How's Your Weather?

[Data]

Hi You guys. I feel a bit of an intruder in here, for I have only just started posting, and I am sure that many of you have 'held council' for many months - if not years. I am from the UK, where - Global warming or not - most trees are now in full leaf, many plants are up to 3-4 weeks early. (I know this well, for one of my jobs is as a garden/ photographer, so I get to know what flowers when (Normally!) This time last year, many things were only just breaking into leaf and we had some very cold wintry weather about. (Not too much talk about global warming then!) Just interested to know how goes it in other parts of this world of ours. Any observations? Regards Data

[trader4]

Yes, here's an observation. You appear to be here creating spam to promote your website.

[Data]

Mmmm - Not intentional. No probs to stop. Just thought it might be an interesting topic! Regards Data

[Data]

I guess I had better leave you folks to your little closed shop. Take care Data

[Jeff]

Hey Data, ignore that remark. If your creating "spam," just stop. But people can choose whether to click on or not your link, and if you have a legitimate question or topic then you shouldn't bypass this newsgroup if you think someone can help.

As far as weather here in the northeast (Boston area), it's just starting to get warm and - of course - muggy. Most everything is in bloom and people are starting to get some seat time with their mowers. I expect to be out a lot this weekend working in the yard and enjoying the nice weather.

Enjoy.

Jeff

[Dave]

Thought spam, other than the meat product, was unwanted and/or unsolicitied email. My bad? Dave

[Data]

Thanks for your comments Jeff But in Boston, how does this year's season compare with last year's at the same time? Over here in UK there is so much being made of the climate changes (As distinct from Global Warming). The seasons are most certainly changing. In the south of the UK we hardly get a 'proper' winter these days, just a loooooong, grey (gray) 3-4 months - very little snow and just a few frosts in Jan-Feb. There are so many plants that are now ok to grow, which even 8 years ago would have been no-go areas. I am having to revise the way in which I write (On my site and magazines) about planting schemes etc, because there are now so many more possibilities. Heck, we are even planting - and they are growing

- Mediterranean plants and trees. Olive trees for instance are now a possibility in the South UK, though it will be a long time yet before I get 'Texas-style' mails about 'how to kill the cactus in my yard!' I know that we here are always talking about the weather, but would just like to get some 'feet-on-the-ground' observations from other parts of theis little world of ours. Regards Data

[JimR]

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[snip]

Central Florida -- driest year in over 100 years, exceeding the drought of

2001, which at that time was the driest year in over 100 years. We've had 30% or less of normal rainfall. There are thousands of brush fires throughout the SE USA and this morning when I drove up to Orlando the visibility was less than one mile in smoke which had been carried south from N. Florida, Georgia and Alabama by the weather.

The lake on which we live is already at the bottom of its normal level and there are only a couple of inches of water under the boat at my dock -- and my dock extends 100 feet out into the lake. (Of course, the average depth of this lake is only about 6-8 feet at normal pool, but it covers about

27,000 acres -- 15 miles long and about 10 miles wide. Rainy season doesn't normally start for another 1-2 months. All of S. Florida is on mandatory water restrictions, allowed to water lawns and gardens one day a week, but in this area compliance is almost nil.

As for the garden, I just picked some ripe plums from the plum tree, and a few peppers from the garden. My sweet onions are almost ready and the beans and corn are already past their peak. Of course, in Florida we plant vegetables in the fall, and trees lose their leaves in the spring. -- Regards --

[Jeff]

Seems like summer/spring are coming later this year than last. It's been cool for the past month with a few days in the 70s and 80s, but it's back in the 50's to low 60's right now. I'm very behind in my yard work. Just aerated and laid down fertilizer this weekend - probably a few weeks behind. But I'm using organic, so I'm not too worried about it. I did miss the opportunity to put a good pre-emergent crab grass stopper, though, so I expect to be on my hands and knees pulling and swearing at some point later this summer. Again!

The weather has been very inconsistent over the past few years in New England. But I think inconsistency is fairly consistent here, if you know what I mean. This winter was very strange. Pretty much 0" of snow until the end of January (in fact I don't think we were below zero through that time more than once or twice). Then winter hit and it got freezing for quite some time. Not a ton of snow, but several good storms. The pond out back froze, thawed, and froze again.

Parts of the west got a TON of snow - more than normal. Not sure many people there were complaining about global warming at the time.

Jeff

[Data]

Jeff That is the only report/observation we have had on my site - from a few hundred world-wide - of an area having a 'late spring'. But note your comment on weather changes generally. Taa Data