Weatherlore says that if an oak leafs before an ash then we will have a dry summer:
If the oak before the ash,
Then we’ll only have a splash.
If the ash before the oak,
Then we’ll surely have a soak!
There’s some good science behind this old saying. But what about the tree outside the window of your place of isolation, or along your daily permitted exercise route? Don’t let Covid-19 get in the way of some good citizen science! Which tree is out in leaf first near you?
Complete the Survey
I’ve teamed up with the Small Woods Association to create this project. Take part in our simple survey, and I’ll update the map below regularly each day during April and May to present ‘live’ results.
Daily Results
Here are the live results. Please note that I’ll be updating the map twice a day, so be patient waiting for your data to become visible. Click on the arrow top left above the map to show the map key. Below the map is a graph which I’ll update with weekly results.
UK Map
Weekly Results Chart
Thanks for taking part!
The Ash or Oak project is run in conjunction with the
Small Woods Association
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial- NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.
I am wondering if it is the high early seasonal temperature that has made our oaks come into leaf before the Ash?
Science suggests that you’re right about this Annie. See a previous post: https://gabrielhemery.com/oak-before-ash/
WE were the first major outbreak of ash die-back in the westcountry so we have only about ten percent uninfected but no sign of leaf yet
Hi John – yes It has devastated many woods and hedgerows. When I last checked there was only one 10km square in the UK unaffected by the fungus. Be sure to record leaf flushing when you can.