Daffodils

One of the nice things about doing this blog is that, over time, I can look back on the history of the farm. This allows me to look at some of the experiments I have tried over the years. Some smart (building raised beds), some stupid (trying to build a hoop house out of PVC) and some just plain silly (using nylons to support dozens of tomato plants simultaneously).

But this also allows me to look at the planting, growing, blooming and harvesting cycle of plants. After all, we can use published charts showing when we should expect the last frost or when we should plant peas, but every location is different. This is especially true in Rhode Island where we have so many microclimates due to the influence of the ocean. As they say in those car commercials, your results may vary.

That's why I enjoy looking back at when I posted about different plants being in bloom to see if they vary from year to year. The surprising thing is the amount of variability in bloom dates. Daffodils, for example, have bloomed from the second week in April to the last week in April. This year, however, they have already been in bloom for two full weeks. That puts them three weeks or more ahead of schedule. Like I said, your mileage may vary.