I shouldn't think so, unless of course it turns out to be like the 1963 winter when the Arctic weather lasted until March. Although we have global warming now, which means that weather patterns are severely disrupted. If "normal" weather resumes after February it shouldn't make any appreciable difference. Thats my opinion based on what I've read and heard on radio programmes.
We do want to be able to look forward to Spring don't we?

My sense is that here in Scotland at least it will be a late spring... We have now had the snow and ice for over three weeks and can expect at least another week of the same. This means that the ground is frozen to a considerable depth and we have to hope that it is a slow thaw otherwise plants and particularly bulbs will be even more damaged. Also if there is a sudden thaw the now will melt but the ground will remain frozen meaning there is nowhere for the water to go...

I agree MG - I suspect that things will be a bit later than normal - as we have developed almost a permafrost layer now and it will take a while for that to go. Bulbs that were poking their noses through in Dec .have stopped short!! I usually have snowdrops in bloom tucked under a hedge by this time - not a hint this year!
Don't blame them either - I would turn round and go back down too...LOL
Having said that - yes MAD - I remember 1963 (and 1947 too for that matter!!) and in both instances things perked up remarkably swiftly once the thaw was complete - so who knows!! They may be calling it Climate Change - and certainly globally things are changing - I would call it Climate Chaos myself - as nobody seems to know for sure what is happening. I watched a programme on TV the other night when one of the weather boffins was trying to answer a few well aimed questions and he was floundering, poor soul - I almost felt sorry for him!

I believe it depends on the weather we get next. If it goes unually warm then it can be normal but if it stays cold for longer than normal then spring will be delayed.
When we are getting ready for a show (early shows ) sometimes we heat the plants up and they grow quickly and then sometimes we have to rush them outside as they get going too much really delicate changes can make so much difference
It is really difficult to say yet
Hope its not too late as it is a nightmare for our open days and early shows!!:(

They're forecasting another 10 days of this, aren't they - but who knows if they're right? We could end up with a short but sweet spring. One thing - we can't influence it, can we?

That is true Spritz. we just have to accept what comes.

A late but warm spring can lead to some 'interesting' combinations. Two years ago, I had apple blossom, bearded iris and wisteria all in flower at the same time in mid May

In my experience it takes a week to take the frost out of the ground after one weeks frost. It has to be followed by gentle rain and lots of sunshine, alright if you live south facing. In 1963 in shaded areas I could still find frost in the ground in July and the childrens big snowball was as big as a football.

Okay so we've had 3 weeks of frost already which means even if it starts to thaw tomorrow, which it wont, the front wont be gone by end of January. Ah well...

SIGH!! :-(((

This is really how I think it should be a proper winter

Yes Vicky - I am inclined to agree - BUT the trouble is that the councils aren't prepared for it nowadays.....they shut shop whenever it gets bad!! Well our one sure did...and you would expect Bonnie Scotland to be ready for anything!!!!!
ALSO - if we get a proper summer - we will all agree with you...LOL

one thong you al no consider is hte time clok of hte plnt, htat alreedy wil hav been decide by autum-
hte warm htat willc om, wil swich on hte time clokm but hte dangre is hta late frost htat swich off hte clok an hteerfor damge to thing like appel blosum -
for hte most prt, hte snow iwll protect plnts an jeep htem warm eventho theer is frost round -
htis is why you fin plnts flowre erly in most unkind conditoin -

alltho hteer are difrent idee, i alway thinkin htat spring begin hwen daytim temp hit 8degre,an sumer when it hit 16 degre - htis do chang a litle depend weer you live tho an microclimat

I agree with Derek and his time clock, it is often governed by light and as snow is white the daylight can appear longer, confusing plant life. The balance can be confused with short day flowering and long day flowering again something that is out of our control.

I have read somewhere, just as Derek says, that 8 degrees is the magic temperature that many temperate plants start to grow at.

In which case - we have a long wait ahead of us.....we are still having MINUS 8 some nights....creeping up to zero during the day - just!!!

also i hav thinkin of how muhc impac hte winter of 1963 hav on plnts -1981 to - non e , so i am htinkin htat 2010 will hav no efect to - these mini cold event hav no efect at all - in fact hteer are more subtropical plants now grow in uk outsid than 50yr ago
to go bak to origin of blog, it not reely if spring is late, but to do when winter finish, an lik all yeer htat i memry, hte overlap can last many week at time, an it this overlap perid that is crucal to how plnts respon in surge grow to flower

Derek the winter of 1963 certainly had an effect, everything was under several foot of snow for months. Spring came rather late!

I can sure confirm that MG...everything was cut right to ground level and remained underground for a very long time.....!! We have a fuchsia "tree" that was totally devastated in 1963 and we figured was a goner. It recovered - but if I remember correctly - it didn't appear above ground again until mid summer! It will be interesting to see how it gets on with this spell of weather. We certainly had snow lying until Easter that year and up in the glens it lay for months longer. Munro "baggers" encountering fields of the stuff during the summer - when normally it has all gone.

Yes Alz. it did for my mother's pride and joy of a hydrangea. I think the weight of snow just broken it down to the ground and it never re-grew properly. I also remember my father being very worried as he could not get onto his veggie garden until well into April. He had no greenhouse, could not have afforded one, and, in any case, it was not normal to start veggies off in pots then they were sown directly into the ground. If our local farmers can't get onto their fields to plough and sow then the price of food is going to rise which will affect us all.

I agree with Derek
about the light and the temperature there are so many factors that come into play.
If it continues The weight of snow does break and damage the stems of plants. Heucheras can be affected by that also- the thaw cause the snow to go into the centre of the plants and this can cause rot in the crowns this is so for many plant with crowns. A lot of plants will die from this this year.
But you have to be positive this gives you all a chance for a change a chance to try new plants or swap with friends something that has made it through.
If you come to my display and its empty and I have a bronze medal or a letter !!!:(you know all my show plants didnt make it.:(
I am sure you will all be surprised how much does come through
It may well affect the price though as many growers of plants and veg will have had to use heating.
My dad and brother grow begonias and there comes a point when they will switch the heaters off and let them die as they will not get there money back.
They provide plug plants for the large seed companies (who also sell plug plants of course) i cant name names.
the profit for them is becoming almost nil now!!

i thinkin i no say proply - i weer more thinkin bout longterm in htat,yes,a plnt maybe slow to grow aftre long winter or cold, but cros decade, no thin chang atall - 1963 last many week,so plnt slow to get up an go,but when they do, htey claw back hte deficit cos theer time clock make htem flowre erlier htan hte deificit -you understan? of cos spring weer late, but is was not as lateas hte 6 week cold spell last -see aht i meen? oh sory, this so hard for me to say proply -focus on hte overlap-theerin hte truht ly
thinkin also bout so many africa plnts we can now grow in our garden wich weer just no posibal 50yr ago - in fact Alzheimer confirm htat even 1963 did no destroy hte fuschia
theer again, my garden is full of wood pallets wiht straw stufed inside htem over plnts -last yr i hav no loss an i wil be sprise if i loos any htis yr -but wate, winter no over yet (roll on drum) dum,de,dum,dum,dah!!!!!!!

I do understand what you are saying Derek and it makes sense... in the end one bad snowy winter is only a blip.

Quite right folks...and just think of all the opportunities it gives us to treat ourselves when the gaps and losses appear....if you get my meaning!!

Had to last year - will probably have to again this year!

EEEKK!!! mg - your face just changed! It gave me a shock! Just as I was typing....

Ditto!

Us too!