Everything is early this year - including goldenrod

[diggity]

I do a lot of gardening and I can say for sure that everything is phenologically early in the Northeast this year.  From the first ripe tomato, to strawberries, blueberries, flowers - everything has been at least 2 weeks early here all season. 

This seems to include goldenrod, which has already been blooming for about 2 weeks.  I never really paid much attention to goldenrod until I became a beek, but if memory serves, it doesn't usually bloom until mid-late August, right?  Anyway, I'm just wondering what the consequence of this will be for bees if the goldenrod flow is early, but then peters out early too?

Thanks!
-Diggity

[indypartridge]

We've noticed the same here in Indiana - all spring/summer things have been blooming about 2+ weeks earlier than usual - and we've wondered what that meant for fall. Our summer hasn't been as dry as many have been, so maybe the clover will last longer than usual. Hard to tell, but I'm expecting that I'll be feeding this fall.

I had to look up "phenological" -  periodic biological phenomena that are correlated with climatic conditions

[vermmy35]

Yeah I noticed that everything is early this year too.  I haven't seen any golden rod yet, but then I really haven't been looking either.  One side point about your comment on Phenologically.   Our local weatherman on WGNTV has said that they have look at 5 summers going back 128 yrs and out of those 5 yrs, 4 of them have been really cold and wet.  So I guess we will be in for one bad winter this year.

[BjornBee]

There are many types of goldenrod.

Here, the early variety blooms out starting about 3-4 weeks earlier than the later varieties.

From what I can see, the main goldenrod bloom, although perhaps may be early, is not out yet.

The fact that the bees are hitting the early stuff really hard, is a big benefit. Many years, the bees get nothing from the early varieties as it blooms in the middle of the dearth and put little out. This year, the bees are all over the stuff. Perhaps indicating a lack of sources elsewhere.

[diggity]

Bjorn, to your point about many different types of goldenrod, I noticed that what I have seen so far has been short - 3 feet tall or less.  Is it the case that a short variety comes out early, and the tall stuff later on?

Thanks!

[BjornBee]

Diggity,

The early varieties around here have a "popcorn" looking flower head. Kind of big fluffy bunches.

The later varieties are much longer in the flower head and are "string like" in that they are long dangling flowers. I'm sure with the many types that exist, that may or may not be true in all areas.

[gardeningfireman]

I've noticed that here in NE OH also. Ironweed and Joe Pye Weed are starting to bloom already. Goldenrod looks like it will bloom in a week or so. Also saw some asters blooming. These things don't normally bloom until mid to late August here.

[FRAMEshift]

NOAA has reported that the last 12 months have been the hottest one year period ever recorded and this corresponds to an El Nino period.  That data is worldwide but it is also true of almost the entire US except for California. It's not surprising that hotter temps move the calendar forward on blooming plants.  But we are now entering a La Nina period which historically means cooler summers and warmer winters.  I hope that's the case because our bees could use a break this winter.  :-D

[diggity]

Yeah, I believe it... we had a big heat wave end of June, beginning of July that really put the hurt on the vegetation around here.  Just my observation, but it seemed like having a heat wave early in the summer like that was a problem for many plants.  Lawns went brown practically overnight, clover shut right down... I couldn't help but think that the plants are more accustomed to heat waves in July/August, and were thus less able to cope with a heat wave that came a month early.  (Again, just my speculation)

-Diggity

[cam]

My bees, in two separate yards are not working the goldenrod, even though it is in bloom in the field they are in. Curious why?

[beewitch]

I noticed my first goldenrod (and Joe Pye weed) blooming today.  Very early for Atlanta.  But glad, cause my girls are looking for something to do besides hang out on the front porch and sweat.

[jhs494]

I just noticed today that the goldenrod was blooming. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to get home and the closer I got home the less I saw open.
Tonight when I went to check the bees, clearly less girls sitting on the front porch and loads of activity coming and going. I can't wait to get my first wiff of the goldenrod curing, smells like a dirty hamper, or a gym locker room.