Phenology

Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate.

I'm pretty interested in it because it could help us all figure out when to plant, say, peas.

We are having a very warm winter. It's March 16th, and we are already at growing degree day 54. (the sum of the number of degrees over 50 degrees every day that temperature is over 50 degrees.) last year at this time we were at 5. On average we would still have 0 days over 50 degrees on this date.

Over the last few years I've noticed that I get a pretty distinct allergy season in the spring. Very tired, stuffy head, dry throat that causes a scratchy cough. I've been feeling that way for a few days, sure I was sick (EVERY year I think I'm getting sick until I realize it's the allergy.)

So I got to thinking, are my allergies, and the plant that causes them, tied to the degree days, and not the day length?

Last year I marked when these allergies started in my garden journal - April 15. Last year there were 38 growing degree days on that date.

So yes, we are over a month early in warm days, and yes, I am quite possibly experiencing my April allergies in March.

I'll confirm this hunch in the comments later.