Dr Dave S Reay, author of new book Climate Change Begins at Home, has kindly agreed to be the first subject of a new, occasional series here on Horticultural: Q&As that look at a particular aspect of gardening. Here, he explains how climate change is likely to change our gardening habits.
Dave is a Research Fellow at Edinburgh University and describes himself as a keen gardener and compost nut". You can check out his site, Greenhouse Gas Online, for more information on climate change and its effects.
What will be the
impacts of climate change to our gardens?
Well, there’s some good news and some bad news. The good news is that a warming climate will mean longer growing seasons for many of our plants and less frost damage in winter. In recent decades spring has been receding by between 2 and 6 days earlier each decade and Autumn has been pushed back by about 2 days a decade.
Could we one day be
growing things all year?
Yes, in the South at least. By 2080 we could see a year-round growing season for some plants in the South of England. The flowering time for Primroses in East Anglia has already gone from early February during the 70s to mid-November now.
Will all the extra
carbon dioxide help too?
Maybe. Some of our plants will lap it up, but then again so will the weeds.
Is this the bad news
you mentioned?
I’m afraid extra weeding is just the start of it. Things that need a good period of chilling in the winter to form flower buds - things like blackcurrants, raspberries and apples - could see poor cropping as the winters warm up.
Not more aphids!
I’m afraid so, and along with them come the many diseases they carry. This is a particularly worrying problem for Scottish gardeners and growers. In the past we had sufficiently hard winters to keep the aphids and their viruses in check long enough to produce disease-free seed potatoes and soft-fruit plants. With warmer winters we’re likely to lose this advantage.
Apart from getting
warmer what else will happen?
It’s going to get a good deal wetter in winter and much
drier in summer. Hotter, much drier summers will sound the death knell for lush
green lawns in much of the south of England. Drier summers will also hit those plants
that prefer cool moist conditions, like Primulas and ferns. Dry summers also
mean yet more mildew problems – god knows we already have enough with the
Honeysuckles in my garden!
Sounds like quite a
lot of bad news for our plants?
Yes, and for us gardeners too. The predictions from the Department of Health are that by 2050 malaria may have become re-established in England, that scorching summers will be leading to an extra 5,000 cases of skin cancer each year, and that the numbers suffering cataracts due to all that blazing sun will rise by an extra 2,000. It’s enough to make you want to retire to watch Gardeners’ World with the curtains shut and the air-conditioning turned up full blast.
Is there anything we
can do about it? I know that driving a small car or fitting low energy bulbs
can help fight climate change, but can we do anything in the garden?
Yes, plenty. Firstly, if you grow some of your own food then give yourself a pat on the back. The average family buying all their food from the supermarket will be responsible for more than 4 tonnes of greenhouse emissions each year due to all the transport involved in getting the food to their dining table (called food miles). The more produce you grow yourself the less food miles and so the less emissions.
What about
composting, is that a good idea?
Composting is the last word in recycling and great for
cutting emissions. The kitchen and garden waste from the average family leads
to about a tonne of greenhouse emissions every year if it ends up rotting in a
landfill site. By putting it through a wormery or composter you not only avoid
these emissions but get piles of top-grade crumbly compost ("black gold") too.
With dying lawns in
the south and new plants extending their ranges northwards it sounds as though
our gardens will be looking rather different in years to come.
Yes, things will definitely change. How severe and rapid the changes actually are is largely down to us and the amounts of greenhouse gas we release. Our gardens can really punch above their weight in the fight against global warming. Let’s get out there and get them into shape.
Gret interview. Thanks. Much good information.
Posted by: David | September 04, 2005 at 08:34 PM
I'm from the south eastern US, and much of what you describe sounds like our climate now.
Posted by: hayrack | September 27, 2005 at 10:26 AM