Pearl Lorentzen

I did a climate change experiment! I planted my garden on Tuesday, May 14 instead of waiting until May long weekend (May 18-20).

Growing up in Alberta, I’d always heard that was the time to plant seeds. However, this year with the early spring and a forecast of rain from May 15-19, I decided to take a risk. We’ll see how it goes!

The big issue of course is frost. I’ve always heard that frost is more likely during a full moon. How accurate that is I’m not sure, but I always check closer to the full moon.

The last full moon before writing this was May 23. I usually wait to plant my bedding plants until the first weekend in June, but am considering planting these a bit early, too.

At least one of my neighbours plants petunias and snapdragons on May long. If his survive, maybe I’ll be more adventurous.

It is interesting the aspects of our worldview which are so deeply embedded it takes a great deal of effort to overcome them.

The decision to plant early took a lot of effort. I have been conditioned to think that May long is the ideal time to plant.

A certain amount of caution makes a lot of sense when it comes to gardening. The climate of your area makes a huge difference on what can be planted.

I have cousins down in the southern U.S. They were picking strawberries, when the tulips were barely sticking up here and normally there would be quite a bit of snow on the ground. This year, of course, it was dry and brown.

I have traveled quite a bit and gotten to know people from around the world. One of them is from Finland. She loves plants as much as I do. On her social media, the plants are slightly different, but very similar and grow at about the same time. Same with snow.

However, when she travels she also takes pictures of plants. This spring, I was very confused by one post until I realized she was on a trip to southern Europe.

There are regional differences between the taiga (as the boreal forest is called in Europe) and the boreal forest in Canada and Alaska, but we live in a similar ecosystem because we are at similar latitudes. This means that in some ways climate-wise, I have more in common with my friend in Finland than my cousins in the southern U.S. The days are very long in the summer and very short in the winter. Winters are colder and longer up north, etc.

Language-wise, Canadians and Americans have more in common.

There are various ways to look at the connections we have as people and the connection which people have with nature.

Living in the Lesser Slave Lake and Peace Regions, readers of the Lakeside Leader, South Peace News, and former Smoky River Express have access to nature. Even those people who don’t have any form of transportation can access walking trails within town or wander around where they live in the country.

Scientists predict increased and longer drought in the boreal forest and in the prairies, with a tendency toward a hotter and drier climate due to climate change. This can cause record-breaking wildfire seasons like last year and lots of challenges.

However, it may also allow us a slightly longer growing season. Finding the flexibility needed to respond is going to be a challenge, but it is also provides an opportunity.