DEVELOPIING YOUR GARDEN - CLIMATE

CLIMATE

Varies from region to region, with some areas being much wetter, drier, windier, coder or warmer than others. It has a huge impact on garden plants, and the rate at which they grow, which is why gardens vary dramatically in different regions of the country.

11.) What factors affect the climate of the garden?

Distance from the ocean has a great effect on climate. In maritime gardens, the overall temperature range is narrower than inland, with warmer winters and cooler summers. Frosts are rare. The climate is often much more humid, with fogs rolling in off the variation in rainfall depending on the latitude. (Degrees east or west).

Distance from the equator/poles also has an effect on day length. The farther north you go (or south, depending on the hemisphere) the longer the days are in summer and the shorter in winter. This occurs when plants emerge from their winter dormancy in spring and when growth slows down in autumn. The hearer the equator, the longer the growing season. At the equator, plants can be more or less permanently growing at sea level coastal temperatures.

12.) How does the cycle of the seasons affect plant growth?

In winter, plants are dormant, due to the combination of low light levels and low temperatures. This rest period is important to hardy plants. Many fruits trees have a specific chilling requirement, known as “chilling hours”, and without the correct exposure to these freezing hours they will not flower and fruit correctly (read our in depth article ‘Chilling Hours”) in spring, as the temperature rises and day length increases, plants start into growth, with some flowering at this time. After the spring equinox, you can observe a definite acceleration. Spring rainfall encourages plants to put on fresh growth. Late spring to early summer is a high point in the garden with many plants flowering at this time. During the long, sunny days, pollinating insects are also active, feeding, mating and laying their eggs. During the hot days of mid- to late summer, plant growth ceases and seeds ripen. Strong autumn winds encourage plants to shed their fruits or their seeds are carried far and wide. Wind also strips dying leaves from deciduous trees and shrubs ready for their winter dormancy, which starts sometime after the autumn equinox.

13.) What happens to a garden during hot, dry spells?

In hot, dry weather, plant growth above ground stops. Flowers open and are visited by pollinating insects that are usually active in dry spells. Plants set seed, which then ripen. On trees and shrubs, the bark layer thickens and hardens. Left un-watered, plants will struggle to survive and/or die.

14.) What happens to garden plants in prolonged dry spells?

As the ground dries out, plant roots delve deeper towards cool damp soil, in search of moisture. Initially there are no visible signs of the effects of dry weather on plants.

15.) How does heat affect the garden?

Hot, dry spells can affect the appearance of a garden. Flowers are quickly spent, deciduous trees and shrubs can shed their leaves and perennials, annuals and burns can turn yellow and begin to die back. Lawns turn brown. The effects of a garden parched of rainwater are temporary, however, and a spell of rain can soon restore the garden.

16.) What is mean by microclimate?

Microclimate is used in connection with parts of the garden where the configuration of buildings, walls, fences and/or plants creates shelter and the climate in those areas is more benign than in the larger garden. For instance, a west or south facing wall provides protection from winds and heavy rainfall as well as reflecting heat. In such a situation it is possible to grow plants of borderline hardiness that many not flourish in open areas.

17.) What happens to a garden during periods of severed cold?

Hardy plants are adapted to cold conditions – in fact, a cold spell can be necessary for plant health. Plants rest during cold weather, and the cycle of a winter followed by a warm damp, sprig promotes prolific flowering. Plants do not grow in very cold weather, although the roots of a plant will continue to make growth until the ground temperature reaches 42F. This can give the false impression that planting at certain times of the year is a waste, when in fact, it can be the best time for many particular plants.

18.) How does wind affect plants?

Wind is the enemy of all plants aside from autumn when it helps strip leaves from deciduous trees in preparation for winter dormancy and by carrying lightweight fertile seed far from their parents, spreading over as large an area as is possible. But in spring and summer, cold, drying winds can damage the soft leaves of a range of plans, particularly leafy vegetables, hostas, and Japanese Maples. Newly planted conifers are also vulnerable to wind damage. Affected areas of the plant show as unsightly brown patches. A physical barrier is needed to protect them from the worst of the weather.

19.) How does rain affect the garden?

All plants need moisture to grow, but prolonged wet weather can be damaging towards many plants, especially fruit and vegetable crops. The wet encourages leafy growth, and while in the short term this looks very lush, it tends to be sappy and is highly attractive to invertebrate pests. Diseases, especially many fungal ones, are carried in rainwater and will proliferate during a damp spell. Very lush growth that has not been hardened by the sun is very vulnerable to frost. If a damp summer is followed by a hard winter there can be excessive losses in the garden.

20.) How does wet soil affect plants?

The majority of plants DO NOT flourish in soil that is permanently wet. (NOTE OUR PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS!!!) Fungi and bacteria proliferate in water and will feed on plant roots, leading to the plants’ death. Permanently wet conditions cause roots to rot. Plants that are adapted to wet conditions are generally referred to as bog plants.

21.) There are numerous plants that tolerate wet soil, and these are all indicated by individual plant in the catalog.

22.) What is a frost pocket and how does it affect the garden?

A frost pocket is a hollow, dip or area of low ground. During cold nights, frost and cold air settle there and can kill vulnerable plants. Avoid planting frost-sensitive plants here or, if you can, raise the surface of the ground.

23.) What is a ‘rain shadow’ and how does it affect the garden?

The term rain shadow is applied to the strip of land adjacent to a wall of fence about 1 yard deep. During rain showers this area of soil always receives less rainwater than open ground because it is sheltered. This area is therefore unsuitable for plants that prefer reliably moist ground.

24.) What is a drip line and how does it affect the garden?

The drip line is the edge of a trees canopy when it is in full leaf. The soil beneath the canopy is sheltered and receives little moisture.

25.) Does snow affect plants?

Snow does little if any harm to hardy plants which are usually dormant Durant periods of snowfall.  Tall conifers, however, are more vulnerable. Heavy snow can weigh down upper branches and make them break or split. Regeneration in the spring is often poor. To counteract this, brush or shake off snow from the tops of conifers. Conifer hedges should be cut with a gentle slope outwards from top to bottom, so that snow falls more easily away.

On the other handy, snow is very handful and there is hardly a better insulator to protect against severe cold temperatures. Plants that cannot survive certain temperatures commonly do survive even colder temperatures when there is a good layer of snow present to insulate the ground.