From our perspective, spring is the culmination of a long wait. As the soil temperature gradually rises and daylight lengthens, we sense the signal to break our dormancy. Deep within our roots, stored starches are converted into sugars, providing the energy needed for the initial surge of growth. Tiny, reddish "eyes" (our growth buds) push through the soil, rapidly elongating into sturdy stems. Our leaves unfurl, eager to photosynthesize and replenish the energy stores we depleted. This is our most visible and celebrated season, as we channel all our energy into producing magnificent, fragrant blooms to attract pollinators. It is a period of immense metabolic activity and vibrant display.
Once our blossoms fade, our focus shifts from reproduction to sustenance. The green, glossy leaves are now our primary factories, working tirelessly under the sun to photosynthesize. The sugars produced are not for immediate growth but are carefully transported down to our thick, tuberous roots. There, they are converted back into starchy carbohydrates and stored for the future. This period is critical for our long-term health; the energy stored now will fuel next spring's growth and flowering. We appreciate consistent moisture during this time, as drought can hinder this vital energy-gathering process, weakening us for the following year.
As the days shorten and the air chills, we receive the most important environmental cue to begin our shutdown procedure. The decreasing light levels trigger a hormonal change within us, primarily a increase in abscisic acid, which inhibits growth. We begin to withdraw valuable nutrients and compounds from our leaves back into our roots for safekeeping. This process causes our foliage to change color, often to yellows and bronzes, before it naturally withers and dies back to the ground. Above the soil, we are retreating. Below, we are settling in, our root systems now packed with enough energy to survive the winter. It is a period of consolidation and preparation, not death.
This is the non-negotiable core of our life cycle. With our foliage gone, we exist entirely underground in a state of suspended animation. Our metabolic processes slow to an absolute minimum. This dormancy is not optional; it is a physiological requirement called vernalization. We must experience a sustained period of cold (approximately 500-1000 hours at or below 40°F / 4°C) to break the biochemical blocks that prevent spring growth. This chilling period neutralizes the growth-inhibiting hormones and allows for the development of flowering hormones. Without this deep, cold rest, our internal clock becomes confused, resulting in weak, non-existent, or poorly-formed growth and blooms in the spring.
