Foliage Damage April 2016

When I moved to this area I was told “On Cape Cod we have January, February, March, March, March, June.” After working at the garden center for several spring seasons, I learned that even the first week in June can be winter like! That sea breeze that we depend on in July often keeps our spring days cold.

This year we’ve seen a new twist in our “second month of March.”  The real March was actually quite warm and things broke dormancy early. We all got excited about, just possibly, having an early, warm spring. Payback for suffering through last winter, we thought. But April swept in…not only with its usual cold, damp winds, but with snow, sleet and at least one night of nearly-single digit temperatures.

As a result of this cruel early April weather, many plants have been damaged. Blooming daffodils got bent and broken. Emerging spring flowers, including tulips, magnolia, and narcissus, have been browned and distorted. And many see similar damage on the foliage of daylilies and other perennial plants.

The good news? Most of the foliage won’t show much once the plants get growing again in May. Some of the flowers till look good from a distance, and many of us picked the broken daffodils and brought them into the house for short-stemmed bouquets. Gardeners and home landscapers are good about making the best of what Mother Nature delivers… what choice do we have?

The best news is that every day that passes brings us closer to warmer temperatures and the garden center is filling up with new plants. So don’t worry too much about what has been marred in our second month of March.