For the last month or so I have been putting up all my plants for a long Maryland winter. We've had several days with 20 deg F and a little snow here and there. But the past week the weather has been good (60 to low 70s) and then I noticed my Dutch Iris "Miss Saigon" have suddenly popped and they almost look like they want to flower again (but I doubt it). I also saw some of my Hosta also are showing their tiny green thorns just like if it were late March or early April. What is going on? Can anyone tell me what to expect from the early winter growth of these dutch irises. Should I take them inside of my greenhouse to further protect them. Not much I can do with the Hosta's premature growth. Many of my bearded irises are showing more green then I would expect this time of year. Very unusual start to winter here in Southern Maryland. Thanks.
Baltimore girl here... My tulips have sprouted as well, not as far as your irises but further up than your hostas. My lilies are way way up. Same thing happened last year, and it ended up great: spectacular tulip year. Yup, right after they kept poking through the ground for 2-3 months before blooming. They sprouted an inch and they just stayed like this for the rest of the winter, snow and all. The way I see it is: they know what they are doing. Surely warm weather for a few days in winter is nothing new in these parts. If the irises are graded for your zone, then I'd just leave them be and let them sort it out.
Thanks for your response. Living here for the past 20 years I have seen evidence of what I call a "receding winter" in the Chesapeake Bay area. Things seems to stay greener and the leaves hang around longer in to the late fall. I don't think I imagined my ornamental grass being green most of the winter either. But each winter seems a little warmer then the previous one. But then we will have days like this coming Thursday when it will dip down to 16 deg F. Perhaps we will get snow too. Yes these plants will survive the winter unless we get some bitter cold air for several days. But I welcome it as it reminds me of the cold and snow I grew up in Montana. Well at least it does not get below zero here. Enjoy and have a Happy New Year.
