January 2013 Toronto Trees budding ??

[TwinBay]

Hey folks-
The weather in Toronto has been very mild.
The past week has seen -2 at night and 8+ daytime highs.
The old maple in front of our yard has stared to bud.....ridiculous....

Any projections for this year with the lack of snow so far??

[ennismaple]

I doubt the tree has budded. It took a week of +20 C and not freezing at night to shorten our season to only 11 days long last year. -2 C at night and +8 C during the day would be great sugaring weather during the actual season - which can run for 5 weeks.

Toronto has very little snow left now (only piles that I can see from my window) but if you get north and east there's still a lot of snow. Luckily, not much syrup is made in Toronto!

[TwinBay]

I see you have 4000 taps so I respect your opinion.
If I could figure out how to cut and paste I would show you a picture of the tree in question.
Nex door is an arborist for 32 years, he says it may be that the silver maple is under stress.
btw- Swans are returning to Magnetewan, up near Parry Sound.
This could be one screwy spring.

[70 Buick]

here in Montreal we have plenty of snow

plus they are announcing -35 celsius for the nest week or so


Spring is but a dream for us LOL

[ennismaple]

TwinBay - Silvers , Manitobas and other maples that are typically nursery trees planted in the city may swell before sugar maples. The maple in front of my house in Scarborough isn't showing signs of the buds swelling. When I was at the farm to work in the sugar bush last weekend the maples still look dormant and even with all the rain we got there's still 18" of snow on the ground.

We're ready to go if Mother Nature says its time but for now my battery drills are still collecting dust.

[TwinBay]

Ennis-
It appears your call on the nursery trees was correct.
-15 removes any doubt that winter finally arrived.
In Toronto, south of Lawrence by Yonge St, it was the Silver Maples that already had some growth; bet they change their mind now !!