How many days between when your Test garden emerges and blooms? Map archives and temperature maps can help you predict.

Today's Report Includes:

• News: Cold Weather and Gardens
  
• Explore: Using Map Archives
  
• Maps: Test Gardens
  

Colder than average spring weather continues another week but tulip plants are emerging and growing from the garden to reach skyward. Here are some highlights:

Germany Emerges!
Third graders from Chemnitz check in with their emerging garden report on March 27, "This year, winter lasted longer than usual. Some tulips emerged under the snow."

Second graders from Kaiserslautern reported, "For several weeks in February and into March, our ground was covered with snow. On March 15, we discovered snow covering the sprouts, but some are peeking out!"

Alabama Bloom
On this beautiful spring day in Hartzelle, Alabama first graders reported, "We were all excited to see that our tulips had bloomed over the weekend!" Emerge to bloom was 54 days. 04/01/13

Short Stems in Virginia
Staff at the Virginia Living Museum report short flower stems in the garden. "Is this due to the below normal temperatures?" 04/01/13

• More Garden Highlights

Once your tulips emerge, how many days do you think it will take for them to bloom? Weather maps hold clues for predicting.

Photo: Monica Seeger
Chemnitz, Germany

Photo: Donna Henson-Boyers
Kaiserslautern, Germany

Photo: Joy Thomas
Alabama Bloom


Photo: Judy Molner
Short Stems in Virginia

Journey North map archives hold a treasure trove of data. Students from Iowa analyzed maps going back 10 years to explore questions like: "How many days between emerge and bloom?" What questions do you have? Explore archived data:

• Using Map Archives

Photo: Melissa Anisel

How does temperature help us predict when and where tulips will emerge? This spring, explore the relationship between temperature and plant growth in your Test Gardens.

Journal