Daffodils sprouting early? How to protect them through the southwest Illinois winter
If you’ve noticed your daffodils or other flowers sprouting early this winter, you’re not alone.
Weather swings can cause flowers to sprout early, and the metro-east has experienced unusually warm temperatures in January after a bitterly cold end to December.
“Everyone’s flower beds are always affected, especially early, because a lot of times daffodils will start popping in January anyway,” Jeff Bair, owner of Grimm & Gorly, a Belleville florist, told the News-Democrat. Bair said information was also gathered from other Grimm & Gorly staff members.
While it’s typical to see daffodils and similar species sprout in late January or early February, Bair said it’s more ideal to see them in late February to early March.
“This year, we’re going to see them much, much earlier if this weather continues,” Bair said.
To best preserve your outdoor flower beds, Bair recommends putting mulch or leaves on seedlings to keep them warm from colder temperatures and to slow their growth.
If your flowers have already gotten tall, you can lightly cover them with an old sheet or blanket to keep them warm if and when temperatures drop. Avoid covering them with plastic, Bair said, as this can make them colder.
What can you plant in the winter?
Although winter is not typically thought of as peak planting season, some seeds can do well when planted in January.
Bair said hardy trees and shrubs and sweet pea flower seeds are good to plant in winter. If you’re looking to brighten up your home, you could start your tomato, pepper or herbs inside and move them outside when spring comes.
“Putting your plants inside and getting them started is such a great way to make you smile and feel happy when they start to sprout,” Bair said.
When planning to transplant seeds outside, Bair advised to wait until they’ve grown about 3 or 4 inches tall and have formed a root base before moving them.
The Farmers’ Almanac offers planting advice based on location and average last frost dates. The almanac reports Belleville’s average last spring frost date is April 19.
The almanac recommends starting most seeds in late winter or early spring, but says broad bean seeds can be started indoors between Jan. 24 and Feb. 7 and moved outdoors between Feb. 28 and March 22.
