I might as well get it started. A lot of others will probably follow.
My Honey Lite nectarines have 95% dead flower buds. I think it was caused by 10-18F weather in January mixed in with 70F or higher every week all winter. I don’t know what else could have killed the buds. They are dry and not even swelling. The few good buds are open and likely killed by 20F last night.
This is the worst winter I can remember. We averaged a 55F inter week swing in temp. So an average week was 75 high and 20 low. The first week of January saw 77 high and 10 low. I suspect that’s what did them in. I’ve never seen winter killed flower buds in this area before and won’t have expected it at 10F.
It’s not a big deal. I’ve got greenhouse fruit. I’ve about given up on the outdoor stuff. It will be interesting to see what the apples do. I’m expecting a late drawn out bloom.
After record warmth in late Jan and early Feb we have had several days with lows in the teens and one day at 9 degrees, which was the coldest of the year. I am expecting virtually a total loss on my fruit, but who knows, it will be interesting to see. At least I will have figs to look forward to…
vegas isn’t really prone to late frosts, so i shouldn’t be complaining, but for the first time in many years, recent dips in temps worsened by bone-chilling gusts are testing the mettle of our pak mulbs which are currently laden with young berries. So far none of the foliage and fruits have turned mushy, but not really sure for how long will hold out…
FN, I’m glad your interest here is mostly academic and that your important crop won’t be affected. We lost a lot of fruit last year because of mild temps right up until Feb 15 when we got into single digits when buds were swollen on certain varieties of stone fruit. Even though the flowers were not killed and trees bloomed, ovaries must have been destroyed on much of the earliest blooming stuff. Some fruit that stayed on the trees had damaged seeds that caused black rot on a lot of fruit (this could have also been because of excessive rain, however). Never saw this rot before. Black rotted fruit always had split seeds.
Fruitnut,
Thanks for start the thread. When our weather men here said our weather pattern look similar to last year’s, it has made me nervous.
Next week high will be about 50 F for the whole week, warmer than usual. A week’s worth of warmth is not good in late Feb. Our March can be in a single digit (like last year). Probably will have some damage to report here
Yes. Worst winter I can recall in a very long time. We had same ridiculous swing in temps, too.
The only good thing I can think of, that will come out of this - is that the insects’ numbers will be decreased. Mosquitos are already at it, though.
With this freeze thing a reality, now, in VA . . . I changed my thinking about which varieties will do well for us. I ordered more cold-hardy trees this year, for the first time. Late blooming. Hardier root stock. (I’ve learned a lot on this forum about these things . . . which, as a ‘back yard orchardist’, I never knew before.)
Fruitnut,
Very sorry to here about your freeze injury. I’m hoping not to become a member of the freeze injury report club but I’ll likely have as much or more problems than anyone. I will spray my buds soon with copper but I’m waiting until the last possible minute. Think we got down to only around -10F this winter so it was a nice winter here so far. I hope it stays colder awhile longer and keeps my trees sleeping. So far no plum bud swell which is what I always see first. Wishing everyone the best!
So far here we are OK but it is early. We do hit the 50’s next week, but nights are still below freezing. Hopefully keeps the buds from swelling. The reports are deceiving because when it it 31 at night it takes all day to get to 50, and it stays 50 for 15 minutes as it is late in the day and the temps go back down, so the average is maybe 40-43F degrees. I have a few cannery’s in coalmines to give me a preview and those are low chill blueberries, they are still dormant. Here April and May are the important months. Last year we had a late freeze, and some of my buds were at popcorn, yet most were fine. I had a great year last year.
Your situation sounds similar to mine. Temperatures in the 9F area won’t kill flower buds of most stone fruit IF the trees are fully dormant. My Honey Lite, being low chill, was probably already past full dormancy in January. Yours may be in the same boat now. Only time will tell. Hopefully you’ll have at least some bloom.
I sure hope freeze doesn’t get my fruit this year. Finally I feel like I’m in control, dealing with squirrels and diseases and hoping for a good fruit year. One year when squirrels and diseases don’t get them if weather does…I give up!
Orinico banana’s looked fine all winter…until this week. Fried most leaves. Small Meyer Lemon in a 10gal pot had no injury (I’m a bit surprised at this one). Everything else that was borderline breezed through…Unless we are talking about palm trees lol
I bought a tube trap and just started trapping squirrels. Also got a 30x30’ net from American netting’s. Between the two hopefully I’ll get some fruit.
@fruitnut:
Your situation sounds similar to mine. Temperatures in the 9F area won’t kill flower buds of most stone fruit IF the trees are fully dormant. My Honey Lite, being low chill, was probably already past full dormancy in January. Yours may be in the same boat now. Only time will tell. Hopefully you’ll have at least some bloom.
Unfortunately, most of my trees had broken dormancy . They were not that far along, especially the peaches, so there is a sliver of hope, but I am not holding my breath. This is what is making me strongly consider moving to California, specifically the Folsom/Sacramento area . It is so frustrating to be at the mercy of the weather every year.
I feel you man in more ways than one…!! That’s a very good area. Enough rain but not too much.Long growing season. @ Fruitgrower is from that area and his fruit sounds superb.
. They were not that far along, especially the peaches, so there is a sliver of hope, but I am not holding my breath. This is what is making me strongly consider moving to California, specifically the Folsom/Sacramento area . It is so frustrating to be at the mercy of the weather every year.