Leelanau is alive with flowers and flourishing fruits
By Ross Boissoneau
Sun contributor
It’s been part of the conversation for weeks, ever since the unseasonably warm weather in late March: Is it spring yet? Is it really spring? Will there be another frost? Have you seen all the blooms on those lilacs?
In order: Yes, yes, probably not, and it’s not just lilacs—it’s everywhere and most everything.
The growing season started early this year, and worry over potential frosts have largely abated. According to the National Weather Service long-range outlooks, through the end of this month, temperatures are expected to be above the norm, while over the next month they level out to average for the time of year. What that means in a nutshell is there is little to no danger of frost. As for precipitation, those same forecasts call for precipitation levels to be the same as the average for this time of year.
Eleanor Dhuyvetter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gaylord, says there’s no guarantee that we won’t see more frost, but at this point she’s confident we won’t see any temperatures in the low 30s. She says the short-term forecast doesn’t show any such possibilities. “It doesn’t look like we’ll be flirting with … 32 to 35. It’s unlikely,” she says.
She does hedge her bets, noting that longer term forecasts are not as accurate. But as she notes, the later in the season, the less likely it is.
That means growers can breathe a sigh of relief. Many were concerned that the warmer than usual temperatures early in the year would see things blossoming early. Which they did, making them vulnerable to a later cold snap. That can wipe out an entire crop, be it cherries or flowers.
Carolyn Faught is the owner of Omena Cut Flowers. She has been in business since 1998, so she has been a keen observer of the weather since then. She’s seen entire years wiped out by late frost or sudden storms. While the latter can happen anytime, she’s confident there won’t be any cold snaps threatening this year. “I planted a lot of annuals because I looked at the long-term forecast and it’s fine,” she says.
With the danger of frost seemingly past, it’s easier to enjoy the beauty of plants growing and blooming earlier than the norm. A common perception is that overall it seems more green than usual. Conversations online and in person have touched on the fields, forests and ferns, flowers and bushes all seem thicker and lusher than people are used to. Is that true, or is it simply that we’re ahead of schedule?
According to Dhuyvetter, the answer is yes. First of all, it’s not simply perception: she says the current greenness values are indeed well above the norm. The Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is used to quantify vegetation greenness. She says the current NDVI shows that current values are well above the norm. “For May 1-21, the average measurement from satellite is around 20 to 30 percent above average for Leelanau County,” she explains.
As to whether certain plant varieties are lusher than usual or the growth is simply ahead of time, Dhuyvetter can’t answer that. “The early start plays a role,” she agrees, but other than she can’t say which, if any, particular plants are more prevalent.
Of course, that’s one of the things that enthralls and challenges growers: every year is different. That’s true both in terms of when things blossom and which plants are more abundant than usual.
That extends to the retail side as well. Georgia Gietzen of Northwoods Hardware in Glen Arbor, which has a large flower and outdoor plant selection, says she believes the plants there are among the best she’s seen. “I think our plant quality is excellent this year, both in quality and variety. I think it’s been an excellent growing season,” she says.
That includes not only the conditions the plants see there, but in the greenhouses before they’re shipped out for retail sale. “We don’t have a greenhouse, so there’s no protection” from the elements, she explains. She believes the combination of the early warmth and cooler conditions overnight the last couple weeks have stimulated growth.
Faught agrees with those sentiments. “The weather’s been fantastic. I have a lot of things coming in earlier than I usually would,” she says. “The peonies are ten days ahead. I grow ranunculus and lupine and they’re very happy.” A sentiment all growers likely share.
