So far, things seem to be starting to bloom about 5-7 days later than last year. That is toward the later side of average.  Anna and Williams’ Pride are about in full bloom here.  It always amazes me how different the start of bloom time can be from year to year.  For example, Williams’ Pride has opened the first flower as late as May 1 in 2011and as early as March 23 in 2015!  If I look at the NOWData at the National Weather Service and pick Accumulation Graphs and Growing Degree Days for my area, their chart coincides with my data.  2011 was the year with the lowest accumulation of growing degree days to date (April 22) with 6, and 2015 had the highest accumulation of GGDs with 139.  We currently have 27 GGD’s, and normal is 52.

Livland Raspberry, Pendragon, Red Devil, Smokehouse, Zaychuck #1, Niedzwetzkyana, Priam, Puget Spice, and Keener Seedling also have blossoms open.  Some of the Asian pears are done already, most pears are in full bloom, and Bosc and Marie Louise are just opening.  It remains to be seen how much damage there will be from several recent nights of 27-28 degree temps.  The bud damage charts would indicate about 50% bud kill by now.  On the bright side, I may not have to do much thinning this year.

JeanW

Our asian pears flowered a few weeks ago. The cherries are at the end of flowering, maybe one more week. The apples have not flowered nor have the european pears, the flower buds look close though. The grapes and the kiwi are also not flowering. The  eating plums(they are blue, its all I know) have not yet flowered. The maples are flowering all over the place. The walnuts have not yet flowered. The bulbs have flowered, and the bluebells are in full swing. The heather is in flower and the ornamental plums(purple leaves and branches) have flowered. The rhodys have not flowered, but again they look close. Been cool and wet here (and some snow!), the first warmish day was yesterday.