Chives in February

Okay, the end of February, perhaps. Sometime in March seems more reasonable. But February 4th? If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t believe it.

Specifically, I’m talking about chives in front of my house. They are up and growing, despite ice, snow and very cold nighttime temperatures. While still kind of groggy, looking out my glass door this morning, something did not seem right. Vertical growth. Several little stick-like objects.

So I went out and looked. It was chives, all green and happy.

Of course the reason for this is the micro-climate where the chives are situated. Planted in gravelly dirt, near rocks and protected by other plants and facing solar south, the chives are treated to a whopping dose of warm sunlight.

Some time ago I mentioned how in late winter, sunlight penetrates snow enough to melt the middle layer. At night, this layer re-freezes, creating a kind of “ice lens,” and this lens serves to concentrate diffused sunlight upon whatever sits beneath it. In my case, the chives are the beneficiaries of this life-giving light.

So while we have some time to go…after all, it’s only early February, take comfort in the fact that chives and lots of other wild plants are already stirring, preparing for another season of growth.