It's October and my almond tree is budding...!

[PriuStorm]

Has anyone ever seen this? A week ago I thought I saw buds trying to peek forth on my almond tree, but this week it's for sure. I've only lived in California since the mid 90's, and I've never seen that here. Sure, sometimes the bulbs come early (like crocus and daffodils. It's not unusual to see those start to peek up in December/January. Last week's heavy storm/rainfall knocked off pretty much all the almonds' leaves and this week it's putting out buds....???

Is my tree nearing the end of its lifespan and it's confused? Or is there some other reason why this might be happening (i.e. it's confused because of the changing weather pattern)..?

[richard schumacher]

Global warming. We'll live to see date palms growing in Seattle.

[customtshirts]

Global warming the big issue, I love planting, I planted a mango tree in my childhood and now its having fruits.

[hyo silver]

Yeah, that storm was something to see. I'm sure glad I had new wipers, good rain tires, and experience on mountain roads. Of course, the storm was worst through Shasta Canyon.

Unless almond trees are native to California, they're already a biological anomaly. But climate change will inevitably bring about changes to the natural rhythms of plants, which puts them at greater risk. The early bud you've questioned may be killed off by a seasonal frost, and there goes the crop. With our current monoculture style of cultivation, there will be some big losses.

[tochatihu]

I cannot tell almond flower buds from leaf buds when they are very small (w/o cutting one open). If may be that your tree is replacing the leaves it recently lost?

[PriuStorm]

Originally Posted by tochatihu

I cannot tell almond flower buds from leaf buds when they are very small (w/o cutting one open). If may be that your tree is replacing the leaves it recently lost?

I will try to take a picture so you can see. The tree is FILLED with buds... we're not talking about an occasional one here and there. We are talking about buds appearing on every limb, every branch, every little twig everywhere. One three inch 'twig' may have 6-8 buds on it.

I wasn't aware of what you said, that it would replace leaves. We had a very big storm here almost two weeks ago now and a lot of leaves came down. That kind of happens when the rains and storms come... trees entering their fall phase get the leaves knocked off by the rain and winds, so I assumed that was it.

But perhaps you're right that it's trying to replace leaves because after we had the storm, we're now having a balmy high 70's. It's been a joy to put in my fall garden in this kind of weather.

Still, I'm surprised by the number of buds. I'll be able to take a picture on Tuesday and will do so.

[F8L]

I'm gonna vote for leave buds. I know when we have late fall fires on our preserves and the oaks lose their leaves they will immediately put out new leaves or leaf buds depending on temperatures following the fire.

Almond season in your area should not start until well after February. I know a lot of bee keepers and almond pollinating season is a busy one.

[Airbalancer]

It that last for year it been cold here in the Great lake Region, where the heck is this globe warming

I really do not think they should call it globe warming, just call it climate change

[F8L]

Originally Posted by Airbalancer

It that last for year it been cold here in the Great lake Region, where the heck is this globe warming

I really do not think they should call it globe warming, just call it climate change

You're thinking to regionally. Some regions will be colder but overall the net effect is warming. You're also looking at weather and not climate. Give it a decade or so.

[Airbalancer]

Originally Posted by F8L

You're thinking to regionally. Some regions will be colder but overall the net effect is warming. You're also looking at weather and not climate. Give it a decade or so.

But the wife is already freezing in the Prius ,
She on here way home home today, 1,800 km drive, the last week in Halifax area temperatures around 4 C, this morning at 6am it was 17C ,, does mother nature know she leaving

Where we live just watch the jet stream, and you can tell if you will be freezing your a$$ in the winter