On 26/01/2016 15:36, Malcolm Race wrote:
I have followed, with interest, the reports of unusual growth and
flowering of plants.

I live in Fareham (between Portsmouth and Southampton) close to the
coast and although daffodils (of various species) have been flowering
since befor Christmas, the few snowdrops which I have (in the same bed
as the daffodils) have just started flowering at around the time I would
expect. The aspect of the bed is on a gentle east facing slope but in
the middkle of a housing estate. The soil is cla/builders rubbis.

Mine is heavy clay in North Yorkshire and until last weekends snow we
had carnations and pelargoniums still in flower outside and a crop of
rhubarb. Daffodils still not quite out but the heads have turned down
and the snowdrops look like they will keep to a normal schedule - keyed
to day length perhaps?

A few sporadic yellow flowers out on Kerria japonica too and similar
shrubs confused by the mild weather.

Snowdrops are out in a neighbouring village but not here.

This is juse an observation to contribute to the apparently strange
behaviour of plants this winter.

Malcolm

All the fruit trees have rising sap buds bursting with the plum and pear
both thinking about flowering fairly soon. Could be very bad news for
cropping as there are precious few insects about.

I wonder if there is a risk this year of not satisfying the winter chill
requirements of apples for a good fruit set in the UK?

--
Regards,
Martin Brown