So, we’ve had temps in the 70s for the past several days, and no temps below freezing for at least a couple of weeks. Plums are in full bloom, peaches are starting to bloom, asian pear flower clusters have expanded (but flower buds haven’t opened yet), and several apple flower buds are at the green stage. Temps Friday and Saturday night will be in the 25 - 30f range. Any chance any of the flowers or buds will survive that kind of cold? Worried I’m about to lose a lot fruit for this year.
I’m with you Rob, my peaches are in full bloom now, expecting lows of 28 Saturday. This chart says we should only get partial crop loss. I am thinking of running sprinklers Saturday night on the trees.
http://orchardkeeper.com/pdf/IllustratedSpringFrostDamageThresholds.pdf
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Oh boy. And I’m worried for my young fruitlets for the entire opposite reason - temps soaring up in the 90’s tomorrow here, afraid of everything frying and shriveling up and dropping off. We’re in for another wild spring and summer I fear.
Good luck guys. Fortunately the weatherman is usually being a bit cautious about the low and you will probably be OK, but there is a nonzero risk.
Here we are barely out of winter, many trees still look fully dormant. I have a very few apricot blossoms showing teeny bits of pink and thats it.
Scott
Scott, my oldest daughter that we left in Maryland (Gaithersburg) said they actually got snow on the 1st day of spring. Ugh. And I am hoping I don’t have to turn on my air conditioning tomorrow. I am very fearful we may be facing a very long and hot spring/summer/fall. With no more rain. And, more water restrictions which could spell the demise of some of my trees.
And so goes the sometimes violent annual battle between winter and summer that is called spring.
We’re expected to go from the 80’s for tomorrow to the mid 30’s Saturday night. I hope that’s the extent of the official drop, especially since my location doesn’t usually cool as much at night as at the official weather station. I’ll still wind up dragging all my citrus, plumeria, and potted brugs into the living room.
@Chris_in_GA - Thanks for that pdf. It’s a very nice chart to have on hand. I bookmarked it.
12 Days ago it snowed here in north GA, you would not know it by looking at my peach trees today, they went from swollen bud to full bloom in a hurry.
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We’ve had 21-22F twice this spring on various stone fruit trees in partial bloom. That killed all the open flowers but not the unopened ones. That’s my general experience after seeing this dozens of times. It takes pretty cold to kill unopened flowers.
Chris, your trees look great. Excellent job pruning. I am very jealous. 
In early stages of bloom I worry when the temps get below about 26 for peaches. It is time to worry but the odds are still good.
The problem with growing trees as sport is there is no way to use the adrenalin to your advantage. Lot more like poker than football and all the skill in the world can’t control the luck of the draw.
I’ll just cross my fingers and hope for the best. I keep saying I’m going to move someplace warmer, like LA - Lower Alabama!
Not looking good, the revised forecast is for a low of 26 Saturday night. Peach trees are still in full bloom, any suggestions for protection other than a covering with a tarp? Thanks, Chris.
