"Wendy Tinley" wrote in message
...
| In article
| ,
| Simon S writes
| I am only a few miles away from you in Sheffield at around M1 J33 but
| have no spring bulbs showing yet. Daff that would have been almost in
| flower at this time in recent years are not yet showinf through the
| soil. Snow drops that have been flowering in January are barely daring
| to show through. We have had more snow cover this year than any other
| year since moving to Sheffield. Yesterdays snow still visisble in
| patches around the garden.
|
| Had a good look in the garden and can see crocuses starting to push up
| through the soil too... this is a north facing garden to boot... I
| wonder why?

Bulbs can't detect daylength, so have to work out when Spring is coming by
other means. I believe that how most do it is to "count" the amount of
"cold" - they are still alive so can "feel" temperature. When an amount of
cold which they would expect in Winter has passed, then the bulbs will
respond to the next rise in temperature because they think it's time for
Spring.

When I worked on a nursery, this is how we "forced" bulbs so we could get
flowers through a prolonged season. They were put out in trays with a cover
of earth and sand (to get the night temperatures low but not let frost
actually kill the bulbs). Once there had been enough "winter" to set them,
we then brought the amount we required into a nice warm greenhouse, where
they would quickly shoot and flower. The rest remained held dormant by the
cold until it was time to bring in the next batch.

Soil temperatures below a certain level (about 5C) will normally hold plant
growth dormant. So places subject to prolonged frost and snow will have few
if any bulbs coming. Bulbs in places with more benign climate will have
been fooled by the "Sucker's Gap" and will so be thinking of coming out to
"enjoy" Winter's last blast.
--
- Yokel -

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