First blooms of 2019

Snowdrop Elwesii 1/7/19

The weather continues to be very warm this week. It has been in the 50s for the past 3 days and we peaked at a high of 59.F this past Saturday. It was 50.F yesterday. The weather has been way more like March than what should be the coldest month of the year on average. Even the lows have been barely below freezing.  All this warm weather and lack of snow has brought upon the first flowers of the new year. This isn't this first time I've had snowdrops in January but usually they wait until the last week of the month. This is by far the earliest snowdrops I've ever had blooming in the garden. Average bloom time for these is middle February. Last year they bloomed around January 30th. Interesting note if we get some flowers blooming in February which is more typical for us, I will have had flowers blooming every calendar month of the winter season since I had Autumn Crocus just before Christmas!

Additional Snowdrops

Many flowers claim the be the first one of spring, but hands down Snowdrops are the first flower of the year. Notice I didn't say "one of the first" That's because there really is no flower I've come across so far that is earlier then these. However one must be choosy when it comes to your snowdrops. If you really want the extra early ones you have to get the right kind. The snowdrops I have are called Snowdrops Elwesii or galanthus elwesii These particular snowdrops bloom far earlier then the more popular g. nivalis and are also much larger. Elwesii Snowdrops do better in Iowa because they  are from a climate that is hot and dry in summer which more closely matches our climate. Most snowdrops are from a cool-moist summer climate and tend to struggle just a bit in our far different climatic conditions.

Daffodils starting 1/7/19

Daffodils have also been tricked by our little fools spring. They are starting to come up along with some spring Crocus I've also seen starting to pop. Most people would be really concerned about seing all these blooming and sprouting plants this early in January. What about the rest of winter? Well I'm not at all concerned. I consider it a part of nature and plus how could you not want to start coming in weather as nice as we've had this winter? What will end up happening is if we get some snow especially heavier amounts before any cold these plants will be absolutely fine and no harm will come, Snowcover protects anything from the harsh temperatures. However Iowa is really good at avoiding snowfall but still getting down to zero or colder. If this happens which is the worse case scenario, the snowdrops will loose their flowers and the Daffodils will have freeze burn on their leaf edges but health wise for the plant both will survive and be fine in the end. I have gone through great measures to protect plants at one time but as time passed I found it just isn't necessary. They are strong hardy plants and there really is no need to worry so instead I enjoy the January blooms!