It looks like most or all of my pomegranates got toasted. My guess is the 4F we had in Jan or Feb that did it. I’m actually relieved, now I can dig them up and forget about them… one less thing to worry about. I got a total of maybe a dozen fruits from my trees over 15 years.
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I was thinking about pomegranates but was concerned about the winter temp. It got down to 0 where I live in late Dec. Sounds like a good idea to skip around 7a/6b.
Anybody have figs buried into the groud for winter protection? Any plan for when to dig them out and expose them to the elements and all? I was thinking after first frost date, for me 4/15?
This page says: “Remove the fig tree winter protection in the early spring when temperatures at night consistently stay above 20 degrees F. (-6 degrees C.).”
In my limited experience, figs could take some degree of cold, so you don’t have to wait until last frost.
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Thanks, I lost them all to the freeze last year. Hate to have it happen again.
Did you lose the above ground or roots as well? I’ve lost only the above ground. Roots seem very hard to kill in my zone 7a/6b.
Just the above ground. Roots were fine and it grew a lot, it’s a Celeste fig, hope it works this year.
My figs have been fine with freezes I think, it’s the wind dessication that seems to have caused die back. Even my Chicago Hardy lost it this year. I see green but it’s down near the ground, and the older trunk wood split.
I lost two of mine. All of the touchy items always die in a mild winter. Seems backwards.
I think my figs look to be toast as well. There is still some green in some buds but it is not a strong green and based on past years with this they are toast. Hope I am wrong!
I think this year the two super cold periods we had really did things in. It got down to 4F here which I have not seen in maybe 15 years. So @Robert it was not mild at all in terms of lowest low, and that is often what does things in. @franc1969 my feeling from this last winter is those couple of days is what did the figs in as well. The desiccation is more a problem on winters with long spells of windy cold weather, and we didn’t have that, only 4-5 days of bad weather the whole winter.
I totally forgot about December. It got very cold about 22-25 and I had too much happening. You must have gotten the Canadian freeze blowing over to the east, we only got to around 9 or 10F.
December 24th 2022 got to single digits to most of eastern US above the NC/SC line.
UGH. I forgot all about this, too… but my neighbor’s water pipes froze due to poor basement insulation - I can’t believe I forgot; It was awful! The neighbors spent 6 days using only my water and their yard hydrant. I was lucky, I had turned off a lot of my water since I went out of town for the holiday.
However, I am kind of amazed that fruit buds were damaged so far in advance! (new to fruit trees - constantly surprised).
After, the cold nights last week (we had two nights that were <25 F) I looked at a pile of articles and charts. I am sure some buds suffered. I also cut open some of my fruit buds. I was not surprised to see ~50% of the peach buds (which were already blooming) damaged. I was surprised by the pear buds that were damaged --even before opening. Perhaps the problem is an insect or disease I don’t know about yet? (I sort of hope so). I think it is more likely the sudden cold after days of warm weather.
peach buds:
sad buds of pear after frost:
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Your fruit buds were probably fine after the 2022 December big freeze considering the trees were dormant at the time. It was in the low 20’s two weeks ago in VA mountains that did the damage flowers or buds Not only did it reach low of 20’s, it stayed in 20’s for significant for many hours. Both the temperature and duration are part of equation in turning liquid water to ice. Also it got real windy during that time compounding the damage.
Same here in Shenandoah valley of Virginia. Lost about 50 percent of peach buds. Early varieties lost all of the buds. Some with delayed buds or more staggered opening seem ok. None were blooming at the time. Pears seemed to fare better. I think you are absolutely right. It was the prolonged cold over multiple days. Mine seemed ok the first few cold nights but the morning after the third night things started to brown.
I notice that peaches with only partial blooms have very few bees. I have one plum graft on each peach and they are bee magnets. The plum limb blooms sooner but there is a long bloom period and they are overlapping. Toka seems to align the most closely with the peach blooms.
Noticing varieties in grafting colors more this year. White and pink obvious of course but I’m seeing different shades of pink. Really pretty!!
When does drippin honey ripen? Everything on line says october, but I know that is wrong.
For me the spring lows were not too bad, and I am getting more optimistic that I will keep most of the apricots… all still looking good.
A few of my Pom buds may have survived, I found a few green ones … we will see if they push. On past years though when nearly all buds are dead the tree seems to just give up on the couple remaining ones.
@Robert the DH ripens in late Sept. Well before Korean Giant and with Kosui.
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I was checking my few remaining apricots (maybe 20 total) today and saw what I think is already a hit from a plum curculio. I guess I need to spray asap. I thought I had another week or so, since my Carmine Jewels are just flowering, but I guess the warmth has them going. Anyone else seeing PC activity?
I’m also seeing a lot of persimmon psyllas already attacking the growth on my persimmons that is just starting to come out.
With such a warm winter, maybe this is going to be a really bad bug year.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday calling for freezing temps. I see 29 Saturday on one site. Apples starting to bloom but just earliest varieties. Most show at least first pink.
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Hmm…I might need to bust out the agribon for the asparagus bed.