"Related, I've also noticed many buds starting to really swell, on many different trees, has anyone else noticed this? Is this unusual?"

No, it's not unusual. Chilling requirements have not been met for trees and shrubs this early in winter. Regardless, this December in the Great Lakes has been roughly similar to a normal Charlotte, NC December where pretty much the same species do just fine through January & February.

"this December in the Great Lakes has been roughly similar to a normal Charlotte, NC."

More like Savannah, Ga. here in NJ. Going to 70 F on Sunday. Friend in Florida told me she recently hit 88 F.!

Here, bigger issue is the lack of precip! 10 inches below normal for the year so far. It's one sunny, mild day after the other. I miss the RAIN!

Uncommonly warm this fall, that's for sure. And yeah Banana, I was looking at my lawn today too and sure enough, in a few spots, it's greening up a little at the base. Most unusual. We've been in the path of the majority of storm systems lately, so getting plenty of moisture, but it's all rain. Another big slug of it coming again, this weekend. I feel like I'm in western Washington or something with these crazy temps. And I don't know what but that I'd be planting still if I had to be. Doubt there's any frost!

+om

Me too! It's so warm that I started transplanting some more trees and shrubs this week. This is unheard of for December!

I moved 2 forsythia and an arborvitae yesterday, and 1 Cornus alternifolia today. Tomorrow, the Prunus persica and maybe some cool season grasses. Have already moved Lilacs, Rhododendron, a bunch of Cornus racemosa, Thuja plicata, Ilex verticillata, and a Hamamelis virginiana before Thanksgiving. These are hardy trees and shrubs for the most part, and I try to take a generous root ball and water them well (because it has been on the dry side), then after a couple weeks, mulch.

I am really happy about this, because I was only able to move 3 Viburnum last spring. It got hot and dry SO fast in May, the transplant window was about 1 week long.

No frost here in western WI -- incredibly mild and a great time to be out in the woods. I walked out on the deck this morning to shave...in my flip flops! This has been one of the most incredibly mild years since, well...since I can remember in my almost 59 years. I wish I had a container stock tree to plant. If the tree is fully hardy to this area, I don't see why it wouldn't do just fine.

I love the weather - it has been in the 40's all month, which is crazy warm for MN. The elderberries are greening up and my grass is still green.

Scary warm here too in southeastern WV. Forsythia blooming. I heat with wood and normally have used 1 1/2 racks; this year, barely 1/2. Some days with no fires at all. Windows often open even at night. In the 70s we were a straight zone 5, with temps regularly well below zero, and one Christmas Eve, 30 below.

It's been pretty warm here too. There are still crunchy apples on the trees and green grass. We have actually had snow, but no cold, so the grass is green and the snow melts. I moved a tiny spruce the other day. Our own trees are making cones now, so little ones pop up in odd places and have to be moved or mowed. I can't mow, so I move. My nut pines have come up in the porch, way too early, so they will have to be house plants till spring. Many years, we have a thaw in Jan or Feb, and I have dug up tiny spruce then and moved them...and they are fine. Since the O.P. is taking a nice big rootball, I suspect his trees will be fine too.

Area where my tree farm-or whatever you want to call it-is expected to receive between two and three inches of rain by Monday morning. We were up there yesterday and it's not exactly dry now! No snow, but rain after rain. Really does feel like a PNW winter so far.

+oM

edited to add: Now they're saying between three and four inches of rain by the time this thing wraps up sometime Monday afternoon. The snowfall equivalent would be impressive. Thunder all night, more expected later.....I'm starting to like this El Nino thing.

This weather is amazing, I am taking advantage of it wholeheartedly. Moved the Prunus persica to the other side of the yard today where it will get much more sun and be shown off in front of the Arborvitae. This tree seeded itself, probably from a peach or nectarine pit that was thrown out in the back. I had no idea what it was until it was id'd on this thread

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/3065932/need-tree-id-please

Also moved a small patch of Elderberries. As long as this weather holds out I am going to keep moving stuff around, and making progress on the privacy borders going down both sides of the property.

I've also noticed many buds starting to really swell, on many different trees, has anyone else noticed this? Is this unusual?

Yes, and unfortunate. The Colo Front Range had three years in a row of this, culminating in a freeze in Nov 2014 that killed or severely damaged likely over a million trees.

Very warm here, too.

No buds swelling really, there hasn't been enough chilling yet. Exceptions exist of course. There are Prunus subhirtella with heavy bloom, where usually they just bloom sporadically in late fall.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I got all my seedlings planted, I'm really not worried about them as they are so small and had good roots. I noticed as I was gathering volunteer seedlings, some of the buds on the Picea abies had opened and new foliage was emerging, needless to say I didn't pick those ones, I planted the ones with the tightest looking buds.

Right now it's in the mid 50s in the morning, I checked accuweather and my location's average temp for this is 13F above average so far and climbing, and last month was 8 above average.

Its because of the big el nino..........its very large and in charge of global weather patterns

Yep, weirdly warm and wet here too. As a snivelling, cold-weather cry-baby, I confess to enjoying being able to scoot about the house in a vest - english houses are dire - and I am also enjoying not wearing the usual half dozen layers of clothing- the effort of dressing is enough to glue my head to the pillow usually...not to mention the blood-freezing cold, hunched over the kitchen cooker for a stray bit of heat - I would not survive a Z5 winter for sure.

The downside is mud...the kitchen is now filthy as well as freezing.

No let up by Christmas, this model (GFS) is calling for upper 60s on the 25th.

I wonder if I can get a tee time?

It's been amazing here Ohio. Forsythia in bloom and I just retired my garden even though I still had kale and green onions growing. Looks like the next 10 days will be mild with only two of those days in the 30's then swinging back up to the high 40's until 12/27.

I have three pluots and two seedlings peaches with some green leaves still...crud, time to go to bed, little fellows. Hazel bushes and trees have held a few leaves too, bed time, guys, storm coming tomorrow night.....

Apt to loose the rest of the leaves, grin. Storm is expected to be warmish, plus 3 to minus 2 sort of storm, so not too much of a shock for little trees. Hope the power stays on.......freezing rain and power lines, not a good mix.

Jocelyn, what USDA zone is your area in?

+oM

A long, mild late autumn is very good for root growth, as long as a bitter-cold freeze doesn't happen instantly. The low here so far has been 19F. El Nino prb'ly has something to do w/it, tho the polar jet-stream has more (cold west, mild east so far).

Hi +oM Officially zone 6a. Maritime climate means things are variable though, from year to year and within the year. The worst is when it's suddenly minus 25, right after several days of plus 5. (degrees C.)

Ooh, that would be bad. That aside, in my imaginings, your area is one of great beauty and charm.

Widespread three-inch rainfall all over this area, and that's coming on top of generally wet weather since September. There's water all over the place. I'm on vacation, but much of my job involves vegetation around this city's numerous stormwater ponds, stream restorations, and so on. Those places are all under water right now, not just the ponds where you'd expect so, but all the surrounding land. Quite the spell of weather.

+oM