9 April 2007Joe Masabni, UK Extension Spec. for Fruits and Vegetables

Q. How much cold damage has there been?

Lows of 19F was observed at Princeton station and reportedly 14F at a homeowner in Paducah.

The cold front was extensive and damage extended from Michigan to Georgia.

Q. What can I do?

With this kind of arctic cold front, there's little you can do for fruits and vegetables.

Frost protection with water will not work successfully with these observed low temperatures and wind speeds.

Severe burn was observed on all new green growth in western KY.

As far as I know, no commercial vegetable crops have been planted yet.

The only crop that could have been helped is strawberry. In western KY, strawberry have started flowering.

Remay covers and/or a thick layer of straw are your best options there. Still, many of the primary flowers will be lost, but not the whole crop. Strawberry plants don't show any damage yet.

Q. What is going to happen to the fruit?

Unfortunately, at least 90% of the apple, peach, plum, nectarine, blueberry, and grape crop is lost.

Grapes will send secondary buds. If all secondary buds have survived, then I think we might have about 50% grape crop.

I doubt we will have a fruit crop of apple, peach, nectarine, or blueberry this year.

Of course, I will be proven wrong as some locations may have had less freeze damage.

Q. I really, REALLY want to do something. What can I do?

First of all, growers should be prepared to the unexpected. Strawberry growers should always have extra straw or remay cover on hand for use in such emergencies. Commercial fruit growers should have access to burners and burn fires which will raise the temperatures ever so slightly in their orchards.

Blueberry growers should have frames built over their bushes. if so, then covers (tarp, remay cover) can be used to insulate the plants] this may not protect the flowers 100% but increase chances of survival of many flowers.

Q. Will damage show up later?

In the next week or so, when temperatures warm up, we will see accelerated wilting and drying of dead tissue.

The full extent of the freeze damage will be known then.

Fruit trees will not be killed, and will continue growing, even if all the fruits are gone. One silver lining to this freeze, is that our fruit growers can reduce their pesticide spray program since trees are not bearing a crop to protect.

Small fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries, will regrow again and fruit, with reduced yields.

Grapes will also send shoots again, and will have a crop, the extent of which will depend on location and cultivar.

Joseph G. Masabni Fruit and Vegetable SpecialistUKREC PO Box 469 Princeton, KY 42445 (270)365-7541 x247 fax (270)365-2667 --------------------