Spring is running 20 days early

A longer growing season sounds great, especially given the dire warnings of food shortages resulting from climate change. Hang on, though, because a longer growing season is not always a good thing. The longer growing season is inherently related to food shortages. Really. We can see it happening even now. “Plant productivity has not increased” alongside the number of growing season days, according to the National Climate Assessment. There are a number of reasons for this.  Freeze damage caused by late-season frosts. This is straightforward. Just ask any citrus grower in the Southeast — a late frost or freeze can wipe out an entire crop, depending on the timing. Once plants have reached a certain phase of development, which happens earlier when winter is warm and spring is early, they are extremely fragile and susceptible to freezing temperatures. If, say, half of the plant’s blossoms are killed off by a freeze, it essentially cuts the plant’s productivity by half. Limits to growth because of lack of sunlight in early fall. Longer summer temperatures will keep the environment hospitable for crops, but they need sunlight first and foremost. As the sun angle decreases in the fall, plants lose the light necessary for photosynthesis.Plants need winter to thrive.