Pittsburgh's spring was kind to the flowers

June 16, 10:21 PMPittsburgh Gardening Scene ExaminerRose Field

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Photo by Audrey Michael, Creative Commons license

I don't know who was the first to say, “If you don't like the weather in Pittsburgh, wait a few hours.” The oft-quoted saying may be time worn now, but it still rings true. We can always expect wild swings of temperature in March, April and May. Gardeners nervously watch the forecasts for late frosts and bemoan the sudden hot spells that can cut short the precious tulip season.

So far, 2009 is no exception. According to National Weather Service data, March gave us a range from 6 degrees to 73 degrees, April from a low of 29 degrees to 87 degrees, and May went from 33 degrees to a high of 84.

Areas outside of the city may have experienced lower temperatures with more frosty nights, but within the city, we were lucky. The lowest temperatures came while the tree buds were still tightly closed for the most part, and the hot spells exited quickly.

Forsythia, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, lilac and other spring blooming shrubs had it good this year. Overall, cool temperatures with sufficient rainfall prolonged their bloom period. They escaped the ravages of late freezes and frosts within the city and nature was generous to them in 2009. Many early bloomers can suffer frozen flowers in a hard freeze. The plants themselves are winter hardy here and will survive, but gardeners have to wait another twelve months for the next floral pay-off.

Even the always vulnerable cup and saucer Magnolias (Magnolia x soulangiana) made it through safely this year. I've read estimates that their flowers succumb to frost an average of 7 out of every 10 years in our region because they simply bloom too early for typical Pittsburgh weather.

Some fruits and vegetables are not as happy this year. Berry farms are struggling with smaller than usual crops and the pick-you-own locations have scant availability. Unfortunately, this comes in a year when the economy has prodded many folks to preserve their own jams and frozen berries.

Now we just have to wait for the heat and sun we need for the tomatoes and peppers, which currently look like they're in suspended animation.