Mild Winter Brings Ominous Early Blooms

Unseasonably warm temperatures this winter, particularly in March where it's been as hot as 70 degrees, has hurried the bloom of plants and flowers throughout Long Island.

But is it necessarily a good thing?

Master garderner and landscaper Bob Schenone doesn't think so, explaining that the warm weather and early blooms creates a bad scenario for garderners and horticuluralists.

Schenone, who's owned GB Schenone Nursery in RVC for more than 40 years, noted that plants and flowers want to freeze and remain dormant during the winter. In the fall, he said, plants store up nutrients and water for the winter, then use that stored energy to bloom in the spring. Due to the warmer weather, Schenone said, plants were never 100 percent dormant and had to use stored food and water throughout the winter.

"Plants may appear normal to a regular person, but they're are under a lot of stress," Schenone said.

He added that without much rain or snow this winter, the ground is bone dry. When there's snow or rain, he explained, the cold weather locks the moisture into the ground during the winter. Once it melts, it creates air space, which he said is crucial for root growth. "Freezing and thawing cycles are important to the ground," Schenone said. "We didn't have that. The water unfreezes in the spring and gives moisture to the ground. That's not there now, and the ground is dry."

Schenone noted that he's seen tulips and daffodils bloom, but they are not standing up. They're laying flat because their bulbs are not strong enough to stand straight. "We'll have crappy tulips this year," he said. "This is a bad scenario. Most people won't realize it, but those in the industry will know it's really bad."

Schenone also had a bit of advice for local gardeners. The warm weather has spurred the early growth of crab grass, which he said usually doesn't begin to sprout until the end of March. He said since crab grass grows twice a season, garderners should put down crab grass control now.

"We are behind the eight ball here," he said. "Mother Nature is moving faster than we expected," Schenone said.