Signs of Spring 2012

[stevelau1911]

If they are just barely poking out, I don't think the upper 20s are much of a problem. Do you have any pictures? I'm definitely interested in how much they are upsizing and if everyone else in the south is getting moso shoots, that probably means that a warm winter and early warmup in the spring does make bamboos shoot a lot earlier.

I think my moso bicolor still has at least 2 months left before it it even thinks about shooting, even if I add wall o waters, and more compost. I might leave the tarp on right up until the first major warmup where highs stay above 60F for several days on this one, then stick some wall o waters around it to make sure the shoots are OK when we get freezes in anticipation for early shooting.

[rickw]

It was only 1 shoot about 3" tall, I took a shot with my iPhone but haven't had a chance to get to my computer to upload the photo. Last year my Moso was putting up shoots on 3/7, so I expect some early shoots. The shoot appears to be considerably thicker than the mature shoots, don't want to get my hopes up but time will tell.

[stevelau1911]

After taking off some tarps, I found that the weed growth especially under the clear tarps are really taking off much faster than everything around it so I think they might also have the ability to cause earlier shooting which I am not hoping for until the middle of April.

Here are some wild garlic, or some sort of wild bulb plant already getting a few inches high under the warmer tarp which should be around 44F if all the tarps are around the same temperature.

[rickw]

OK it is officially spring in South Alabama. I was waiting on the 2nd shoot and it showed up this morning. The really good news is that it is 4' from the other Moso culms, which have been acting like a clumper. The original shoot didn't die with the cold nights and is about 6" tall, still waiting on it to take off.

So, with the warmer than usual winter, Moso is 3 weeks earlier than last year.

[bamboothew]

OK it is officially spring in South Alabama. I was waiting on the 2nd shoot and it showed up this morning. The really good news is that it is 4' from the other Moso culms, which have been acting like a clumper. The original shoot didn't die with the cold nights and is about 6" tall, still waiting on it to take off.

So, with the warmer than usual winter, Moso is 3 weeks earlier than last year.

Wow! That means maybe I can see moso shoots within the next few days, just maybe! I think my first moso shoots were in early march last year.

[rickw]

Just as I suspected, with the heavy rains on Saturday, new shoots are popping up. Checked this morning and 4 more shoots have emerged. Lows this weekend in the 30's, but spring is here in lower Alabama.

[foxd]

So far I have seen shoots from two bamboo species and found some crocuses yesterday.

[benboo]

My row of evergreen bunching onions 'nebuka' is greening up. Some of the larger plants are starting to send up new leaves. I hope some will flower this spring. Scallion flowers look so unusual and poofy.

[bamboothew]

I have some tiny wild Irisi blooming

[Samajax]

When this plant (fatsia japonica) blooms, I know that winter is usually done.

Unless you northern folks send a blast that's really strong, we should be through for the year. It's going to be 80 degrees today...Luckily, returning to normal temps by the weekend.

This bloom is about 1' in diameter.

[benboo]

Steve,

Could I plant garlic cloves now? or is it too early? The ground is not frozen here anymore.

[stevelau1911]

A fall planting may have been ideal since now I have garlic that has already become well rooted, vernalized and started their spring growth as temperatures have lingered above freezing, but I think it should still be OK to plant them now. They might end up a bit smaller, but you still have 4 months until you may expect to harvest them which is still plenty of time to produce foliage and produce energy.

Here are some more pictures of some plants that are clearly waking up. These are tree peonies, but I might not expect too many to come up as it looks like they have to have been planted in the summer with enough warm soil temperatures to sprout a large root in order to become ready enough to come out strong in the spring after their dormancy. I planted most of them a bit late.

[benboo]

I don't understand why stores sell garlic sets/cloves for planting in the spring and not in the fall. (or why I can't find them in the fall)

I am going to try them mostly as a pest deterrent anyways, so it doesn't really matter if they don't grow too big.

[Alan_L]

Are you going to use the cloves to create some sort of spray, or are you hoping the plants themselves will deter critters? I've never seen a plant that keeps rabbits and deer away from other plants -- maybe if they're mixed together, but it's not like the animals smell a plant they don't like and run away. They just move to the next plant.

The garlic I planted last spring did not produce any cloves... actually, I'm not sure exactly what happened to all of the plants now that I think about it.

[benboo]

Interplanting with strong smelling alliums is supposed to keep animals and other pests away, but I am not completely sure how it will work. Even the milder alliums in my garden are untouched by rabbits and squirrels. The rabbits completely avoided my lettuce row last year, which was within a few inches of my scallions. Possibly just a coincidence, but the year before, they ate tons of the unprotected lettuce.

If it doesn't work, I still get garlic... possibly...