Too Warm/

     This photo shows some wonderful spring bulbs popping up -- in DECEMBER! In Chicago and throughout much of the country late fall and early winter temperatures have been exceptionally high. Since bulbs get their cues from changes in temperature, they have been fooled into thinking it is spring and sending up shoots 3-4 months early. A number of clients have called asking what they should do. The simple answer is "Nothing." the bulbs are wasting a bit of their energy by sending these shoots up too soon, but they will stop when colder weather arrives and we should still get flowers next spring.

     What might be helpful is a further layer of mulch once the weather gets substantially colder. Whatever you do, do not add mulch now. That will only delay the cooling of the soil and make things worse. the purpose of putting down mulch later is to keep the soil cold longer.It will keep the bulbs asleep longer through some of those false springs we get in February and prevent them wasting more energy before bloom time.