Each year tons of people count down the days until spring but mother nature doesn’t always conform to our idealistic time frame. We expect it to start around March 20th (or September 22nd for you southern hemisphere folks), but in reality, there are more aspects that go into it being spring than just a calendar date.
Keep in mind that spring doesn’t happen all at once. It is more of a transition phase. Let’s look at some signs that spring is coming so you have a better idea of when to start your spring lawn and garden care and activities.
1. Longer Days Than Nights
The vernal equinox is the point at which days start becoming longer than nights. The exact date varies from year to year, but your local area may be off even more due to the earth’s tilt and your latitude. Even if we get snow around this time, plants know that spring is close based on the chemical reactions that are caused by the sun. With more light present, plants ramp up photosynthesis to increase nourishment for the start of their growing season.
2. You Feel Better
More sun exposure doesn’t just affect plants but animals (including humans) as well. Our bodies produce vitamin D from sun exposure which boosts our immune system, increases our energy and mood. It’s why colds seem to go away and that winter funk lifts.
3. Warmer Temperatures
More sun also leads to warmer temperatures. Day-to-day weather probably won’t be consistent, but you will start noticing an upward trend in temperatures. Don’t despair if some days are still cold. Just remember that the snow will melt and all the excitement of spring is just around the corner.
4. Water Everywhere
Spring is typically the start of the wet season. That means it is going to rain… a lot! Plants need water and light to kick their growth into overdrive. This excess water during spring is what allows plants to grow faster than when it’s drier in summer. Warmer temperatures melt away snow which causes creeks and rivers to swell even higher than with rain alone. And where there’s water, there’s mud. It’s one of the few crappy aspects spring.
5. Plants Start Blooming
It may be easy to miss the small buds on plants, but not once their vibrant flowers stand out among the dreary landscape. Late winter bloomers are cold hardy and will peak out of the snow even before the grass is showing. Look for snowdrops, crocuses, hellebores, and witch hazel among others.
Then you’ll start to see the early spring flowers begin to bloom. These are yellow daffodils, reds tulips, purple hyacinths, cherry blossoms, and many other favorites as they really start to breathe color back into the world.
See more flowers that bloom in early spring.
6. Invigorating Scents
The wind carries many different fragrances as spring goes into full swing. Some scents are sweet like the flowers on lilac bushes. Others have a more distinctive earthy smell like the bacteria that is activated in soil from spring showers. Then a little later on once people start mowing, you’ll smell fresh cut grass.
7. Animal Activity
There are several distinguishing things that animals do in the spring. You’ll probably first notice the migration of birds or possibly butterflies. Hibernating animals like dormice, bears, and hedgehogs come out to feast on the fresh foliage of plants. Birds start chirping and insects start pollinating. You really start to notice a lot of animal activity with the onset of spring.
8. Allergies
One other negative about spring is the abundance of pollen that causes so many people issues with allergies. Unfortunately, you can’t have blooming flowers without pollen. Be sure to stay on top of allergy treatments if you are susceptible so you can enjoy the better aspects of spring.
Nature gives away lots of clues that spring has arrived. We hope this list helps give you a better idea of what to look for since most areas do not correlate to a specific calendar date and springtime is going to fluctuate from year to year.
For us, it’s hard to miss the delicate blooms of snowdrops and bright contrast of crocuses in the snow. We’d love to hear what you first notice as a sign of springtime. Share as a comment below or on our Facebook post to compare yours with others.
What signs of spring do you notice first?
