Just south of me (50-100 miles ) there is a major fruit growing region along Lake Michigan and it shows they also got down to around 10 degrees overnight . I have not heard if they experienced widespread damage or not. As of a 2-3 weeks ago they were saying it hadn’t got warm enough to get things going yet and things could still withstand some cold if it happened but I do not remember how cold they said it had to get for them to worry.
My Nankings got hammered with some really cold temperatures when in full bloom. Almost all of the flowers are crispy and brown now, but they don’t seem to open all blossoms at once. I found some small cherries on one of the bushes that must have been at the right stage to survive.
Forecasted 25-26, it got to 24.3 under the tree 4-5 am this morning.
Here on Long Island, 28 Tuesday morning. Not too bad. Forecast of 22 for Wednesday morning. Very little visual damage from the 28.
19.7 last night, looking at 18 tonight. I’m just hoping for a few survivors on each of the stone fruits.
Sorry Dan, I don’t want you or anyone else from Long Island on this topic either- when was the last time a peach crop was frozen out there from either winter or spring temps? I believe It almost never happens. What can kill you is excessive rain and humidity during the growing season.
Just joking, of course, but “on the square”.
Ugh- I think tonight will be even worse- the forecast low is the same (21), but I’m already down to 21.2F, so I’m guessing it will got quite a bit lower than last nights 19.7F.
Yup- there was damage from the winter lows, but only 10-50%, depending on the tree. I’m also concerned that my Pallas (a Chinese honey peach) tree didn’t make it, as it isn’t showing any signs of waking up.
Just trying to be one of the guys.
It will be about 7 degrees here tomorrow morning,Celsius that is.No one probably sees any humor in that,especially Alan.
So,this will probably be my last post on this topic and wish things were different for those suffering through the cold. Brady
Bah, 25F here at 5:45. Might drop to 24. We’ll see what lives. Saturday night is forecast at 25 F, too.
In spite of lows in the high teens I have to say that my tight cluster apple flowers looked pretty good for the most part after the sun had thawed them- same with the E. plum blossoms and even possibly some unopened J. plum buds. I shall remain optimistic- and in the mean time I’m moving fruit trees from the baby nursery to “middle school”. At least this year I won’t have to knock the fruit off my nursery peaches.
One of my customers who lost crop from freeze e-mailed me and said after last season the trees deserve a year off.
Very sorry to read about everyone’s flower and fruit losses. It’s been a tough year in most locations for fruit growers. Reading about fruit loss feels worse than dropping a hammer on my foot.
Clark, it really isn’t so bad as that. When you grow fruit in the more challenging parts of the country you need to take the long view. There will be some good years and some bad years- and some great years and terrible years. But there will always be NEXT year.
When it’s always sunny you barely feel the warmth.
24 F this morning. Can I join your club now?
Matt where are your trees at as far as bloom? It actually was mild here this morning. Low was 28, but it never went under 30. Friday and Saturday look bad though!
15.9 last night. Yuck
22F here after forecasted 26/27. We’ll see if my heater/half-ass covering saved my full bloom Lapins cherry.
Temporary membership. Keep us posted- you may or may not be pleasantly surprised (that would be getting booted)…
We got 16 F here last night and 17 F the night before.
I looked out the window this morning, my blooming daffodils turned into gloomy,wilting ones. I have not checked the fruit buds. I’ll wait until next week to count the bodies (of fruit buds) as this Sun, the temp will be in mid to low 20’s again.
It looks like the cold shifted east bigtime. It was colder south and east of me. Please keep it there till Sunday!