When oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear, it’s time to plant corn.
If you didn’t know that, you also may not have heard of phenology, the study of periodic biological phenomena such as flowering and migration. I recently stumbled across an article about it in a back issue of Martha Stewart Living from March 2001. I won’t use the corn planting advice because I’ve had my misadventures with corn. Plus, I can’t say I know how big a squirrel’s ear is.
But the idea is engaging. Unlike calendar-based traditions such as planting nasturtiums on St. Patrick’s Day or setting out tomato plants on Mother’s Day, phenology takes into account that spring can come early or late. When it does come, though, things tend to happen in the same order. For example, crabgrass germinates when forsythia blooms, be it in February or April, because both events require a similar soil temperature. So it may already be too late to put down your pre-emergents.
At www.ghorganics.com/Phenology.html, I picked up more useful tips:
– Plant peas when daffodils begin to bloom.
– Plant perennials when maple leaves begin to unfurl.
– Sow morning glory seeds when maple leaves reach their full size.
– Plant beans and squash when lilacs are in full bloom.
It occurs to me that I could peg seasonal domestic chores to natural events as a way of spreading them out while ensuring they get done each year. For example:
– Clean gutters when crocuses appear.
– Wash patio furniture when pear trees are in flowwer.
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– Plant window boxes when peonies bloom.
– Bathe dogs outside when neighborhood children first appear barefoot.