Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something else?
I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
look like they did in January.

Thanks,
Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

Light and soil warmth, but primarily light.

"Adam Schwartz" wrote in message
news:hHSoa.552406$3D1.304017@sccrnsc01...
Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something
else?
I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
look like they did in January.

Thanks,
Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

There are lots of variables in triggering the plants to break
dormancy, as noted elsewhere. I am in zone 6b and lavender and thyme
are just breaking out lemon balm and oregano are out for maybe a week.
Don't panic to soon but remember that lavender and thyme are from the
medeteranean area and Iowa and most of teh country isn't close to that
climate.... so such things are always at risk of dying out due to
humidity, cold etc. I lost a lot of thyme and lavender this past
winter.... also even if the tops die back lav. and thy. will often
have the roots survive and sprout back low down on the branches. I
find it helps long term survival to be hard hearted and after bloom
cut them back hard... I was soft hearted last summer and it cost me
10 thymes and 10 lavenders.....


"Adam Schwartz" wrote in message news:hHSoa.552406$3D1.304017@sccrnsc01...
Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something else?
I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
look like they did in January.

Thanks,
Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

"Adam Schwartz" wrote:

Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something else?
I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
look like they did in January.

The primary trigger is length of day. This can be "clouded" by bad
weather that tricks the plant into thinking that the day length is
shorter than it really is. This will cause a delay.

Temperature is a secondary trigger. Fortunately, most plants will not
sprout when it is too cold for them succeed. Also, most plants will
not sprout during warm periods in the middle of winter.

Moisture is a factor in some plants. If it's been a very wet winter,
or if they're planted in a spot that's too moist, Astilboides and
Darmera can also be painfully slow to awaken.

General health and vigor are also factors. We had a severe drought
last summer and all of our plants are slow in sprouting this spring.
Some look like they won't sprout at all. I am giving them extra time
and they seem to be slowly coming back.

Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://members.aol.com/rhodyman/rhodybooks.html

I'm fairly new to this so pardon my ignorance, but...
When is the best time to cut back these plants? Where do I cut to? When
you say after they bloom, do you mean immedeately, or do you mean at the end
of the bloom season?

Thanks again,
Adam
"jcart003" wrote in message
om...
There are lots of variables in triggering the plants to break
dormancy, as noted elsewhere. I am in zone 6b and lavender and thyme
are just breaking out lemon balm and oregano are out for maybe a week.
Don't panic to soon but remember that lavender and thyme are from the
medeteranean area and Iowa and most of teh country isn't close to that
climate.... so such things are always at risk of dying out due to
humidity, cold etc. I lost a lot of thyme and lavender this past
winter.... also even if the tops die back lav. and thy. will often
have the roots survive and sprout back low down on the branches. I
find it helps long term survival to be hard hearted and after bloom
cut them back hard... I was soft hearted last summer and it cost me
10 thymes and 10 lavenders.....


"Adam Schwartz" wrote in message
news:hHSoa.552406$3D1.304017@sccrnsc01...
Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something
else?
I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
look like they did in January.

Thanks,
Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I'm learning more about gardening
every day!

-Adam

"Adam Schwartz" wrote in message
news:hHSoa.552406$3D1.304017@sccrnsc01...
Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something
else?
I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
look like they did in January.

Thanks,
Adam (zone 5, Iowa City)

Here is a great website which describes how "phenology" works. I'm adding a
link to the FAQ I'm trying to gather up. If anyone else has anything of
specialty you'd want to add, feel free.

Victoria


On 22 Apr 2003 07:18:52 -0700, (Steve Henning) wrote:

"Adam Schwartz" wrote:

Is it increased water, warmer temperatures, more daylight or something else?
I ask because my lemon balm, sage, lavendar, thyme and oregano all still
look like they did in January.

The primary trigger is length of day. This can be "clouded" by bad
weather that tricks the plant into thinking that the day length is
shorter than it really is. This will cause a delay.

Temperature is a secondary trigger. Fortunately, most plants will not
sprout when it is too cold for them succeed. Also, most plants will
not sprout during warm periods in the middle of winter.

Moisture is a factor in some plants. If it's been a very wet winter,
or if they're planted in a spot that's too moist, Astilboides and
Darmera can also be painfully slow to awaken.

General health and vigor are also factors. We had a severe drought
last summer and all of our plants are slow in sprouting this spring.
Some look like they won't sprout at all. I am giving them extra time
and they seem to be slowly coming back.

Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://members.aol.com/rhodyman/rhodybooks.html

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 23:27:04 GMT, animaux wrote:

Here is a great website which describes how "phenology" works. I'm adding a
link to the FAQ I'm trying to gather up. If anyone else has anything of
specialty you'd want to add, feel free.

*Where* is the great website? You didn't include it in your post. :-)

Are you putting together a rec.gardens FAQ? Or a personal one?

On Fri, 25 Apr 2003 11:23:03 GMT, (Frogleg) wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 23:27:04 GMT, animaux wrote:

Here is a great website which describes how "phenology" works. I'm adding a
link to the FAQ I'm trying to gather up. If anyone else has anything of
specialty you'd want to add, feel free.

*Where* is the great website? You didn't include it in your post. :-)

Are you putting together a rec.gardens FAQ? Or a personal one?


He

http://www.sws-wis.com/lifecycles/what.html

I am trying to gather information for a rec gardens FAQ. It may take years or a
year or whatever, but this is a well traveled ng and I think we do need a FAQ.
There are other FAQs about gardening subjects, but none directly for this
newsgroup.

On Fri, 25 Apr 2003 13:36:44 GMT, animaux wrote:

On Fri, 25 Apr 2003 11:23:03 GMT, (Frogleg) wrote:

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 23:27:04 GMT, animaux wrote:

Here is a great website which describes how "phenology" works. I'm adding a
link to the FAQ I'm trying to gather up. If anyone else has anything of
specialty you'd want to add, feel free.

*Where* is the great website? You didn't include it in your post. :-)

Are you putting together a rec.gardens FAQ? Or a personal one?


He

http://www.sws-wis.com/lifecycles/what.html

I am trying to gather information for a rec gardens FAQ. It may take years or a
year or whatever, but this is a well traveled ng and I think we do need a FAQ.
There are other FAQs about gardening subjects, but none directly for this
newsgroup.

You go, girl! :-) And don't take years, please. I recommend:

-"Can (sic) I plant last year's/last decade's seeds?"

-"How do I start/grow X plant?" [Search on "plantname germination" or
"plantname cultivation" for copious info.]

-"I'm thinking about planting some bamboo..."

-Control of ivy and vinca.

Will look for my notes on *very* frequently asked Q's that make me
crazy and post.