Ethylene is manufactured and released by rapidly growing tissues (i.e., meristems) in roots, senescing flowers, and ripening fruit. For example, the darkened spots on a ripe banana release great amounts of ethylene. Ethylene has many effects on plants including being responsible for the stunting of plants in high winds or when repeatedly touched. In addition, ethylene promotes fruit ripening. Like many hormones, it does so at very low concentrations. Apple growers take advantage of this by picking fruit when it is not ripe, holding it in enclosed conditions without ethylene, and exposing it to ethylene right before taking it to market. This process is why we have newly ripened apples grown in temperate North America even in the spring and summer (apples ripen in the fall). This was gleened from a chemistry education site. This post was edited by Appleseed70 on Wed, Sep 10, 14 at 10:20

Last week here in Colorado the yellow eyed juncos with the rusty colored back started showing up. today i saw the first of the dark eyed juncos outside. We have had snow in the mountains but just frosts here so far but is a definate change of seasons here.

Yes, but it's only one Junco that do that. Usually in the winter, they run out of food on the ground and try to adapt. I have seen one or two try for the tube feeder. Notice the tree sparrows flying around the sock in the picture, they're suppose to scratch and feed on the ground but now hang from the sock. This is a problem because they compete with a flock of gold finches for space, resulting in a mob scene around the sock. I added a plate of seed on the ground but they still feed from the sock. The Junco immediately went for it, but the tree sparrow still hangs on the sock. Paul

Leave it on, Lizy! I assume you're somewhere here in the Denver area! It's obviously too late to do anything tonite anymore anyway, but the temps tonite are supposed to go down into the mid-teens, and snow actually helps to insulate plants. By Saturday most of the snow should be melted off again, and that's when you'll find out what, if anything, might have actually been damaged. Many/most of the "spring bulbs" can take cold temps and be fine, but if you have things like lilies coming up already, they might have frozen in the last couple nites. Only time will tell! I've had my lilies and a few other things covered with big pots for the last few nites. Will need to take them off tomorrow when the sun's shining on them, but they'll be going back on tomorrow nite for sure, and possibly Saturday nite too. By Saturday or Sunday you should be able to tell for sure how much damage you have--if any. Just "bending over" won't cause serious damage to most things, it'll just be the things that are "frost sensitive" that could be damaged. If any of the "flowers" you're talking about are daffodils, they have hollow stems and the weight of the snow will probably have them bent beyond repair. Another one I know that can be damaged is hyacinth flowers that are already open--the stems on those can freeze and not come back--it that happens just cut the flowers off and leave the foliage die down naturally like you normally would--and they'll be back again next year. Good luck! I hope most or all of your plants and flowers are ok! Skybird