Spring 2021: Moans, Groans, Ramps and Banter.

[Daniel*]

We are quite some way behind in garden growth not been rapid compared to this time year, it’s only in last week or two the trees have really started to gain their ‘coat’ which seems later than usual. 

[stainesbloke]

5 hours ago, Daniel* said:

We are quite some way behind in garden growth not been rapid compared to this time year, it’s only in last week or two the trees have really started to gain their ‘coat’ which seems later than usual. 

Most trees are still bare here. The wild plums are in flower, the Japanese cherries are budding but quite not yet in bloom. Some horse chestnuts and lime trees are also budding, but that’s about it. Am only just seeing tulips in flower now, it’s all much later than in many previous years. 

[mb018538]

7 hours ago, Daniel* said:

We are quite some way behind in garden growth not been rapid compared to this time year, it’s only in last week or two the trees have really started to gain their ‘coat’ which seems later than usual. 

With the frostiest April for 60 years, I'm not surprised the trees have hidden away for a bit longer this year! Brrrrr

[cheshire snow]

I have just seen a video of snow falling on bleanavon mountain in South Wales not sure of the altitude or how low the snow level was but come on we are nearly in May.

C.S

[Weather Enthusiast91]

We had a last minute April shower this morning, which went on for a couple of hours. It was nice opening my front door and being welcomed with that fresh earthy smell you get after it had been raining. I personally welcome the change in weather conditions.

On the other hand, temps are rather disappointing for end of April. I hope it will warm up soon and that we have no more frosts. 

[weatherguru14]

We are getting to point in the year where everything is "cool" when it comes to forecasts. rather than cold when its the winter. 

Anyway we have been lower than average all month.. We usually get an hotter than average month now and then..so my only hope is that  it happens in 2 summer months this year. 

[al78]

On 25/04/2021 at 16:11, markyo said:

I'm struggling to understand why folk are moaning so much, its ONLY April after all.

From an allotment gardener's perspective:

1. We've had as many frosts this month as we normally have in a full winter.

2. The lack of rain is stalling plant growth.

3. The carrot seeds I sowed earlier this month have failed. The potatoes I planted at the end of March have failed. This is almost certainly due to cold soil temperatures thanks to repeated freezing nights, in Southern England, in the middle of Spring.

4. I am wanting to start French beans and squash indoors, but I can't until the weather stops behaving like mid winter, which means I will have a late and reduced crop.

5. I will run out of stored rainwater next month, despite having over a cubic meter of it initially, if we don't return this semi-arid climate to whoever it was stolen from.

6. I had this crap last year when I had to keep manually dumping gallons of water on my crops because it refused to rain for three quarters of the spring and much of June. It is a joke when somewhere not far from me gets three inches of rain in five months, this is the UK, not the Sahel.

7. It would be nice, for once, to have a year where I didn't have to deal with one or more damaging extremes.

8. It is concerning the UK weather seems to be losing its high frequency variability and shifting to a state where locked in weather patterns become the norm. This is going to make things challenging for agriculture in general, not just gardening, and is destructive for many people when the locked in pattern shifts to flooding rains.

I expect April in south east England to be mild, unsettled with a handful of pleasantly warm days, not like the Cairngorm plateau in June. It is not unrealistic or excessive to hope for a near average month.

These are reasons I am complaining. I'm just glad I am not a subsistence farmer, because otherwise I would be starving to death by now with the crappy nonsense the UK weather has thrown at us over the last decade.

[al78]

On 25/04/2021 at 20:02, damianslaw said:

Any correlation between very dry April's and generally poor summers, in recent years? Just thinking of the likes of 1987, 2007, 2011 and 2020.. all were followed by average or poor summers overall, with alot of rain here at least, but at least in 2020 the dry weather held through May and well into June.... not a fan of prolonged dry weather in April, a harbinger of poor summer. Going further back 1974 was bone dry April and a very poor summer followed. 1997 was very dry as well, and whilst very warm, a very wet summer followed...

 

 

I've looked at this using HadCET and HadUKP data. There is no significant correlation.

[philglossop]

Well, as someone who remembers the cold April of 1989,  I'd say its come mighty close to it, but it's been slightly warmer (just) here. But trees even this far south of far far behind last few years, with only the cherry trees sticking to normal plan. Everything in the City Centre is about a month behind now. Amazing to look at photos on Facebook timehop which during lockdown last year by now were green are still just in bud this year.

 

More worryingly is the amount of fires we've seen on Dartmoor this Spring- the latest was near Moretonhampstead last night and given the dryness of the moors it's going to take weeks of rain to bring the moor back to normal.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

2 hours ago, al78 said:

 

8. It is concerning the UK weather seems to be losing its high frequency variability and shifting to a state where locked in weather patterns become the norm. This is going to make things challenging for agriculture in general, not just gardening, and is destructive for many people when the locked in pattern shifts to flooding rains.

Exactly this. Up until a few years ago, UK weather was generally variable most of the time which in my opinion kept things interesting and it meant that plants got a mixture of both sunshine and showers which is what they need. It does certainly seem that nowadays, blocked patterns are becoming more and more common. As for frost, that is one of a gardener's worst enemy. I am sorry to hear about your carrot seeds and potatoes. As a novice gardener, I share your frustration and I know how disheartening it can be when your crops fail.

 

[markyo]

2 hours ago, al78 said:

From an allotment gardener's perspective:

1. We've had as many frosts this month as we normally have in a full winter.

2. The lack of rain is stalling plant growth.

3. The carrot seeds I sowed earlier this month have failed. The potatoes I planted at the end of March have failed. This is almost certainly due to cold soil temperatures thanks to repeated freezing nights, in Southern England, in the middle of Spring.

4. I am wanting to start French beans and squash indoors, but I can't until the weather stops behaving like mid winter, which means I will have a late and reduced crop.

5. I will run out of stored rainwater next month, despite having over a cubic meter of it initially, if we don't return this semi-arid climate to whoever it was stolen from.

6. I had this crap last year when I had to keep manually dumping gallons of water on my crops because it refused to rain for three quarters of the spring and much of June. It is a joke when somewhere not far from me gets three inches of rain in five months, this is the UK, not the Sahel.

7. It would be nice, for once, to have a year where I didn't have to deal with one or more damaging extremes.

8. It is concerning the UK weather seems to be losing its high frequency variability and shifting to a state where locked in weather patterns become the norm. This is going to make things challenging for agriculture in general, not just gardening, and is destructive for many people when the locked in pattern shifts to flooding rains.

I expect April in south east England to be mild, unsettled with a handful of pleasantly warm days, not like the Cairngorm plateau in June. It is not unrealistic or excessive to hope for a near average month.

These are reasons I am complaining. I'm just glad I am not a subsistence farmer, because otherwise I would be starving to death by now with the crappy nonsense the UK weather has thrown at us over the last decade.

You certainly have reason to moan!! Very challenging and i'm sure the out look coupled with this April has been shocking. Fingers crossed for folk like yourself things improve. As for the others who moan....well they should try and understand how badly the weather can effect folk such as yourself before going on about how they feel frigidly cold in in slight breeze in lovely blue skied dry April weather!

[summer blizzard]

The cool wind and light blue sky in the shade actually reminded me of an Autumn evening after a cold front. Half expected to see leaf fall ratting around.

[Nick L]

This evening's EC...for those of you who are rightly dissatisfied with this spring, do not look at it. 

[al78]

29 minutes ago, markyo said:

You certainly have reason to moan!! Very challenging and i'm sure the out look coupled with this April has been shocking. Fingers crossed for folk like yourself things improve. As for the others who moan....well they should try and understand how badly the weather can effect folk such as yourself before going on about how they feel frigidly cold in in slight breeze in lovely blue skied dry April weather!

Thanks, I do occasionally moan but know in the grand scheme of things my gardening frustrations are trivial, a privilige of living in a wealthy country and having a job. There are people in the world who die when the weather departs significantly from the norm. I do recognise some positives of the very dry April. Slug activity is down and invasive perennial weeds like creeping buttercup are notable by their scarcity (last years prolonged dry spell knocked that down I think), I would be fighting to keep on top of them in a normal spring. Country walking conditions underfoot have been excellent, such a contrast to the sticky mess that footpaths turn into during autumn and winter. The cool weather also made conditions perfect for a loop up Black Hill, Peak District over Easter. 12 miles and a few hundred meters climbing and didn't break a sweat thanks to a very fresh and pleasant wind up on the moor.

[al78]

20 minutes ago, Nick L said:

This evening's EC...for those of you who are rightly dissatisfied with this spring, do not look at it. 

The Met Office 6-30 day outlook gives a smidgen of hope. Temperatures will most likely be around average for the timne of year (13th - 27th May). Clutching at straws a bit I know.

[Arctic Hare]

I was rather dreading today, especially when I looked outside at breakfast time and saw nothing but rain and greyness. But in fact it was mostly dry after late morning, and out of the wind it felt really quite decent. Even without the sun, which surprised me slightly.

This weekend will be interesting. Heavy showers but also sunshine in between. (Proper April weather... just as we go into May!) The general feel of the weather will see-saw wildly, I suspect. In the rain it'll feel like March, when the sun comes out almost as warm as summer. I do feel for the pub/cafe trade over the BH, though. Completely impossible to predict even 24 hours out whether your particular location will be dry, and that'll put loads of people off booking tables.

[NEVES SCREAMER]

Freezing cold and dry to just cold and wet as we head in to month number 8 of winter. Walking back from work this afternoon and the grey skies and winds just cut through you. Horrible and yet another frost for West Midlands tomorrow morning.April 29th. Someone make it all go away!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, al78 said:

The Met Office 6-30 day outlook gives a smidgen of hope. Temperatures will most likely be around average for the timne of year (13th - 27th May). Clutching at straws a bit I know.

Desperate times when clinging on to hope of average conditions over two weeks away. SST’s are going to be miles below average, going to be tough to get any decent weather near windward coasts for a while

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Nick L said:

This evening's EC...for those of you who are rightly dissatisfied with this spring, do not look at it. 

It’s like a late November run, deep depression after depression! Maybe the weather will surprise us but the first half of May looks pretty much a compete write off. 

[stainesbloke]

The cold wind has FINALLY buggered off here, with a beautiful, sunny spring day and 19°C recorded. I’m quite ok with some wet weather into May, as long as it’s not cold. Had quite enough of that!

[Northernlights]

A good lesson for yong Mr Northernlights on a neighbouring farm where the farmer has used a grain only drill. and broadcast the fertiliser on the surface.  The barley has emerged a really yellow colour as P and K  is locked up very quickly and does not get washed down to the seed roots in glacial soils especially when its been so cold.  Nitrogen too is compromised in such dry conditions as it is not washed into the soil .

Combined seed and fertiliser drills are more costly and slower  to operate but place the fertiliser next to the seed giving it every chance to use it as soon as a root develops.  This was always encouraged in the north of Scotland when I was at Agri  College 40 odd years ago but this year has really reminded us of its value.

Our crops have emerged with a good green colour but are slow to develop.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Northernlights
spelling

[damianslaw]

Not an inspiring outlook as we move into May, which is my favourite month. Thinking of previous dry Aprils' that have been followed by wet May's, 2007 and 2011 spring to mind, also 1997. The first two were rather chilly, 1997 brought a very cold plunge early on then much warmer mid month and thundery then cooler.

I'm not enthused with the outlook one bit! Much rather we were entering April with current prospects than May.

[MP-R]

1 hour ago, damianslaw said:

Not an inspiring outlook as we move into May, which is my favourite month. Thinking of previous dry Aprils' that have been followed by wet May's, 2007 and 2011 spring to mind, also 1997. The first two were rather chilly, 1997 brought a very cold plunge early on then much warmer mid month and thundery then cooler.

I'm not enthused with the outlook one bit! Much rather we were entering April with current prospects than May.

May 2007 is possibly the worst May I've experienced, perhaps alongside (which incidentally also followed a dry April). The first week brought deluge after deluge, the Ten Tors weekend was called off, and I'll never forget the terrible late May Bank Holiday that year... didn't even make double figures on the Sunday with heavy rain and a strong northerly wind.

At least all the other wet Mays since managed a spell of fine, sunny and warm or hot weather at some point.

[Simon M]

I must say I'm enjoying this cool spring weather.  Nice for sleeping in, and anything that delays the heat and humidity of summer is fine by me.  

[al78]

6 hours ago, Simon M said:

I must say I'm enjoying this cool spring weather.  Nice for sleeping in, and anything that delays the heat and humidity of summer is fine by me.  

Well there is that, but it has gone too far the other way. Temperature in my house 14C a day away from May in south east England.