Blackberry Winter

Blackberry winter comes without warning

Just when you think that spring is here to stay

And you wake up on a cold, rainy morning

And wonder what on earth became of May 

lyrics by Alec Wilder and Loonis McGlonghlin

Blackberry Winter is a hauntingly beautiful song mourning a love affair that ends coldly and without warning. For gardeners eager to embrace the onset of the spring growing season, a sudden cold snap(or a blackberry winter) can damage tender blooms of flowering herbs, fruits, and other spring plants.

Dogwood winter, Locust, and Redbud winters are synonymous with these "little winters" or "seasonal hiccups," named for indigenous species native to a particular region. Old-timers referred to this time as the Lindsey-Woolsy winter, named for the coarse fabric used to construct woolen underwear. Only once you've packed away the long johns could you safely plant the spring garden. The ritual stowing away of winter garb remains a cause for celebration here in the Central Plains. 

March can be a harsh time for Apis mellifera, the honeybee. Honey stores may be near or at depletion. Widely fluctuating temperatures interrupt or delay the blooming pattern of many flowering trees and herbs. As daylight hours lengthen, the queen bee ratchets up her egg-laying activity forcing worker bees to forage further afield to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding population. Limited or nearly depleted natural food sources may be unavailable depending on the region's weather conditions. A beekeeper often supplements the feed in a 1:1 simple syrup solution to prevent starvation.

I feed winter AP23 winter pollen paddies from Dadant(shameless plug alert). These are high-carbohydrate pre-package paddies with crude protein and sugar and do not freeze. Once the chance of freezing temperatures is over, I resort to a 1:1 syrup to build out new or low-population hives.

As April approaches, the scents of early blooming trees such as sassafras, redbud, and crabapple lure bees and other pollinators into a frenzy of foraging activity. Nothing is so pleasant as standing beneath the snowy white blossoms of a crabapple tree vibrating with honeybees working the blooms. 

Many fruit-bearing trees, like peaches, pears, and blackberry vines, require a chill time over winter to set blooms properly. The chill time is the number of hours a fruit-bearing tree or bush sustains temperatures between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the winter. Old-time gardeners would use the appearance of blooms on their blackberry vines to predict these seasonal changes, or "blackberry winters," before planting less cold-tolerant vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers.

Although flowering herbs such as lavender, thyme, mint, borage, bee balm, marjoram, and oregano are bee magnets and make great choices for the spring garden, they must be protected from the possibility of late frost or heavy freeze.

When planting flowers and herbs in your spring garden, consider seasonal fluctuations. A few tips to ensure a continuous nectar flow transition throughout the spring and summer include:

Choose plants native to your region. Check your hardiness zones and make your choices accordingly.

Be aware that trees and plants bloom at different times from region to region. For example, the Chaste tree blooms in June in the South and not until August in the Pacific Northwest.

When planting flowers to attract pollinators, vary the shapes and colors. Bees prefer yellow and blue tubular flowers. However, birds are attracted to red. Bees see into the ultraviolet following lines of nectar.

Plant flowers in groupings versus straight lines. Bees will often skip over a single bloom in favor of a clump of flowers.

Plant cold-weather bulbs such as crocuses and daffodils in groups with staggered blooming plants such as forsythia and azaleas. This not only protects less heat-tolerant flowers but also makes an attractive transition.

Incorporate late summer bloomers into your garden plan, like oleander, butterfly bushes, and hydrangeas that are heat tolerant and pollinator friendly. And remember to provide a water source for pollinators. A shallow bowl with natural perches of twigs or rocks is best for bees.

Remember, no matter how much planning and forethought you put into your garden plan, Mother Nature may not always cooperate. So, be flexible and patient. Humans are the stewards of this planet. We share the land pollinators who enrich our lives in many ways. So go out there, dig in the dirt, and feed a bee!