PrintIn a changing climate with predominant warming trends, we're seeing the lengthening of our growing seasons (as defined by the period of time with frost-free days). Given what we understand about the increased pressures to feed a growing global population, a longer growing season sounds like it might be the silver lining of climate change impacts we've been searching for, doesn't it? Let's take a closer look.
A longer growing season does mean that some crops and forests are growing for longer periods of time each year; sequestering more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere - good news! But, longer growing seasons for good plants also mean longer growing seasons for less desirable plants. Remember when we looked at the lengthening of seasonal allergy seasons when we talked about human health? Plants like ragweed will enjoy these longer growing seasons, too (EPA, 2016).
