Currently, we are experiencing the coldest mornings of the season with a hard freeze in the mid to low twenties. Yet, as I go about my route routine, I find all kinds of new shoots that are breaking out into beautiful green leaves. Usually, our trees show buds and growth around the first of March and our flowering trees begin to show white and red and pink blossoms all over by the end of March. The grasses have come out of their winter's sleep, rolling back their brown dry color for beautiful greenish color and growth.
My potted trees on the porch are beginning to show their swelling buds this season, I'm afraid that I will have to start to trim them back. If I put them out on the sidewalk, then the lawn crew's big mowers have a hard time maneuvering and they don't like that. So, I might have to look for someone who wants three free trees this fall that can plant them this time next year.
The irony, of course, is that while one bush has seed pods still hanging from last fall, it also has new growth popping out at the same time. While I don't like to push things but rather take it as it comes, there is one (which is really 4) times a year when I do choose to push some. That's the difference of an astronomical start vs. a meteorological start of the seasons.
Astronomical Spring: March 20 at 5:58 pm EDT
Meteorological Spring : March 1
Astronomical Summer: June 21 at 11:54 am EDT
Meteorological Summer: June 1
Astronomical Fall: September 23 at 3:50 am EDT
Meteorological Fall September 1
Astronomical Winter: December 21 at 11:19pm EST
Meteorological Winter December 1
Quickly, it's easy to understand why I choose to go with meteorological rather than Astronomical dates. First, the days are always going to vary because of the lunar cycle. Second, the time will vary as well for the same reason. Third, note eastern daylight times and one eastern standard time with the daylight savings scheme in play. It's just plain easier to go with the meteorological dating of when the sun will cross the various boundaries on its way north in the spring and its way south in the winter with the equator being crossed in spring and fall. The months don't change it's still March, June, September and December, you just don't have to spend a lot of brain cell time with all the details involved for four days of the year. Spring is still going to happen just as it really does in March.
Now, not to lessen the importance of the U.S. Naval Observatory that brings us all this information. They have use for specific time tables, but me---I really don't need that information beyond the month and neither does Mother Nature when the new shoots and buds blossom. They are not just sitting there waiting for March 20th at 5:58 pm EDT to bring forth new growth. It's already happened where I live. And when I lived in the Great Lakes, I could always count on the trees having new grown from their opening buds by Income Tax Day (April 15th).
My potted trees on the porch are beginning to show their swelling buds this season, I'm afraid that I will have to start to trim them back. If I put them out on the sidewalk, then the lawn crew's big mowers have a hard time maneuvering and they don't like that. So, I might have to look for someone who wants three free trees this fall that can plant them this time next year.
The irony, of course, is that while one bush has seed pods still hanging from last fall, it also has new growth popping out at the same time. While I don't like to push things but rather take it as it comes, there is one (which is really 4) times a year when I do choose to push some. That's the difference of an astronomical start vs. a meteorological start of the seasons.
Astronomical Spring: March 20 at 5:58 pm EDT
Meteorological Spring : March 1
Astronomical Summer: June 21 at 11:54 am EDT
Meteorological Summer: June 1
Astronomical Fall: September 23 at 3:50 am EDT
Meteorological Fall September 1
Astronomical Winter: December 21 at 11:19pm EST
Meteorological Winter December 1
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| Nesting Season Has Begun |
 |
| Blooms have started in ground cover plants |
 |
| New grown shoots with old seed pods still hanging on. |
Quickly, it's easy to understand why I choose to go with meteorological rather than Astronomical dates. First, the days are always going to vary because of the lunar cycle. Second, the time will vary as well for the same reason. Third, note eastern daylight times and one eastern standard time with the daylight savings scheme in play. It's just plain easier to go with the meteorological dating of when the sun will cross the various boundaries on its way north in the spring and its way south in the winter with the equator being crossed in spring and fall. The months don't change it's still March, June, September and December, you just don't have to spend a lot of brain cell time with all the details involved for four days of the year. Spring is still going to happen just as it really does in March.
Now, not to lessen the importance of the U.S. Naval Observatory that brings us all this information. They have use for specific time tables, but me---I really don't need that information beyond the month and neither does Mother Nature when the new shoots and buds blossom. They are not just sitting there waiting for March 20th at 5:58 pm EDT to bring forth new growth. It's already happened where I live. And when I lived in the Great Lakes, I could always count on the trees having new grown from their opening buds by Income Tax Day (April 15th).
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