Phenology & Planting

What is Phenology?

Phenology is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life. For the purposes of this article we will be focused on indicator plants or plants that determine when certain seasons “start” and what can be planted.

What are the Seasons?

We’ve all heard of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Phenology breaks this down into 10 seasons: early, mid, late Spring; early, mid, late Summer; early, mid, late Fall; and Winter.

Why does this matter?

This all matters because if we watch when these seasons are happening, we know when we can plant certain flowers, vegetables, shrubs, trees, etc. according to nature and not a calendar.

What is the breakdown?

Early Spring when Hazelbrush catkins and Osoberry bloom,
mid spring with Forsythia blooms,
late spring with apple and lilac blooms,
early summer with black elderberry blooms,
mid summer lavender blooms,
late summer crabapples start to ripen,
early autumn black elderberry are ripe,
mid autumn walnut and oak acorns are falling,
late autumn oak and maple leaves turn color,
winter everything is dormant.

What to plant?

This isn’t an exhaustive list, just a sampling of some planting ideas based on phenology:

Osoberry blooms – plant peas, broad beans (fava beans), and radishes directly in the ground.
Forsythia blooms – Sow peas, onion sets, and lettuce.
Apple/Lilac blooms – plant bush beans, squash, and cucumbers, beets. When apple blossoms fall plant pole beans, cucumbers, early corn, and tomatoes
Black Elderberry blooms – direct sow or transplant squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons (like watermelon or cantaloupe), basil, mint, and chives, perennials that bloom in late summer or fall, such as Bee Balm (Monarda), Coneflowers (Echinacea), and Yarrow, can be planted now to support pollinators.
Lavender blooms – transplant peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano, sow or transplant zinnias, black-eyed Susans, and coneflowers, start sowing Swiss chard or kale, plant high-heat lovers like Zinnias, Celosia, and transplant Sunflowers.
Crabapples ripe – Sow spinach, kale, chard, and arugula, radishes, turnips, and beets, transplant broccoli and cabbage.
Black Elderberry ripe- Directly sow spinach, kale, mizuna, and arugula, radishes, turnips, and beets, winter rye or crimson clover cover crops.
Brown acorns drop – plant pansies and violas, tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and alliums, early planting of garlic, shallots.
Oak leaf change – plant garlic and shallots, bare-root trees.
Winter dormancy -time to prune fruiting trees/shrubs.