I think it might be more appropriately called "global transitioning". The planet has gone through climate changes since the beginning of time. Common sense is about the best we can do. I'm doing succession plantings in hopes that some of them will come out about right. 50 miles north of us they have received plenty of snow this year, while we have only had a few dustings, and our water tables are still a bit on the low side. Last year's late freeze has scared the pants off so many of us, but we'll step out there and do it again, only this time better prepared. It still thrills me to watch those tiny seeds burst open with life, and the seedlings appear, and if all goes well grow up to be something lovely in my fields. Farmers are the greatest gamblers of all, yes?

Bryan - I understand how you feel! We have almost 3' of snow at the moment and looks like more on the way for the next week or so. I have a huge mess (Christmas stuff) to put away in my barn and don't feel like building a fire in the woodstove and figuring out which snow pile to dump old greenery on (we were going to be chipping it all up, but that won't happen for a while!).

I think given the weather, I will be ordering more starts than usual...since the barn is a mess and its unheated!

I can't get to the curly willow either...
So, playing in the snow instead!
Wendy in OR (z6 moving to z4/5!)

From a different part of the country than the rest of you, but, I sure wish we were getting some of your cold and snow. Last summer was the hottest on record in this area from what I heard and the driest since the 30's. We have had extremely mild winters for it seems that past five years or so...especially so these last two years. And therefore we have seen very little snow...most of the children here dont have the memories of sleigh riding parties. So sad for me...but I am tring to hang in there and just hope this is a warming trend of the area. From my education in environmental science, parts of the earth go through warming and cooling cycles constantly. The "global warming" scare is likely on of these warming trends. I will be glad to see the below 0 temps and couple nice heavy snows we used to get every winter to restock the water supply and give the kids (and kids at heart) some fun.

Here on the east side of Canada, Nova Scotia to be exact, we have had a roller coaster of a winter, and the most ice I've seen in the 7 years I've lived here. We get snow, snow pellets, freezing rain, rain, wind, then cold enough to freeze all the rain and make one slippery crust on top of the snow, and lots of ice on the driveway. It's been trecherous!
Bryan, it seems to weird to hear that in your zone 4-5 you can be cutting pussy willow in January. That doesn't happen here until March. We did get our January thaw however, and it really did thaw and get rid of all of our snow. We started over very quickly though. What seedlings are you starting so early?

Cheryl

Cheryl, I usually start cutting down by Salt Lake, where it is a 5/6 in January, ours is ready in end of Feb. We did not get our Jan. thaw. We did get another 24" of snow though. Maybe I will start selling truck loads of snow instead of willow. I have started: Snaps, Statice, Echinacea, Echinops, Delphinium, Liatris, Rudbeckia, Veronica and Campanula.

Bryan,
The good news is your ground will start off with lots of moisture! You must have a heated GH. I start my transplants in a hot bed which enables me to get a good start without having heat in the greenhouse, but I still have to be careful with the timing. It can get tricky when I have to pot up the seedlings and the night time temps go down too low. Row covers worked pretty well last year. I just start the hardy stuff first like snaps, dianthus, rudbeckia, and most of my perennials. Good luck to you.

Cheryl

Ok -- so we have more winter...Saturday it snowed all day and we got another 12" or so! It snowed a bit yesterday and is supposed to again the next few days.

Here's a picture of my back deck looking into our woods...we've been sledding down my flower field! Trying to avoid the woodies at the bottom!

{{gwi:618052}}
Happy winter...
Wendy (who still hasn't cleaned up the Christmas stuff in my barn...starting seedlings?? Uh...not yet! Too cold)

Someone brought this article (link below) to my attention today, and it reminded me of this thread. I found it both interesting and amusing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Global Cooling

Good article. I liked the last line, especially when you look at what just happened there almost 1 year to the date. Today might be the first day when we have normal or close to normal temp. We have had almost 3 months or 1/4 of the year below temp and above snow fall. The article just reminded me why I love stats so much. You can make the numbers reflect your view no matter what, just twist them.

Here's to a normal day!

Bryan