On a calm, 22-degree cloudy January day, I pushed my cold feet into warm boots and went outside for a walk, even though it was tempting to stay indoors with a cup of hot tea. A few blades of dormant grass peered through the snow. It was quiet, and I saw no signs of life.
But the “yank, yank” call of the white-breasted nuthatch reminded me that there is life outside in winter. And in fact, cold weather can be good for us, wildlife, gardens and the crops we grow in the Midwest.
“Cold winter air is one reason that we have highly productive soil in Illinois and the Midwest,” according to a University of Illinois Department of Extension Service blog.
“Temperature plays a major role in how much organic matter is present in soils,” the blog stated. Our winters are cold enough for the bacteria in soil to go dormant, which allows organic material to remain at levels, “high enough to make our soils very productive for native plants, gardens, and field crops,” the blog stated.
This cycle is “why Illinois has some of the best soil in the world,” says Illinois Extension Service horticulture educator Christopher Enroth.
What’s worrisome is that a recent study showed that some of the crops grown in the Midwest have lower production levels in spring after warm winters compared with colder ones. So, perhaps we don’t want to be too quick to hope for milder temperatures in January and February.
Native plants also benefit from the cold. They evolved to adapt to low temperatures, and some seeds need to go through freezing temperatures of one to three months if they are to germinate in spring. Some plants that need this process, called cold stratification, include milkweed, purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan and redbud, among many others.
We planted a redbud tree in our front yard many years ago, and now have two smaller ones growing in the yard. We didn’t plant them there, nor did we plant seeds. I’m betting some seeds were beneath snow amid the cold weather, and then germinated in spring.
I also grow black-eyed Susans, and they tend to spread here and there each year. Goldfinches eat the seeds from these plants, but not all of them. The remaining seeds get their “cold” treatment in winter, so I get to see the black and yellow flowers in summer.
The flowers produce seeds that may grow new plants. Within the seeds are embryos — tiny, undeveloped plants. A protective coating on the seed keeps the embryo safe from cold. Then, when more light and warmth hit the soil, the embryo breaks through the coating.
It’s truly amazing that all these latent seeds in winter can endure the cold, even require it, to perpetuate the species.
Humans don’t particularly like the cold, icy weather, especially because it makes getting around in winter difficult and sometimes even impossible. Certainly, extreme weather can cause frostbite or hypothermia. But if you dress properly and take a short walk in the cold, you may temporarily boost your mood and rev up your brain power, according to a few studies. Perhaps that’s why some folks indulge in the annual polar bear plunge into Lake Michigan in Waukegan to start off the new year.
One way I get some cold-weather exposure each winter is to participate in a Christmas Bird Count. Folks worldwide gather data for science to determine which species are most numerous in different regions from mid-December to early January.
Here in northern Illinois, I get some exercise and exposure to cold air during the bird counts, and that keeps me upbeat for several days afterward. The last few bird counts in which I participated were warmer than normal, and to be honest, I wished it had been colder. Let’s hope for more snowy, cold weather before winter is over.
Sheryl DeVore has worked as a full-time and freelance reporter, editor and photographer for the Chicago Tribune and its subsidiaries. She’s the author of several books on nature and the environment. Send story ideas and thoughts to sheryldevorewriter@gmail.com.
