Chilled buds

By no means anything like we’ve seen in some recent years, but I’m always impressed at how the emerging buds seem to be able to shake off the cold that always returns after a hint of spring’s approaching warmth.

Often seen sheathed in frost, the first to appear of this year’s buds may be getting a cool reception, but are (so far) not being welcomed by frost.

I spotted these guys daring to pop out for a look.

They’re joined by the grass, which has already started growing in many areas, and is already long enough to need cutting after being levelled at the end of last year’s season.

I was intrigued to learn of ‘freezing rain’ a few months ago, which I don’t think we see here, or if we do, it’s nothing like that I saw someone report in Canada, where the temperature gets (and stays) low enough to prevent it from melting as it forms, so it accumulates.

Freezing rain is rain/water which can exist below the freezing point of water, and only becomes ice when it touches something that triggers the freezing process.

While it’s just interesting when it happens on a small scale, it becomes a serious hazard if it forms during a storm. In that case it can form an ever-growing shell around trees and branches, gaining sufficient mass to cause them break them off and fall to the ground, Even if that doesn’t happen, the sheer weight of ice can weaken branches to the extent they have to be removed after the ice melts.

Buds take a risk every year

Spring starts on a different day each year, in astronomical terms, but in meteorological terms is defined as March, April, and May.

From whatever sources, I seem to have had it drummed into my head that spring is also the time when plants start to wake up from their winter hibernation – but plants can’t read.

Around here, I’m used to buds making their first appearance at the start of the year, so I often see them in my January wanderings.

What I find more interesting than their appearance is the fact that they survive – despite the cries of many gardening types that all it takes is one cold night, or frost, to kill off their gardens if the buds pop out too soon.

2022 Buds

Year after year these guys appear, sometimes in warm days, sometimes in the midst of repeated frost, but they still come back every year.