by Bev Johnson, Otter Tail County Master Gardener
The Minneapolis Tribune wrote that this December was the 10th warmest on record and the last six months were the second warmest in 138 years. People are thrilled at the lack of snow and our extended autumn. They may not be so thrilled this spring, however.
The last part of summer was very dry and we got no fall rains. So, unless you did a lot of watering, your trees and perennials went into the winter very dry. Now there is no snow cover for protection of fragile roots. The lack of snow has let deer find browse and leave the trees alone, and the other chewing critters, rabbit and voles, have no cover from predators so they too, have been staying close to home and away from our tender trees and shrubs.
Jeff Hahn, our go-to bug guy says that the warm weather might help insects survive that otherwise would have died in the cold. It would have been nice to get rid of some of the Emerald Ash Borers and the Japanese beetles. There could be a plague of bugs in the spring unless we get some cold weather.
Winter warmth can damage some of our trees and shrubs. They bud out in unseasonable weather then the buds freeze. They will rebud but the leaves may be smaller and sparser next summer. They may not leaf out at the top at all. And flowering shrubs may not bloom at all as the buds have frozen.
However, even more damaging is lack of snow cover for frost protection and the shortage of moisture. This combination can lead to severe root damage. Unlike the tops, tree roots continue to grow all year. Thus they need moisture to thrive even in winter. Watering on warm days may help if the soil isn't too frozen to absorb the water, and the hose isn't frozen into a hosesicle (you really should have drained that hose last fall).
If we ever do get snow and cold, that could change the picture in several ways. Snow would insulate and provide some moisture for plants and hiding places for the small animals. The bulbs that have decided it must be spring would be stopped in their tracks. If the flower bud hadn't been damaged, they will still bloom. Intense cold without much snow cover is deadly. It generates deep frost that kills the roots of trees, shrubs and perennials. Of course, it also kills over wintering insects in the soil. Most people would take the bugs over losing their favorite apple tree.
If you mulched your flower beds and have, at least some mulch under your trees, it should help. Cutting up your Christmas tree and using it for mulch in the warm spots next to your house could help ensure those tulip and daffodils bloom in the spring.
The National Climate Prediction Center was really off when they predicted strong chances of a colder, and wetter than normal December, January and February. Boy did they get that wrong. Now they are covering their tails by suggesting, not predicting mind you, just suggesting, that the first half of January will continue to be warmer but wetter than normal. From their lips to God's ears.
Hate the snow if you will, we need it here in the so far, unfrozen north.