Don"t Let Spring"s Arrival Fool You Into Thinking Winter Is Gone
Ahh, spring! It's the time of year when we say goodbye to winter's chill and welcome warmer temperatures. Or so we like to think...
Many a gardener, farmer, old timer, and weather folklore expert knows that the first warm days in spring aren't here to stay. There are a series of "mini winters" following winter that are still to come. Because these cold periods show up at similar times every March, April, and May, each is nicknamed for the plants in bloom at the time the cold snaps arrive.
If you live in the eastern United States, especially in the Appalachians, chances are you've heard tell of these "winters" before.
Locust Winter is usually the first cold snap to occur in spring. It arrives in early spring, a time when you may notice winter buds, but no leaves or flowers, on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) trees.
According to old timers, Locust Winter is only mildly cool and is shorter-lived than some of the other cold snaps such as Blackberry Winter.
Like Locust Winter, Redbud Winter typically occurs just after the first few warm spring days of mid-March to April when the magenta pink flowers of the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) burst into fiery bloom.
Not sure how to recognize the Redbud? I always say it's the tree whose flowers resemble that of a sweat pea.
Dogwood Winters usually happen around late April or early May, right around the time the dogwood trees start blooming in many regions. Their cold weather can last anywhere from a few days up to a week, and can be cold enough to bring heavy frost or snow.
Out of all of the "mini winters," Blackberry Winter is the one familiar to most.
Like Dogwood Winters, Blackberry Winters happen in late spring when the flowers of the blackberry bush are in bloom. According to old timers, Blackberry winters play a significant part in growing its namesake plant; they signal the blackberry canes to start growing.
For those of you wondering what in the world Linsey-Woolsey britches are, you might recognize them by another name--long johns! (Linsey-Woolsey is an old nickname that caught on because they were usually made of linen and wool.) It's considered the final cold spell of spring, after which, thermal underwear can be packed away for good. In other words, let the spring cleaning officially begin!
Many a gardener, farmer, old timer, and weather folklore expert knows that the first warm days in spring aren't here to stay. There are a series of "mini winters" following winter that are still to come. Because these cold periods show up at similar times every March, April, and May, each is nicknamed for the plants in bloom at the time the cold snaps arrive.
If you live in the eastern United States, especially in the Appalachians, chances are you've heard tell of these "winters" before.
Locust Winter
Locust Winter is usually the first cold snap to occur in spring. It arrives in early spring, a time when you may notice winter buds, but no leaves or flowers, on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) trees.
According to old timers, Locust Winter is only mildly cool and is shorter-lived than some of the other cold snaps such as Blackberry Winter.
Redbud Winter
Like Locust Winter, Redbud Winter typically occurs just after the first few warm spring days of mid-March to April when the magenta pink flowers of the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) burst into fiery bloom.
Not sure how to recognize the Redbud? I always say it's the tree whose flowers resemble that of a sweat pea.
Dogwood Winter
Dogwood Winters usually happen around late April or early May, right around the time the dogwood trees start blooming in many regions. Their cold weather can last anywhere from a few days up to a week, and can be cold enough to bring heavy frost or snow.
Blackberry Winter
Out of all of the "mini winters," Blackberry Winter is the one familiar to most.
Like Dogwood Winters, Blackberry Winters happen in late spring when the flowers of the blackberry bush are in bloom. According to old timers, Blackberry winters play a significant part in growing its namesake plant; they signal the blackberry canes to start growing.
Linsey-Woolsey Britches Winter
For those of you wondering what in the world Linsey-Woolsey britches are, you might recognize them by another name--long johns! (Linsey-Woolsey is an old nickname that caught on because they were usually made of linen and wool.) It's considered the final cold spell of spring, after which, thermal underwear can be packed away for good. In other words, let the spring cleaning officially begin!
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