Ellen and I are in our car driving to Long Island as I write this column, she with her lap- top, and I with my coffee.  Amazingly, she can type in the dark.  It’s the end of January.  The windows are down, and the breeze is actually balmy.  Back at the store, customers are concerned about emerging bulbs and blooming crocus.  In the nursery yesterday, I noted that the buds of the Kousa dogwood were particularly swollen.  Though I have not beaten the bushes to make this observation, I would speculate that there are a few stray azalea and forsythia sporting blooms as we speak.

    It has always been my opinion that the good Lord wouldn’t allow things to bloom so early if they couldn’t take the punishment.  I will concede the point that the blooming period of these floral gems may well be shorter and less spectacular then they would normally be in a less sultry season.

    In all likelihood it will probably cool down again dramatically.  After the cooling, a light coat of airy mulch, such as pine needles or leaves might help protect the newly emerged foliage.  You should avoid applying these mulches while it is still warm because this would trap and prolong the unseasonable warmth.

    Heroic measures of protection from sudden cold snaps through the use of sheets or blankets usually do more damage than good, because the weight of the cover can break the plants.  Plastic could even be worse, because it could create a greenhouse effect, adding additional warmth.

    While watching the Today Show this morning, Al Roker pointed out the mid-Atlantic region was 25 degrees above average temperature.  He further stated that Los Angeles was 15 degrees below average.  Considering the fact that the jet stream tends moves from West to East, I would speculate that we are in for a hard cold snap.

    Our region soil is still terribly deficient in moisture.  Plants need to be well hydrated in the winter, to protect themselves from the cold winds.  However, their root systems will not absorb moisture when the ground is frozen.  This is an ideal time to whip out that garden hose and give everything a good, deep watering.  If things are dry and we go into an artic plunge, your plants may well suffer severe winter damage. Not only are we due for a cold snap, but we really need one.  We still have 60,000 pounds of Ice Melter that sits in our warehouse!

    It is difficult to predict the weather, but an old friend of mine, who is now doing his pruning in that great nursery in the sky, once told me, “Late Easter, Late Spring, Early Easter, Early Spring."   I have found this rule to be far more reliable than the ground hog.  Since Easter is in March this year, I would suggest that spring is just around the corner.

    Have a good week.