When will the sap rise?

Just thinking, gotta get stuff like my dogwoods pruned down before the sap rises. Seems like winter is nearly over, so perhaps I should hurry before this magical, invisible process takes place. Is there a cut-off point, how will I know the sap has risen, after all it's not like watching the mercury go up in a barometer, is it?

 

Madahhlia,

Sap is already on the rise as there are buds forming on many plants.
Day time temperatures need to be above freezing to allow this process to start.
We have had a cold snap, but now the temperatures are on the rise as the earth moves to a warmer and lengthier period of the year.
It would be a good time to finish off pruning of dormant wood in shrubs and trees. You may not get another chance of doing this later on.
Most of my shrubs and trees have been cut back to allow new growth to form this year, Albeit I have left some that would only be done on a two year cycle. Thus we can enjoy the wood and then see the trees.
Same on small scale, cut cak some of your wood to allow sun and wind in.
Then do the same again on the other that you have allowed to remain the previous year.
Enjoy your colours and take care.

 

I've been out there today, slashing and hacking. And yes, some of the shrubs were perceptibly juicy at the edges of the cut stems, so something's moving. Seems early this year.

 

Everything's waking up round here. Some of my young trees have got actual leaves on now, others have got lots of new buds. A few are still asleep though.

 

At last a drop of rain to gets things moving in the right direction.
Glad to hear you have been out dealing with the ever growing jumgle Madahhlia, It wont be long before you will be asking if there is anything we can do to prevent triffids from moving around.:WINK1:
Lucky clueless, as the North has been of late getting the better temps compared with us down south, not suprised your plants are putting on the growth. I just wish we could get the years total rain in 3 months down here to prevent the forthcoming drought.
I too have tickled my way through the borders and found a few unexpected delights, a Daphne that I thought had given up the ghost, and new shoots on two very young hydrangea bushes of which I thought had moved home due to no growth last year.
Oh well we live and learn that the plant kingdom is a strange place to be when things turn out the way they do.

 

On friday, all the trees outside our offices were just covered in buds. Nothing really doing, didn't expect much more than that for a couple of weeks yet. Today, one the trees was completely decked out in pink flowers. I don't know what kind of tree it is. The flowers look like cherry blossom to me but the tree is quite large and I always thought of cherry trees as being a bit little.

 

Clueless,

Could they have been flowering almond or plum maybe?

 

Possibly. I don't really know. We're not allowed to take photos on site but if I get a chance, I might do a sneaky one.

 

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Jack McH