It seems we've been spared the huge snowfall that was predicted for our area overnight. Sure the snow fell, but with 42-degree temperatures, it didn't have much of a chance of accumulating on the ground.
That's great for me, because I hate digging my car out in the morning and my car has absolutely no traction in the snow. It's unfortunate for my kids, especially the 10 year old, who ritualistically and somewhat superstitiously put a spoon under her pillow last night and slept with her pajamas on inside out in the quest for a snow day off from school. But what does this mean for all your dormant perennials and bulbs?
Well, the freeze-thaw cycles aren't good for them either. Just a few days ago I ran some errands wearing only a denim jacket. A week before that, I was barely visible beneath my down coat, scarf and hat. In the meantime, the bulbs and perennials in our gardens are heaving in and out of the soil. As it loosens its grip on them, it sends them on a ride closer and closer to the surface.
As temperatures fluctuate from above freezing to below freezing and back again, the soil freezes and thaws -- contracts and expands -- causing some perennials and bulbs to lift out of the ground. This is called "heaving."
Shallow-rooted perennials, like Chrysanthemums, Coreopsis, Gaillardia and Scabiosa are more susceptible to heaving. For them, this can mean broken roots. And an exposed crown can kill the whole plant. For bulbs, well, you might as well set the table for the squirrels and ring the dinner bell.
So today, get out there and inspect your beds and borders. Check for lifted plant bases or for bulbs that poking up through the ground, and step on them. It's that simple. Just push them back where they belong with a stomp of the foot.
Then, if you haven't already, protect them for the rest of the season with a nice layer of mulch.
