POP TIPS: frost alert for early blooming trees!

[Phil Forsyth]

Philly Orchardists,

The forecast keeps changing, but it now looks like we will likely narrowly avoid a freeze tonight but may get one on Wednesday and/or Thursday night (maybe as cold as 27 F).  This could impact production this year on some early blooming trees, although there are some possible strategies for protection shared below.  

While this is actually a perfectly normal temperature for this time of year, many early blooming fruit trees are already in full flower (especially apricots and Asian plums).  This is an ongoing challenge with these crops, and these trees are not reliable for consistent yearly production in our region for this reason.  With continuing climate change and undpredictable weather patterns, this will likely be a growing problem for fruit production in the region, as well as possible deficits in chill hours resulting in poor blooming.  

Apricots blooming at the POP Learning Orchard at The Woodlands last week.

Some quick facts:

1. For the most part, your plants will be fine (even figs can take temps down below 20 degrees). 

2. The flowers of any fruit trees and berries in bloom right now may be at risk, meaning we could have some loss or reduced crops on those plants this year.  

What can you do to protect blooms at risk?  There are a few options that may help:

1. Commercial orchardists sometimes spray their blooming trees with water in these situations.  As water changes phase to ice, it actually releases some heat that protects the blooms.  Of course, the flowers need to be wet at the time when temps actually turn to freezing, so timing this can be tricky.  

2. Cover with remay or other fabric.  Very challenging to do for a tree, but you might be able to wrap a few branches.  

3. Hang incandescent holiday lights in your trees (plugged in of course).  Unfortunately the new-fangled LED's don't generate much if any heat.  

None of these is guaranteed to work, but could help depending on just how cold it actually gets.  

If anyone has any other techniques that have worked for them, let us know!  

Phil Forsyth, Co-Executive Director

Philadelphia Orchard Project

www.phillyorchards.org

215-724-1247

Pronouns: he/him

"68 community orchards, 1610 fruit trees, and growing!"