The spring equinox is the first day of spring. However, this does not necessarily mean that it is spring in your garden. The word “equinox” means “equal night” in Latin. So when we have both spring and autumn equinoxes, the daytime and nighttime hours are very close to equal. If the earth took exactly 365 days to revolve around the sun, then the date of our spring equinox would not change from year to year. The Earth’s orbital period takes about 365.25 days to complete one orbit around the sun. The standard Gregorian calendar has 365 days in one year and every four years, there is a leap day to account for the extra quarter day. Because of each quarter-day, the equinoxes (and solstices) occur about six hours later each year. When it is a leap year, the extra day makes the date of the equinox earlier. The different time zones, further complicate the actual date of the equinox. The spring equinox will fall around March 20 and the fall equinox around September 23rd.
Plants do not realize that the true equinox is the exact moment that the sun crosses the equator and when both the North and the South poles are at virtually the same distance from the sun, they do sense the change. What this means scientifically, is at this moment, there is no tilt of the earth either towards or away from the sun. Thus, at this moment, the sun rises due east and sets due west. For the rest of the year, the sun rises and sets at a slightly different spot. We often do not notice the slight changes, but we certainly realize in mid-winter, the sun is at a different angle than in mid-summer.
The spring equinox is the beginning of longer days and warmer weather. The increased light exposure influences plant growth encourages earlier flowering, and impacts the dates of planting and harvesting. In the fall, plants growth and help us to decide spring planting and harvesting schedules. In the fall, the decrease in daylight hours and cooler temperatures gives the signal to plants to mature, complete their lifecycle and prepare for the long winter rest.
Throughout history, many civilizations have developed festivals, rituals and monuments to honour these celestial events. Equinoxes have held great symbolic value – representing balance, renewal and transition. These events also have an impact on the ecosystems of our earth. Birds, rely on the equinoxes to guide their migration journeys. Humans are also tied to these seasonal changes, and societies have been able to thrive by aligning their activities with the natural world. The seasons represent the balance between light and darkness and have many cultural, scientific and environmental implications.
As gardeners, we get itchy fingers to get out into the garden and see what is growing. We poke around and look for the tiniest signs of life. When we find a tiny bit of green or the earliest spring crocus – we rejoice. Coffee shop talk centres around the overnight lows and we all stop to feel the warmth of the sun on our faces. The buds on our trees swell and we anticipate the burst of life when the first flowers or leaves appear. Flannel goes to the back of our closets, along with base layers and fleece jackets. We search for our rubber boots and stop wearing toques every time we venture outdoors. We wake earlier along with the longer days and enjoy our evening light.
This is why the spring equinox is important to all of us! Happy Spring!!!
Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by email at [email protected]; on Facebook @orchidhort and Instagram at #orchidhort.
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