Here, spring is dependent on our fall weather. The ground freezes here. There are many variations in frost patterns. The ground can freeze to a depth of 8 ft. Other areas only have a few inches of frozen soil. If we get snow cover that stays , there is not much frozen ground. An exposed area that has lots of traffic over it will freeze to a depth of 7 or 8 feet. South facing slopes and sheltered areas will have less ground frost. From year to year the depth of soil frost varies.
So the soil frost that starts in Oct. - Nov determines our spring and the beginning of plant growth. Of course, winter and spring weather also determine the kind of spring activity we have. The soil has to warm up before there's much plant activity. The frost seems to come out of the ground rapidly and then we have a very muddy soggy mess. Roads break up as the soil becomes unstable. As a result there are road bans (limits on load weights)until the frost is out of the ground.
I find many blog posts very interesting when they show spring weather and blooms. If there's no frost in the ground , the grass usually remains green even if it is covered by snow. In some areas the grass begins to grow rapidly when warmer spring weather arrives.
So the other day along with photos of geese , I also took some landscape photos which show what spring looks like here. We have a few sheltered south facing areas where grass has turned green but it's not growing. Native crocuses are in bloom. So some plants are well adapted to grow early in the spring as soon as some frost is out of the ground. Buds are swelling on trees. However, for the most part there is very little plant activity.
You can see from the photos that there is very little color. The spruce trees are more black than green. As soon as the frost leaves the ground , spruce trees turn green.
Wishing spring for you soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It'll happen.
Deleteyour spring browns look quite a bit like our texas winter. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're right. The Texas winter would be brown for being dry. this is brown from being cold.
DeleteYup, you're still frozen. I hope your spring is lovely when it happens.
ReplyDeleteYes , we get a great spring when it gets here. I'll keep you posted.
DeleteYou look like us...brown:(
ReplyDeleteWe live in a very similar climate.
DeleteHow different our two worlds are. I don't think I've ever heard of frost coming out of the ground before. Here we might see a frost or two each winter and that is it. I do hope spring comes to your world soon.
ReplyDeleteWhen the ground freezes it gets as hard as steel.
DeleteDon't look away, because when spring comes it happens over night. Our lawn is now kelly green and bulbs are blooming!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean that spring comes over night. Suddenly you sense the mild moist air.
DeleteI enjoy winter but I suspect this would be a bit extreme for me.
ReplyDeleteThis would freeze your butt off , Adrian. You'd never survive the winter in your rig.
DeleteInteresting post. Our grass is still green indeed, we didn't have much frost this winter. Hope your spring will come soon with lots of green and other colours.
ReplyDeleteWe will get spring. It's just that I see everybody else with spring.
DeleteWe still have lots of snow, but it is melting down every day. The deer have come out of the woods to eat on the tops of hills, closest to the heat of the sun, as the melt hits there first and little nibbles of new grasses are available. WE saw many deer on the sides of roads yesterday, pawing through the olde grass and grazing contentedly . Spring photos are always so blah, eh, without all the colours that will pop out in the next few weeks. I see your pond is still frozen over. Our river opened up in a couple of places, but lots to melt yet. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteOur river opened up about three weeks ago. We have sort of a mountain river so when the water rises the ice disappears in a hurry. Now the pond is less than 100 m from the river and it's still like winter ice.
DeleteHi Red, Wow ... if your ground freezes to 8 feet ... how deep do they have to put pipes under ground to be sure they don't freeze up? That is interesting about the ground and the spring thaws. Like vickit43 said, "Wishing spring for you soon!"
ReplyDeleteWater pipes are always more than 8 ft. We quite often get water main breaks from frost.
DeleteThanks for the info. That is pretty amazing!
DeleteRainy and wet here. I had a neighbor who had to pull a bull out of the deep muck.
ReplyDeleteNow the bull getting stuck has got to be pretty rare.
DeleteVery beautiful images! It looks the same here. I'm hoping for some colour soon. It's pretty dreary out.
ReplyDeleteThis year color is going to come very rapidly.
DeleteI didn't know it's because the ground freezes so deeply in your place that keeps spring from coming quickly. I thought it was the latitude. Thanks for the information. :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, it is latitude that gives us the frozen ground, but other things influence it as well.
DeleteIt is interesting to read about your spring Red. Here the fall tends to be long and warmish but the spring is late. Fortunately the snow cover is very reliable (which it is not in southern Ontario) so normally the ground does not freeze much. Just now the snow has melted in the fields but not in the shade of trees or buildings.
ReplyDeleteClimate can be variable so some years we get a long mild fall but usually when Nov. hits we're locked in for the winter.
DeleteI enjoyed this series of photos. Speaking of snow, we had 4 to 5 inches Monday/Monday night. Only 30 degrees this morning! Spring is out there somewhere, I'm sure of it!!
ReplyDeleteYes, we missed that one. Southern Alberta got a lot of snow.
DeleteI`m reminded of here- the ground is still brown, with some snow and ice patches here and there.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid we're all in the same boat when it comes to spring. The west coast gets an early spring.
DeleteI love the rich colors of Fall, but all of the seasons are beautiful in their own ways.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Each season has it's strong points.
DeleteIts soo beautiful there♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteIt does still look cold and winter there. I would like to see that same picnic area after the grass and trees are green. Hope it gets there soon.
ReplyDeleteIt was a cold nasty day. I will get some photos later on. I ride bike through this area all summer.
DeleteI noticed a couple of days ago the grass on the east side of the house is greening up nicely. It won't be long here. The end of the month we will head south to visit my daughter and when we return the trees will be in leaf outside my window. It's always a treat to come home to a new landscape.
ReplyDeleteNice shots of your world Red!
I have some green grass on the south side of my house but nothing anyplace else.
DeleteBrown is the color here (Minnesota) also. We have had rain the last few days and some warmer days ahead so I'm hoping we will see some green soon.
ReplyDeleteYou get exactly the same weather as we do.
DeleteRoll on Spring Red :)
ReplyDeleteRed your clouds are magnificent photo 1 and 2
ReplyDeleteand the blue sky.
You should share in Weekend Refections.
They are fabulous. Clarity is really attractive.
I'm sure ready for colour. We're pretty brown, too.
ReplyDeleteWell, it was sure cold in Vancouver last week, but there were a lot of spring flowers.
ReplyDelete