Early spring?...

Discussion in 'Maples' started by AlainK, Jan 28, 2018.

  1. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    I know that we don't live in the same geographic areas, and that the trend in weather can be very different from New York to Los Angeles, not to mention Western Europe, Australia and Canada.

    But here, in France, in the Loire Valley, the weather has been particularly warm -and rainy too- in the past weeks. Of course, we can still have several days under 0 C (below 32 F), but it looks like we're going to have an early spring.

    Before the drizzle we've had for several days started again, I took a few pictures of a couple of trees that seem to be very early. Unfortunately, most of them aren't labelled - I usually can tell what's what when they're in full leaves.

    acer-div_180128a.jpg acer-div_180128b.jpg

    This one is, I think, an A. tataricum from -E- (?). They're one of the earliest maples I have to go out of dormancy. I've got others from a nursery, and they also are about fo leaf out.

    One thing I noticed when watching the photos : the aphids !!!

    Argh! We definitely need some frost...

    acer-div_180128c.jpg acer-div_180128d.jpg

    A curiosity:

    I spotted a seedling in the pot of a 'Sango Kaku' that looked pretty much like the cultivar : light green leaves, red stem. I repotted it in mid-July in a "tomato pot":

    acerp_sangok03_170729a.jpg acerp_sangok03_170729d.jpg

    It's been kept in a shaded place, protected from the wind, and it still has some leaves on it. Yet, it also have buds that look healthy:

    acerp_sangok03_170729d.jpg acerp_sangok03_180128a.jpg
     

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    Last edited: Jan 28, 2018
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  2. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    Most of eastern US had a cold front that brought snow and ice to places that seldom or never see it. I thought that would set everything back, but I've been seeing Acer rubrum, ubiquitous here, with tell tale red flush. Individual trees will start at different times and I could only guess at the reasons. My recollection is that we are a couple of weeks late, maybe only ten days or so, for them to start. I don't know the wild trees here as individuals. I moved a bit more north early this autumn.

    There was one A. rubrum nearby that was always several days ahead of the rest. (Thirty years of me seeing it daily.) It was not a specimen tree, but likely transplanted as an adventitious sapling to the grassy strip between sidewalk and roadway. It was stunted, planted in builders' sand most likely, and in front of a minimally tended suburban front yard. No watering set up, but of course Florida is always somewhat damp. Was it nature or nurture? I don't know, but think the isolation and lack of competition with other trees exposed it more to the vagaries of nature. More dry at times, colder, more wind damage perhaps than the red maples in more natural woodland locations?

    It will be interesting to hear what others are experiencing with their first buds.
     
  3. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    How unfortunate that you're seeing aphids already, Alain. Yuck! I'm afraid it's the same for me, there have been a few on some potted maples, which probably means there are more that I haven't noticed yet.

    After huge amounts of rain and muck, during which we never saw frost, we are finally getting a little cold weather, though only a couple of degrees below freezing. I hope it will slow things down a little, (and maybe kill a few insects!) as here somewhat north and west of the Loire we are 4-6 weeks ahead of the regular timings. If such a thing exists any more.

    The late freeze last April was so difficult that I fear, should the same thing occur again, there will be much higher losses. But maples require zen! So I will concentrate on today's jobs. ;)

    -E
     
  4. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    Well, if the aphids aren't dead after the snowfall (15 m here!) and the -9°c last night, I'll have to take drastic measures...

    IMG_8481.JPG IMG_8480b.jpg IMG_8498.JPG

    IMG_8492.JPG IMG_8503.JPG IMG_8502.JPG

    There's a photo I couldn't take: in a park along the street I take to get back home, there's a big 'Sango Kaku' I can see from my car, and it showed the red bark under the layer of snow, like fire under. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop and take a picture and mine (as well as a 'bi-hou') are not as spectacular.
     
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  5. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    I think our early spring has gone the way of the dodo: we had about 30cm of snow along with quite cold, more buckets of rain to complement the run off, and now it's meant to get really very cold, with the models showing -9C-ish next week. I'm glad to have things slowed down, but that's quite cold when the sap is running. We'll see what happens, as usual! I moved most of the evergreen maples into an unheated building, (but that doesn't really freeze), along with young grafts and some Asian maples that aren't really fully acclimatized.

    In the mean time some seedlings like A. rubescens are leafing out, and I have a couple of seed trays that are starting to sprout. I've moved all of them to a south facing window sill, I really, really need a greenhouse! And am unlikely to get one any time soon, sadly!

    -E
     
  6. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    Unfortunately, that's what I feared. We often have a cold snap in February here, and that's the case again.
     
  7. Atapi

    Atapi Well-Known Member

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    Hi Emery, how are your JMs after 30cm of snow in late Feb esp. those that are just open their buds?. I am experiencing a 5-8" of snow today and wonder is there anything we can help the trees since their buds just about to swell and open?. Even for those early one. Any recommendations are appreciated, steven.
     
  8. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Hi Steven, I saw you guys were getting snow today, even in the Carolinas. And there are quite a lot of maples out further south!

    I didn't have bud damage, at least not on the Japanese Maples. The Taiwanese maple, Acer oliverianum ssp formosanum, lost its big green buds and will probably need to push out again. Most of the evergreen maples lost almost all their leaves.

    The main thing I think is bark damage, either from pseudomonas or straight freezing when the sap is up. I have some of this on the more tender maples, and some twig dieback on a few, but nothing critical I hope. Only time will tell.

    I wish I could give some preventative advice, but as far as I know there's not really anything that effective. I've always thought that even horticultural fleece, which can help against cold winds, just increases the risk of breakage in snow.

    Let's hope it's not too heavy, and melts quickly! All the best, -E
     
  9. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    Crazy weather this year...
     
  10. Atapi

    Atapi Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Emery. The snow was sticking to the trees in the morning (beautiful though) and it was slowing down in the afternoon and with the temp stayed above freezing most of the snow dropped off/melted from the trees. But it will get below freezing tonight so like you said I can only hope for a minor damage and only time will tell.
    Thanks again.
     

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