For the second year running, we have had a cold snowy winter with no Chinooks, and a measurable snow pack at the end of winter. The result of this in spring of 2017 was the most abundant bloom season in recent memory. Unfortunately, it was followed by a very hot dry summer and, most notably, no monsoon. Drought continued through the summer and fall, and the warm late fall of 2017 was one of the most beautiful we have seen. The down-side was that our area went into winter very dry. Hopefully, you were watering your trees through the summer and fall.
Perhaps this pattern is repeating for 2018. Truthfully we have no pattern anymore, our pattern is no pattern. Anyone who has lived here for more than twenty years will remember some regularity in the 90s but that is gone. We do have a good snow pack going into this spring. Expect excellent bloom again but have your watering equipment ready as the summer temperatures hit. For more detailed information, read my article Watering Calgary’s trees.
