Confused Daffodils In A Warm December—

Few Prescriptions For Early Bloomers

By Nancy K. Crevier

Newtown gardeners have been surprised by a taste of spring recently when daffodil and tulip bulbs have come to life, pushing up foliage through ground that has remained far warmer than normal for December. There is not much to be done about it, either, according to Tom Johnson, owner of Lexington Gardens on Church Hill Road.

“You could try to cut evergreen boughs and place them over the plants to keep the sun off,” he suggested. “You want to keep the soil cool. I wouldn’t suggest piling any soil on top of bulbs that have sprouted, though.”

If the unseasonably warm weather continues through January, it could pose a problem for the spring-flowering plants, said Mr Johnson, but right now it is only the foliage that is in danger.

“The foliage that is up could freeze if cold temperatures return and the tips could die off. That might mean that the foliage could be discolored in the spring, or there might be less foliage.”

Because the flower stem has probably not sprouted in most cases, Mr Johnson said, even if the foliage is nipped in the bud, gardeners could still expect to see blossoms in the spring. “It doesn’t hurt the bulb to freeze and refreeze,” Mr Johnson said. It is possible that fewer and smaller flowers could result, though.

Of more concern than the confused daffodil sprouts, said Mr Johnson, are the other early spring plants, such as azaleas, that have not had a chance to undergo the autumn conditioning process of gradually colder weather. “Those plants have a dormancy time clock and need a certain number of hours of coolness. When it is a very warm fall, like the one we are experiencing, plants develop softer tissue.” A lack of hardiness can be lethal for plants when temperatures drop, he warned.

An antidesiccant, like Wilt-Pruf, can be applied to those plants that have not hardened off for the winter to prevent further transpiration of moisture. “It would not hurt them to be wrapped in burlap, either,” said Mr Johnson. Plants in a weakened condition should be kept well watered, as well.

“Beyond that, there is not much we can do,” Mr Johnson said.

Eugene Reelick, owner of Hollandia Nursery and Hollandia Gift and Garden in Bethel agreed that not much could be done once a bulb pushes to the surface. “You can put a light layer of mulch or hay over [the sprouts] to protect and insulate them,” he suggested. “What you’re going to be looking at, though, is terrible foliage in the spring, distorted, browned leaves.” It is not unreasonable that some of the flowers could be lost, as well. In simple terms, explained Mr Reelick, once the flower starts growing in the bulb it is susceptible to rot. “It’s like it is being born, then the cold temperatures stop the growth and it could rot,” he said.

He is also concerned about other tender, spring-blooming plants. “The plants like the magnolias, the forsythias, the cherry trees — if those flower now, there will be no flowers in the spring.” In Ridgefield, said Mr Reelick, he has seen weeping cherry trees in full bloom recently.

Antidessiccant will help prevent dehydration of the upper layer of leaves, but is of no help to a swelling bud. “If the bud is swelling on the tree and then we get the cold weather, the bud will dehydrate in the cold and sun,” he said.

Providing plants with TLC and hoping for the best is really all experts say will help the early bloomers.