Gardening in Wichita
The Prairie Lands is a region of extremes. Fall can bring the first snow in October before the trees shed their leaves. Winter will blast the landscape with ice storms‚ blizzards and temperatures in the minus 30s. Or it could be so balmy that you’re cutting roses to grace the holiday table‚ or so dry and windy that plants desiccate.
Spring is a tease – a few warm days so the buds on early blooming trees swell. Suddenly‚ it seems that everything bursts into bloom at once – lilacs and daffodils‚ redbuds and tulips. Then there could be a 60-degree drop in temperature.
Severe weather marks the transition of spring into summer‚ bringing formidable thunderstorms that may include lightning‚ hail‚ torrential rains‚ and even tornadoes. It can also be a time of flooding. Summer‚ too‚ is capricious – filled with days of scorching temperatures or temperatures in the 70s‚ low humidity and gorgeous blue skies.
Fall can be teasingly short or delightfully long. Some years‚ summer segues right into winter. In other years‚ the first frost may be early‚ followed by a delightfully long Indian summer.
