulberry.

I just planted two weeping Morus nigra.

The Pakistani one is not hardy here in Eastern USA.  So I doubt it would be hardy for you.

The fruit have the highest percentage of  Resveratrol of any fruit.

Arnold,

Some sources say it is hardy in US Z6-9.

But I can't test it since I can't get it here!

[ArnoldT]

Trond

Here's where I purchased my weeping Mulberry from.

http://ediblelandscaping.com/products/trees/Mulberries/

They state hardy in our zone 7-9.

I'm a bit colder than 7 at times.