Let Nature Guide Your Way
Fresh snow covers an early spring flower called Snowdrop that has already bloomed. Adding Snowdrop, Crocus, and Hyacinth to your garden will give you one of the earliest natural indicators that spring has begun. Photo by Sabbra Cadabra
In my previous articles, I’ve talked a lot about the concepts and benefits of observing and taking note of patterns in nature, but I haven’t spent much time on specific details to this point. There are two reasons for that: 1) the teacher in me wants to make sure you have a fully developed introduction to all the things I’ll be covering in this blog; and 2) this isn’t a very cut and dried approach that will result in the same observations everywhere for everyone, so I can’t just lay it all out explicitly.
What’s important is to get better at identifying patterns that hold true in your local area, which is much easier if you have a mental framework to organize these patterns and help you recognize and recall these patterns more intuitively. So in this article, I want to remind you of patterns you have experienced your whole life, and know deep in your DNA, and bring them back to mind as part of your conscious gardening practice.
Things to Look For
Here is an outline of recurring biological events in plants and animals for each season that are easy to take note of if consciously looking for their onset, and can become critical cues in your gardening timeline:
Spring:
Bud Swell: The swelling of buds on trees and shrubs as they prepare to burst open.
First Leafing: The emergence of the first leaves on deciduous trees and shrubs.
Flowering: The blooming of various plant species, including trees, wildflowers, and garden plants.
Nest Building: Birds start building nests and preparing them for breeding.
Bird Migration: Many bird species return from their wintering grounds and start their breeding activities.
Insect Emergence: The emergence of insects from overwintering stages, such as larvae or pupae, including butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
Summer:
Fruiting: The development of fruits and seeds in plants, including berries, nuts, and seed pods.
Peak Flowering: Many plant species reach their peak flowering period during the summer months.
Bird Nesting: Birds actively lay eggs, incubate them, and rear their chicks.
Insect Activity: Insects, including butterflies, dragonflies, and beetles, are abundant and actively foraging.
Amphibian Breeding: Frogs, toads, and other amphibians breed and lay eggs in ponds and wetlands.
Autumn/Fall:
Leaf Color Change: Deciduous trees and shrubs change color as chlorophyll production decreases, leading to vibrant autumn foliage.
Seed Dispersal: Plants release seeds, either through wind dispersal, attachment to animals, or other means.
Bird Migration: Many bird species start their southward migration to warmer regions.
Mammal Activity: Some mammals, such as squirrels and chipmunks, engage in increased foraging and food storage in preparation for winter.
Insect Reproduction: Insects, such as bees and wasps, prepare for winter by laying eggs or seeking overwintering sites.
Winter:
Leaf Drop: Deciduous trees shed their leaves as part of their winter survival strategy.
Bird Overwintering: Some bird species remain in the region and adapt to winter conditions, seeking food and shelter.
Hibernation: Many mammals, such as bears, groundhogs, and bats, enter hibernation or torpor to conserve energy during the winter.
Insect Dormancy: Insects enter various dormant stages, such as diapause or overwintering as eggs or larvae.
Sap Flow: Certain tree species, such as maples, have sap flow that occurs during mild winter periods.
Natural Indicators in Your Area
Clearly, the timing of these biological events do vary depending on geographic location, climate conditions, and specific plant and animal species. However, the observation of your local version of these events will provide valuable insights into the timing of the work you do in your garden.
So grab your favorite garden planner (wink wink) and start jotting down notes about what is happening outside at this time. This will help you start to learn the natural indicators that YOU can rely upon in YOUR garden year after year.
At the time of this post, we’re just starting the first solar term in the yearly solar term cycle, “Beginning of Spring”, so if you have a copy of our garden planner, head over to the “Observe Nature & Garden” section for a pre-formatted phenology journal that follows the 24 Chinese solar terms. Find your current solar term and start taking notes!
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