When Warm Winters Wake Up Plants Too Soon

Warm winters can be tricky for plants and crops. They make plants think it's spring, but when a sudden freeze hits, it's like a rude awakening. This can damage or even kill new growth and drain energy. Plus, it lets pests survive, which can lead to bigger problems later. Evergreens also suffer from dryness stress.

Early Signs of Trouble

People are noticing trees budding and irises peeking out of the soil way too early. This can be a disaster. To understand how to prevent further damage and control the after-effects of a dry, warm winter, experts were consulted.

The Importance of Cold Weather

Cold weather is actually good for plants in winter. It gives them time to rest and regenerate. But when temperatures swing between freezing and warming, it can interfere with this "beauty sleep." This can cause problems like winter damage to shrubs and trees. But don't worry too much—plants have an amazing ability to bounce back.

How to Help Your Plants

Water is key. Most trees set their buds in the fall, so seeing buds is normal. But if they start to bloom, that's when you need to worry. Watering your trees at least once a month is crucial. If the ground gets too dry, the soil temperature rises, which can cause buds to pop open. Not watering in the winter is a big mistake.

For bulbs, add a little mulch to act as a blanket and water them at least once a month, especially before a freeze. Dry freezes are the most dangerous. Canada is much colder, but they rarely lose plants to a freeze because they have moisture. It's like freezer burn on meat—dryness makes the freeze worse.

Impact on Winter Wheat Crops

Warmer temperatures are also bad news for winter wheat crops. Wheat grows best in cold environments. The dryness is the biggest problem. Even the moisture we get this time of year helps build soil moisture for early spring. But right now, there's no carryover. This could be detrimental unless something changes in early spring.

Even irrigated crops are suffering because there isn't a good root system established yet. If stocker cattle graze wheat, they pull up the whole plant because the roots aren't strong enough. This kills the plant. The guys with irrigation are doing okay, but not great. We need some good early spring rains. These warm temperatures haven't helped wheat growth at all.