Planting by Phenology (Natural Plant and Animal Cycles)

I was reading in the How's Your Weather? thread that some people don't start planting until forsythia and native iris start blooming. Somewhere else I read that potatoes should be planted out when the first dandelion blooms. I found this fascinating, especially when we never know when there might be another year without summer. So, I started looking for more indicators.

I found some in Planting calendar based on natural events instead of dates

Mike Gaughan wrote:The term you are looking for is "phenology", defined by Wikipedia as the "study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate, as well as habitat factors (such as elevation)."

I began using planting signs this gardening season with good success.  Some signs I use here in central Connecticut (Zone 6) include:
  plant peas when the daffodils bloom or spring peepers sing
  plant spring veggies when dandelions are in bloom or the lilacs have leafed out
  plant bush beans and summer squash when the lilac flowers have faded
  transplant tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant when the bearded iris is in bloom.

I did transplant kale, cabbage, and chard according to a calendar date based on X number of weeks before the last frost date.  The plants were severely set back by a hard, lingering winter here in New England.  The "rescue" transplants that I set out when the dandelions bloomed did just fine.  Lesson learned!  This stuff is for real, because the native vegetation are far more tuned into soil temperatures and day length than are we, the gardeners.

I went searching for more information, and thought I'd compile it here. Since I live in the Pacific Northwest/Cascadia, these are compiled from bloggers in my area. Supposedly it's best to find out the phenology of your own region.

From http://pnwbasicliving.blogspot.in/2011/01/phenology-vs-lunar-gardening.html

Peas when the Crocuses, Forsythia, and/or Daffodil bloom.
Swiss chard, spinach, beets and onions when Daffodils are in bloom.
Potatoes when the first Dandelion blooms.
Beets, carrots, cole crops, lettuce, and spinach when the Lilac is in first leaf.
Beans, cucmbers, and squash when the Lilac is in full bloom.
Tomatoes when Lily of the Valley is in full bloom.
Melon and pepper transplants when Irises bloom.
Corn, beans, and cucumbers when apples blossoms start to fall.
Tomatoes, melons, peppers, corn, and beans when Flowering Dogwood is in full bloom.
Tomatoes, melons, and eggplant when Peonies flower.
Fall crop cabbage and broccoli seeds when Mock Orange flowers or after Dogwoods have dropped their flowers.

And from http://www.harvestmoonhomesteadandfarm.com/blog/phenology-planting-by-natures-calendar

Plant peas when forsythia and/or daffodils bloom, when red winged blackbird females return, or when chickadees build their nests
Plant potatoes when the first dandelions bloom
Plant beets, carrots, cabbage family crops, lettuce and spinach when lilac leaves unfurl
Plant beans, cucumbers and squash when lilacs are in full bloom
Transplant eggplant, melon, and peppers when irises are in full bloom
Plant corn when apple blossoms begin to fall, or when oak leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear
Plant perennials when maple leaves unfurl
Seed fall cabbage and broccoli when catalpa trees and mock-orange bushes bloom
Set out tomatoes when daylilies start to bloom,  or when flowering dogwoods are in bloom

Image from http://www.harvestmoonhomesteadandfarm.com

EDIT to add more threads about phenology that I found:

Foraging calendar based on natural events instead of dates

Garden Phenomena 2016

timing seed planting by observing nature ...not the calender

Planting calendar based on natural events instead of dates

Does anyone else plant by phenology? What indicators do you use for different plantings?

Oooooh, I also found this really neat website: https://www.usanpn.org/natures_notebook . It is a place for nature observers to record the phenology in their area, to track seasonal changes in plants and animals in their areas.



According to them:

A cold front has slowed the spread of spring in the Midwest and Northeast. Spring has arrived in parts of Colorado and Utah 2-3 weeks early.

They're looking for more people to record observations on their website, if you're interested!

Thanks for the links. There's more information online now than 5 years ago!

Hi

Here's a website for phenology in Canada:  https://www.naturewatch.ca/plantwatch/

They're not making the links to guide gardeners yet, but it's a start.

Cheers
El

A caution:

A few years ago I was at a farm conference, and a local tomato farmer was talking about how the turkey vultures returned like clockwork on one particular day every year.  This year, however, the turkey vultures returned quite early.  I don't recall the specifics, but I think it was at least two or three weeks.  So the farmer decided to move their production forward that number of weeks, using the turkey vultures as their guide.

That year we had a snowstorm in May.  Average last frost is about April 15.

I'm not saying phenology doesn't work or can't be trusted, but Nature's a funny thing.

I agree! I tend to plant a little bit of seed every few weeks. If they freeze and die, well, I only lost a few and can plant more. If the season is early, I'll get produce sooner. One year, I plante dpeas out January 29th, a good 2-3 weeks before most say to plant them. But, it never got cold again, and summer came soon and hot. So those peas did great and those that planted when "they were supposed to" had their peas not produce because it was too hot, too soon.

It's helpful to know what signs to look for, but it's also good to be cautious and plant successively!

I have discussed some phenological and lunar calendars here www.ianslunarpages.org/calendar.html

Nicole Alderman wrote: I went searching for more information, and thought I'd compile it here. Since I live in the Pacific Northwest/Cascadia, these are compiled from bloggers in my area. Supposedly it's best to find out the phenology of your own region.

From http://pnwbasicliving.blogspot.in/2011/01/phenology-vs-lunar-gardening.html

In my area (South Puget Sound) oso berry (also known as Indian plum) is generally the first native plant to leaf out in late winter. I might try planting early plants based on when it leafs out. I love the bright green new leaves it gets in late winter and I have planted 50 of them on my property.

Wes Hunter wrote:A caution:

A few years ago I was at a farm conference, and a local tomato farmer was talking about how the turkey vultures returned like clockwork on one particular day every year.  This year, however, the turkey vultures returned quite early.  I don't recall the specifics, but I think it was at least two or three weeks.  So the farmer decided to move their production forward that number of weeks, using the turkey vultures as their guide.

Migratory birds would be more in tuned with day length and the conditions where they overwinter.  Plus, because vultures are omnivorous, they might also migrate early because of food supply issues.  I'd be more prone to trust recommendations that refer to migratory waterfowl, or in my area, Sandhill and Whooping Cranes.  Not that I've found any phenological recommendations.  Their northern migration would be the one I trust, I think, since an early winter in their summer breeding grounds could send them to the Gulf Coast early without having a bearing upon weather along their way.  

Many years ago I read that spring planting should be done when oak leaves were the size of a squirrel's ears.

I've observed that here, different oak varieties "spring" over several weeks' time! I'm stuck with the "last frost date" as a guide.

My personal observation for my area is that fall planting needs to be started as the Mulberry leaves just start to turn. Any more than a week or so later, and turnips spout, grow to about 1 inch tall... and go into hibernation until spring! Grr!! No winter crop.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:Many years ago I read that spring planting should be done when oak leaves were the size of a squirrel's ears.

I've observed that here, different oak varieties "spring" over several weeks' time! I'm stuck with the "last frost date" as a guide.

Ah, to have such a problem...  
Might I suggest that you do a little experimentation?  If you've got Burr, White, & Red, for example, plant an equal # of seeds from a single source, appropriately marked, in accordance with each Oak sp. and record which performs best and which gets nuked by a late frost, etc.  It's also possible that you'll find multiple phenological indicators... perhaps snow or sugar snap peas thrive when the Burr's leaves are squirrel equivalent, but shell peas need the extra time until the White's are there.  

I mean, hey, what do you have to lose?  It's so crazy it JUST MIGHT WORK!!! :D

Nicole, thank you for sharing this information.  This is a topic that I am very interested in.

Over the years I have used something similar though it did not have a name.  Something like we always have our first cold spell Halloween weekend so the kiddies must wear coats over their costumes.  And not planting transplants until after Easter because we will always has a cold front that weekend and the kiddies will need coats over the Easter clothes.

Here in Texas, they say not to plant until you see the Mesquite leaf out.

I'm stuck at home, unable to drive to where burr oak is. River Oak (white?) leaves sprout too late. I don't know what color my nearby oaks are that have the big Canada flag shaped (edit: pointy ended, not round lobed, doh!) leaves. I guess I'll have to start taking walks before we defrost. Brrrr!! There is good reason that I do not live further north!

So there are several easy ways to ID oak trees.  Burr Oak acorns have a husk that covers all but the tip, and are generally round.  Pin Oak acorns are extremely small, roughly 1/2" in diameter.  Red & White Oak have similar, classic acorns, but there are differences in the leaves and branches.  

Incidentally, the Canadian flag bears a maple, not an oak leaf.  

Chris Palmberg wrote:So there are several easy ways to ID oak trees.  Burr Oak acorns have a husk that covers all but the tip, and are generally round.  Pin Oak acorns are extremely small, roughly 1/2" in diameter.  Red & White Oak have similar, classic acorns, but there are differences in the leaves and branches.

https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Oaks-by-the-Acorns


There is an Etsy user selling various field guides for identifying including this one for acorns:

I knew that. I was in a rush and posted in my "I'm an idiot shorthand" language. Now, imagine an Oak leaf that has the pointy lobes, like the maple, not the rounded lobes. That's what I meant.

That sounds like it's likely Pin Oak, or something similar.  The leaves are roughly the size of a child's hand, with points rather than curves.  The acorns are shaped as per the image above, and should be roughly the size of large pea gravel.  

I am so glad this topic came up. I have found that this could be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. At this time I am trying to get as much planted in the ground before we hit the Equinox. Things planted before the equinox will have lateral growth. After the equinox things are going straight up or what I might call cosmic. At t he end of January we started some lettuce seed in the greenhouse. We pricked them out into flats with 18 plants in a 12x24 flat. We work with the elements based on the way the sun and moon move through the zodiac. With lettuce we tend to work with water and earth element. We prep soil for flats on an earth day. weeding and cultivating on leaf days stimulates movement and growth in the plants. One week before transplanting the lettuce we cut "brownies" by perforating the soil with a knife. This allows each plant to send out a mass of lateral roots. We have found that this greatly reduces transplant shock. In another week we will be starting cucurbit and herb seed. I prepped the soil for squash on a fire a.k.a fruit day. We are in Sacramento so this timeline may not apply to you, but if you are in a colder climate you could just keep the seedlings inside a little longer. I recommend the Stella Natura Calendar as a guide for planning tasks. Hope this is helpful info!

I downloaded a phenology planting calender last year, but I did not do anything with it. I'm used to 2 special dates: the 11th of May (called 'Ice Saints') should be the last frost date. But often that last frost is earlier. The other date is the 100th day of the year, which is the date to sow flax seeds (fibre flax). But that isn't phenology

Fascinating. I've always heard that first planting should happen here when snow can no longer be seen on the local ski hill. Now I'm thinking I'd better plant some crocus, forsythia, daffodil, lilac, lily of the valley, iris, and dogwood.

I have been waiting for the annual weeds to start growing to know when the soil was warm enough to plant small seed, like carrot and beets.

El Rowlatt wrote:Hi

Here's a website for phenology in Canada:  https://www.naturewatch.ca/plantwatch/

They're not making the links to guide gardeners yet, but it's a start.

Cheers
El

I registered there. Need to look around the site now.

I heard about phenological planting a long time ago, though wasn't particularly in the know at the time. More recently it came up in the Garden Master Course, so I've regained some interest.

I just found this link to a farmer's almanac article which gives a few examples: https://www.almanac.com/phenology-garden-planting-natures-signs

I'm hoping to figure out a lot of these things for my own situation, because I've had trouble with it in my own backyard microclimate. My shade situation puts me in a very different boat than a lot of the other local gardeners, so trying to imitate them has proved less than fruitful in many cases.

I'm feeling lucky that I have a lot of the plants that are used as indicators listed in the article above! I have peonies! I have lily of the valley! I am going to have apple blossoms before too many more years!

Thanks for reviving this thread L.
I've been interested in Phenology (although didn't know that was what it is called) and am meaning to do some records of dates for events here and try and correlate with planting success. I even got as far as making a list - stuff like swallows returning, bracken first poking out but not unfurled, apple blossom. I think it is better to go with plants and animals that are already native and common where you are, since if they can they will already be attuned to your climate area. It also saves planting something that you may not otherwise need or want.
At the moment for warmer season plants I like to go by when the weed seeds start growing! But that is probably a bit early in many cases. The weeds have so many seeds that they can afford a flush or two to be lost in a particular year. I'm wondering if there is a sweet spot between the mice eating the bean seeds before they germinate and the crows picking them out after they germinate!

I've been keeping a spreadsheet for multiple years, and two  things I note are when various perennials and weeds sprout and bloom and when the last frost is. My conclusion -- you're so right about finding phenology specifically for your area! There is usually a light frost or two after the bearded iris blooms, so that's not the time for me to transplant tomatoes and peppers. However, I must be in a bit of a frost pocket, because people living 10 minutes from me can plant frost-tender plants 2-3 weeks earlier than I can. The lists make me want to plant more spring-blooming perennial flowers just to see what patterns I notice.

Oak before ash, we're in for a splash,
Ash before oak, in for a soak..

I'm populating my phenology list this year: Yesterday was first cuckoo, first dog violets, first plum/damson blossom, and first "T-shirt weather" no need for a hat and jumper as long as you keep moving in the sun! .....Our 'spring' weather seems to have arrived too, with settled light North/East winds bringing a bit of drier weather. It's time for me to think of sowing spring grains, a bit early for other vegetable crops yet though.

I've read quite a bit about phenology, but central Alabama weather is so erratic I have no idea how to make use of the information that native plants are telling me. It can go from winter to spring and back to winter multiple times around here. Dandelions bloom and even make puff balls here multiple times from January on with short periods of hard winter in between.

Thank you Jules for bringing this thread to my attention. I can see, now thinking about it, how tracking plants, especially natives, can be a VERY helpful indicator for seeding and transplanting

I'll toss one in the old timers here ( north FL) taught me.

You're not safe from freezes until the hickories and pecans leaf out.

Planting by moon phases never made sense, to me - but THIS does! Nicole, thank you for starting it, so long ago, and, L, thank you for bringing it back to our attention! Typical weather fluctuations have changed so much, they've become unreliable, but watching the rest of what's going on - the animals' instincts, and the plants' cures as to the warmth of the earth, itself just makes so much more sense, imho.

Interestingly, at least to me, I started watching much more closely, this year, too see what was coming up, budding, leafing out, and critter activity - both animal and insect. I didn't know it had a name, but knew the old-timers in Kentucky (when I lived there) either watched for signs in nature or those moon phases, to guide their planting. It always seemed to me that the ones watching the nature signs did better. But, you have to know which things to plant at what signs, and I didn't have a clue how to find that. Leave it to our AWESOME permies family, to lead the way!

For clarity's sake: A gardener does not have to choose moon phase OR what native plants are doing to guide timing for seeding or transplanting. One does not in any way exclude or even interfere with the other.

What I realized this season is...

Self-seeded annuals like tomatoes are preceded by other plants. If we can take note of what those plants are and watch the timing, we can plant very close to the natural germination timing of the self-seeded ones.

Another observation was, getting the seeds in the ground early gives them a chance to come up when they're ready. Not that they necessarily will, or that they will out-compete the other plants without some nurture, but they have a chance. So if you have a lot of seeds, then just getting them in the ground where you might want them, a month or two early might be beneficial.

Obviously much depends on context.

Greetings,

Here to add another Phenology platform, this time for Europe:

https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/external/european-phenological-data-platform-for

Anyone on this part of the world, feel free to explore the website, it has many resources!

Also, big thanks to the people who started and developed this great thread!

Cheers

Here is a fantastic relevant info chart courtesy of reddit:



From https://i.redd.it/nzn8upmf53ya1.jpg

Rosie Bou wrote:I've read quite a bit about phenology, but central Alabama weather is so erratic I have no idea how to make use of the information that native plants are telling me. It can go from winter to spring and back to winter multiple times around here. Dandelions bloom and even make puff balls here multiple times from January on with short periods of hard winter in between.

If trying to figure out what plants do doesn't work for you, why not use my theory that we get a frost on Easter and Halloween?  I figured this out years ago because I had to wear a coat over my pretty easter dress and a coat over my Halloween costume.

Rosie Bou wrote:I've read quite a bit about phenology, but central Alabama weather is so erratic I have no idea how to make use of the information that native plants are telling me. It can go from winter to spring and back to winter multiple times around here. Dandelions bloom and even make puff balls here multiple times from January on with short periods of hard winter in between.

I experience similar weather, with dandelion flowers going through their cycle multiple times over winter and hard frosts in between.

For my area, I've noticed pecan trees are the last to bud out, so there won't likely be another hard frost after I see pecan leaves. When pecan trees are "blooming," it seems to be a good time to begin sowing seeds of warm weather crops.

Passionflower vine (Passiflora incarnata) is the last to emerge from the ground, and that's when I can transplant the last of my tomatoes and peppers. I normally transplant many before then, but I also lose some or have some stunted from surprise cold weather.

I struggle with cool season crops, no matter how early or late I plant them in spring. We get a week or two in February and March of 80+ degree days, dropping to freezing the next week, and crops bolt or just get stunted. I'm thinking fall planting is the best way to go for me.

First frogspawn noticed yesterday!

I didn't note it in my spreadsheet last year. So far this year I have

first snowdrops
Hazel catkins open
Planted red and whitecurrant cuttings
cherry plum flower bud break
sown first early seeds outside
sown first early seeds on windowsill
put potatoes on to chit
frogspawn in pond

As well as natural cycles I am noting when I took actions - particularly in my natural farming area. Hopefully as time goes on I can learn what works without relying on a patchy memory! Of these notes only the first two were noted last year - both about a week earlier this year. January was much milder I think

I'm getting excited:

This week - first caterpillar (a knotweed moth I think), fava beans sown, and first primrose, first dandeliion, first daisy, first honeyberry flowers.

My rosemary is loaded with blossoms.  Usually, the shrub only gets a few blossoms.

There are loads of wild verbena.