Slideshow: Microclimate

Microclimate

Sunny or shady? Wet or dry? Windy or calm? Plants respond to the climate where they are growing. Microclimate refers to the climate conditions of a small, specific place, where conditions may differ from those of the larger surrounding space. Explore conditions that create microclimates. Try the Microclimate Challenge: Plant tulip bulbs in microclimates with contrasting conditions to discover how climate affects plant growth.

Think about your school yard. Planting tulips in different places will affect bloom times. How does where you plant your bulbs affect when your tulips emerge and bloom? Which areas do you think tulips would bloom early, where will they bloom late?

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Think about your school yard. Planting tulips in different places will affect bloom times. How does where you plant your bulbs affect when your tulips emerge and bloom? Which areas do you think tulips would bloom early, where will they bloom late?

North or South?
Where could you plant tulip bulbs to find out about affects of northern or southern exposures?

There are places around your school yard that have different temperatures. Where could you plant bulbs to explore how warm and cool conditions affect when tulips bloom?

Hot or Cold?
There are places around your school yard that have different temperatures. Where could you plant bulbs to explore how warm and cool conditions affect when tulips bloom?

Where would you find rich, dark soil in your school yard? Where would you find other kinds of soil? How do you think soil moisture will affect bloom time?

Wet or Dry?
Where would you find rich, dark soil in your school yard? Where would you find other kinds of soil? How do you think soil moisture will affect bloom time?

How much sunlight does a tulip need to bloom? How much is too much, too little, and how much is just enough? Where would you plant to find out?

Sunny or Shady?
How much sunlight does a tulip need to bloom? How much is too much, too little, and how much is just enough? Where would you plant to find out?

Windy or Calm?
How do you think wind conditions affect bloom times?

Plant bulbs in contrasting conditions to explore how microclimate affects when tulips emerge and bloom. What do you think will happen? Share your findings on Journey North!

Try the Microclimate Challenge! Cause two tulip bulbs to bloom as many days apart as possible.
Plant bulbs in contrasting conditions to explore how microclimate affects when tulips emerge and bloom. What do you think will happen? Share your findings on Journey North!

Microclimate

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