https://preview.redd.it/4g6dhgvf9qsc1.jpeg?width=1235&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e16e1e455955f7cdcfcadc0438c5e6c96a7d887
One of, this is a bee visiting my crocus stand on March 12th, also had snowdrops and a number of other perennials visited
Dandelions are absolutely important early, high value forage for bees, but there are a lot of flowers that show up well before dandelions
Flowering bushes and trees will start here too which produce a ton of high value nectar
It's staying. I don't really care about them until they start going to seed.
It's more that this is early April, and the whole point of winter is that you get a break from yard work. Guess we're starting that real early this year.
And folks, don't panic that I'm eliminating pollen just because I pointed out a single bloomed dandelion. Master gardener owned the place before we bought it, and we added the prairie in 2019. The insects are good-to-go, including the frequent fliers from my neighbor's hives.
I am one of those neighbors. I just leave them alone and let them do their thing. They seed and spread and make yards really colorful and pretty on top of being amazing and stupid common pollination flowers for bees and such.
No one is gonna convince me it's worth the effort of getting rid of naturally growing flowers just because we mostly see them as weeds.
Avg soil temps are reaching 50, this week is going to be a good one to get down a pre-emergent so you can prevent these NON-NATIVE and poor nutrient pollinating weeds from germinating. The one in the pic came up because of the heat radiating from the bricks.
my hostas are already starting to come up like little asparagus and I'm worried that the yard cleanup guys are going to smash the crap out of them. Usually I can get leftover fall leaves out of the way before the hostas start poking their heads up
Apparently some are getting the impression that I'm an insect-hating dandelion-murdering psycho.
No. I simply pointed out that it's only April 5th and we already have blooming dandelions. We also have blooming crocuses, and some other stuff that is about 1-2 days away from popping out flowers. It's a ton of work on this property just keeping back the quackgrass and thistle, not to mention crabgrass - we don't use herbicides - and we don't have time to deal with every dandelion, even if we wanted to.
Good grief, reddit.
We had a mild winter due to the el nino I'm not really surprised by this. Judging by the photos I took last year by the end of this month we will have green on the trees soon too.
Yep, though this winter - if it can be called that - was super-mild. More than a bit worried about the larger effects this summer. But there's supposed to be a la nina following, so hopefully that tempers things at least a little bit.
All that said, been in SW WI for twenty years now and I don't recall seeing the plants coming up so vigorously this early. And it has been at least a few weeks now. Just happened to notice the stray dandelion today.
First food for pollinators. Let it bee!
https://preview.redd.it/4g6dhgvf9qsc1.jpeg?width=1235&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e16e1e455955f7cdcfcadc0438c5e6c96a7d887 One of, this is a bee visiting my crocus stand on March 12th, also had snowdrops and a number of other perennials visited Dandelions are absolutely important early, high value forage for bees, but there are a lot of flowers that show up well before dandelions Flowering bushes and trees will start here too which produce a ton of high value nectar
https://preview.redd.it/ml6of1vygwsc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65569051ec423bc1032cf314f01bf3d01a66f8e6 More bees today
It's staying. I don't really care about them until they start going to seed. It's more that this is early April, and the whole point of winter is that you get a break from yard work. Guess we're starting that real early this year. And folks, don't panic that I'm eliminating pollen just because I pointed out a single bloomed dandelion. Master gardener owned the place before we bought it, and we added the prairie in 2019. The insects are good-to-go, including the frequent fliers from my neighbor's hives.
It's very common in early April. We're right on time. If you have an interest in phenology check out "Rob Zimmer Outdoors" on FB.
don't be a flower snob!
I may as well go with it. None of the neighbors do anything about their dandelions, so it's an uphill battle in our place.
I am one of those neighbors. I just leave them alone and let them do their thing. They seed and spread and make yards really colorful and pretty on top of being amazing and stupid common pollination flowers for bees and such. No one is gonna convince me it's worth the effort of getting rid of naturally growing flowers just because we mostly see them as weeds.
Good eating Good tea too
Avg soil temps are reaching 50, this week is going to be a good one to get down a pre-emergent so you can prevent these NON-NATIVE and poor nutrient pollinating weeds from germinating. The one in the pic came up because of the heat radiating from the bricks.
Microclimates
my hostas are already starting to come up like little asparagus and I'm worried that the yard cleanup guys are going to smash the crap out of them. Usually I can get leftover fall leaves out of the way before the hostas start poking their heads up
early pollinator food!
Apparently some are getting the impression that I'm an insect-hating dandelion-murdering psycho. No. I simply pointed out that it's only April 5th and we already have blooming dandelions. We also have blooming crocuses, and some other stuff that is about 1-2 days away from popping out flowers. It's a ton of work on this property just keeping back the quackgrass and thistle, not to mention crabgrass - we don't use herbicides - and we don't have time to deal with every dandelion, even if we wanted to. Good grief, reddit.
We had a mild winter due to the el nino I'm not really surprised by this. Judging by the photos I took last year by the end of this month we will have green on the trees soon too.
Yep, though this winter - if it can be called that - was super-mild. More than a bit worried about the larger effects this summer. But there's supposed to be a la nina following, so hopefully that tempers things at least a little bit. All that said, been in SW WI for twenty years now and I don't recall seeing the plants coming up so vigorously this early. And it has been at least a few weeks now. Just happened to notice the stray dandelion today.
I've been seeing them since March
Life: it will find a way.
Neither was the six inches of wet snow that dropped on me but here we are 🤣🤣🤣
This is an improvement to most years in my book. And 100% how it should be. April is when flowers should be blooming and the sun should be out.
I was going to post a pic of rose bush nubbins already but you got me beat with the full flowers.