Last spring, we had 3 nights of frost at the end of March after a run of beautiful, sunny, 80-degree days. It was cruel and unusual and I really should use that as a benchmark for putting sensitive plants in the ground outside even though most years, plants have been out there for 5-6 weeks by then, just fine.

I think the Vernal equinox is a fine, worthy thing to celebrate, so March 20 is a great milestone for that reason, even if spring might technically refuse to arrive in full everywhere that day. The signal has been given, for all long-day plants to bloom as soon as they grow enough to do so. The angle (and power) of the sun will begin to change dramatically.

(Who else remembers the Bartles'n'James commercial celebrating the vernal equinox?)

Pirl, that's so cool!

Bob, thanks for sharing this fun toy!

I believe it was March 2012 when the weather just got better and better and there were 80 degree highs for 10 days. Asiatic lilies sprouted and grew to 10 inches or more. Then frosts. I covered what I could but there were very few blooms that year. Orientals had not broken ground so they did O K .
Some perennials were toast for that season but returned the following year.

we tend to have late freezes here too, so I may invest in orientals too instead of the Asiatics. I would have not thought of that of course until after it was too late! I did start paying attention more to my iris when I buy. I try to buy later blooming iris, the early bloomers seem to get froze off many years.
June is my favorite month, so we celebrate June 1st Day at my house. We have an all out party-bbq and cake and the whole nine yards. I am just giddy with excitement on June 1st

Just found this
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/zoa/mw...

That is very cool!!!

It's getting up to 39° tomorrow, it's practically spring!

We are going through our usual end-of-January winter thaw and day temps are supposed to be up to 60F. Generally, it doesn't count because winter comes back in a week or so, but this year, I don't know. We haven't had winter, yet.

Smiles,
Lyn

We had no winter the last three years. It got down to 20° on maybe two occasions but only for one day! I lost several Hostas each year because without a good cold spell some get weak and sick looking.
I did away with my Blueberry bushes because in three years no flowers or berries and yes I have three to cross pollinate. I found out I had northern high bushes and they are not getting a good enough cold spell. I offered to replaced them with southern high bush but DH said don't worry about it. (they were for him.)
Next year I was going go plant a row of beautiful Dahlia's down the fence but now the fence has blown over. It is laying on my winterberry shrub and I left it there. Too cold to mess with it. LOL.

It's been cold enough, just no rain.

Smiles,
Lyn

I went out today and watered everything, was 60 F, right now, it is like 20!

There is another front comming in. Temp 32 ( havnt seen that in a month ) and the wind is really picking up.
I hope we got some melting overnight.
53 days til spring.

We did get a lot of melting last night and now it's 41 (the high for the day) so more will melt today. It's nice to see the green grass again. Much better for the spirits than the glare from all the snow cover we've had.

No green here.Temps have dropped 20* since 5AM.

Not good!

We are @ 60°F as a high today and we have more cold fronts and a winter storm watch for Tuesday night & Wednesday. High for tomorrow is only 24°! There is supposed to be more snow and ice.
We just got done melting from the last storm and this new storm will also bring strong winds, but not quite enough to be referred to as 'Blizzard' conditions.

We almost hit 30 , but temps starting to drop . Plus wind gust up to 50 mph today make it feel even colder.

43 here with winds but no new snow and we didn't get the snow that western Long Island got yesterday though I can't really say we "missed" it.

Forecast is more shivering weather. Today I'll spend the time checking stored dahlias in the garage. So exciting!

ho hum .Bitter cold,sun wind.I emptied the kitchen scraps in the outside composter.

You are a lot farther north than I knew. Do you actually get compost or frozen kitchen scraps? LOL.