Global Warming

Prompted by a posting elsewhere in the forum, has anybody noticed changes in the weather paterns over the past few years with regards to their gardening? Is it just me or is the weather getting that little more extreme in terms of hotter summers and colder winters and do we appear to be getting more gale force winds of late? Although I live just over the channel in Normandy, I have already had to cut the grass this year and thats after a last cut the first week in December and the weeds are leaping away - 'spose thats the down side of "global warming"!

 

Yes the grass needs cutting but its usually too wet to cut it. I have fibrous rooted begonias (bedding plants from last summer) starting to regrow, last year one or two survived and grew on, right though the summer. Admittedly they are in a slightly protected position, but a few years ago that wouldn't have happened.
Many plants that were considered marginally hardy from warmer countries seem to be surviving the winters. An example,the cordyline which only seemed to survive at one time on the south and west coasts, now seems to grow well in my part of the country.

 

I suppose with warmer climes we can expect different pests,bugs and diseases as well - the joys of being a gardener!

 

Yeah.
But everyone goes on about how the pests will get worse, but surely if the weather gets milder then the preditors of these pests will overwinter. Thereby balancing everthing out again.

 

I think the winters are getting milder, although I agree they are getting windier. I had marigolds flowering all winter until our first frost(and snow) in February.We didn't get all that snow that the rest of the UK seemed to get,just a couple of light dustings to keep the local photographers happy.

 

Last winter I had fibrous rooted begonias survive in parts of the garden, but I think the last freeze, ie. last couple of weeks has probably finished them off.

 

Well there was me thinking what a mild winter we have had, just the bit of obligatory snow for a couple of days at Christmas and then wallop .....minus 7�°c, frozen pipes and 3 feet of snow for a week or so! Up until then, my potted geraniums that I had just stowed around the back of the shed and forgotten about were alive and well and promised cuttings for the new season. Not any more;..
Lovely "spring" day today though - up to double figures, even though a bit of snow remaining under the hedges. Must get out and crack on with the veggie plots. Should be global bloody cooling!!!

 

Global warming? I remember late 1930's and into 1940's the weather was similar to now but then perhaps I've got a good memory (and a little bit older than some gardeners?) I don't dispute the global warming theory but there has always been natural fluctuations in the weather since time began - hasn't there?

 

Yeah I think your right jjordie.
I agree there is definatly something a bit strange going on, but it does seem to be a bit overdone, one minute they say its gonna get warmer, then the melting ice cap is gonna cut off the gulf stream, so its gonna get colder.
I think we've just gotta wait and see, if it get warmer I'll be able to get some of my plants out of the greenhouse :D