Moon's Graden

> Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something
else?
> I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
> look like they did in January.

> Thanks,
> Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

> Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something else?
> I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
> look like they did in January.

> Thanks,
> Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

> Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something else?
> I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
> look like they did in January.

> There are lots of variables in triggering the plants to break
> dormancy, as noted elsewhere. I am in zone 6b and lavender and thyme
> are just breaking out lemon balm and oregano are out for maybe a week.
> Don't panic to soon but remember that lavender and thyme are from the
> medeteranean area and Iowa and most of teh country isn't close to that
> climate.... so such things are always at risk of dying out due to
> humidity, cold etc. I lost a lot of thyme and lavender this past
> winter.... also even if the tops die back lav. and thy. will often
> have the roots survive and sprout back low down on the branches. I
> find it helps long term survival to be hard hearted and after bloom
> cut them back hard... I was  soft hearted last summer and it cost me
> 10 thymes and 10 lavenders.....

> > Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something
else?
> > I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
> > look like they did in January.

> > Thanks,
> > Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

> Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something
else?
> I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
> look like they did in January.

> Thanks,
> Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

>> Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something else?
>> I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
>> look like they did in January.

>The primary trigger is length of day.  This can be "clouded" by bad
>weather that tricks the plant into thinking that the day length is
>shorter than it really is.  This will cause a delay.

>Temperature is a secondary trigger.  Fortunately, most plants will not
>sprout when it is too cold for them succeed.  Also, most plants will
>not sprout during warm periods in the middle of winter.

>Moisture is a factor in some plants.  If it's been a very wet winter,
>or if they're planted in a spot that's too moist, Astilboides and
>Darmera can also be painfully slow to awaken.

>General health and vigor are also factors.  We had a severe drought
>last summer and all of our plants are slow in sprouting this spring.
>Some look like they won't sprout at all.  I am giving them extra time
>and they seem to be slowly coming back.

>Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
>Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
>       http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning/rhody.html
>Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
>       http://members.aol.com/rhodyman/rhodybooks.html

>Here is a great website which describes how "phenology" works.  I'm adding a
>link to the FAQ I'm trying to gather up.  If anyone else has anything of
>specialty you'd want to add, feel free.

>>Here is a great website which describes how "phenology" works.  I'm adding a
>>link to the FAQ I'm trying to gather up.  If anyone else has anything of
>>specialty you'd want to add, feel free.

>*Where* is the great website? You didn't include it in your post. :-)

>Are you putting together a rec.gardens FAQ? Or a personal one?

>>>Here is a great website which describes how "phenology" works.  I'm adding a
>>>link to the FAQ I'm trying to gather up.  If anyone else has anything of
>>>specialty you'd want to add, feel free.

>>*Where* is the great website? You didn't include it in your post. :-)

>>Are you putting together a rec.gardens FAQ? Or a personal one?

>Here:

>http://www.sws-wis.com/lifecycles/what.html

>I am trying to gather information for a rec gardens FAQ.  It may take years or a
>year or whatever, but this is a well traveled ng and I think we do need a FAQ.
>There are other  FAQs about gardening subjects, but none directly for this
>newsgroup.

> I'm fairly new to this so pardon my ignorance, but...
> When is the best time to cut back these plants?  Where do I cut to?  When
> you say after they bloom, do you mean immedeately, or do you mean at the end
> of the bloom season?

> Thanks again,
> Adam


> > There are lots of variables in triggering the plants to break
> > dormancy, as noted elsewhere. I am in zone 6b and lavender and thyme
> > are just breaking out lemon balm and oregano are out for maybe a week.
> > Don't panic to soon but remember that lavender and thyme are from the
> > medeteranean area and Iowa and most of teh country isn't close to that
> > climate.... so such things are always at risk of dying out due to
> > humidity, cold etc. I lost a lot of thyme and lavender this past
> > winter.... also even if the tops die back lav. and thy. will often
> > have the roots survive and sprout back low down on the branches. I
> > find it helps long term survival to be hard hearted and after bloom
> > cut them back hard... I was  soft hearted last summer and it cost me
> > 10 thymes and 10 lavenders.....

> > > Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something
>  else?
> > > I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
> > > look like they did in January.

> > > Thanks,
> > > Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)