Sub Freezing Temps & Snow=Mast Production/Fruit Trees

[Lawdwaz]

Thoughts on tomorrows weather and its effect on the sensitive mast production and fruit bearing trees?  I was looking at some wild apple trees Sunday and they had the start of a blossom that will surely be damaged. 

[Robhuntandfish]

we just put in some apple trees two weeks ago and they were budding this weekend.  Hoping they make it ok.  Its not supposed to get too cold last i saw - right on the freezing line so am thinking most will be ok.  

[Whitetailhobo]

 We were  pulling fence and fence post last weekend on the pasture .  Notice a lot of the trees are starting to show growth beginning to pop. But I also did notice some tIckes .  It would be nice to see the frost do something about the ticks , at this point the buds are so active I think it would do more hurt to the fruit and flower plants. I guess we’ll see what happens 

[G-Man]

Pockets of apple orchards will definitely be affected.  Cherry's and oaks may be hit as well.. gonna try and cover my peach trees and save them.

[grampy]

Four or five years ago, our area of 4H was hit with a late spring cold snap, and some snow. That fall local apples were down by at least half. Both wild and farm grown. Also, acorns were very scarce that year as well. But it actually made hunting "easier"? As the deer had fewer options, and keyed on the trees that did produce. Once you found the area where those trees were, there was more deer than normal. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

How about turkeys that have already started nests? Startover?

[bugsNbows]

2 hours ago, Whitetailhobo said:

 We were  pulling fence and fence post last weekend on the pasture .  Notice a lot of the trees are starting to show growth beginning to pop. But I also did notice some tIckes .  It would be nice to see the frost do something about the ticks , at this point the buds are so active I think it would do more hurt to the fruit and flower plants. I guess we’ll see what happens 

Likely won’t have much effect of the tick population.

[Whitetailhobo]

Tick population is growing everyday since the snow left . I think your absolutely right it won’t slow till snows back .

[ATbuckhunter]

I think its early enough not to have an effect on them. In a couple weeks it would be much worse for apples. 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Id be a lot more worried if we were in bloom right now. Its going to hover around freezing but the air will be moving so that definitely helps. Some lower laying areas in my orchards may loose some production but im no too concerned. Less i have to chemically thin later on. 

[Lawdwaz]

Maybe the snow cover will help insulate the buds??

[G-Man]

On 4/20/2021 at 8:59 AM, The_Real_TCIII said:

How about turkeys that have already started nests? Startover?

They will be fine as they are not sitting on them " incubating"yet as long as they dont freeze chilled is ok ground is pretty warm so need below freezing for hours

[Cabin Fever]

I planted a few apple trees, and several blackberry, raspberry and blueberry bushes in the past week. Hope they'll be alright... 

[E J]

This is not exactly what I wanted to see on my peaches!

[grampy]

1 hour ago, Cabin Fever said:

I planted a few apple trees, and several blackberry, raspberry and blueberry bushes in the past week. Hope they'll be alright... 

If possible, throw a tarp or some plastic sheeting over them for a couple days till the weather warms again. The trees themselves will be fine. Not going to get that cold. But any potential fruit may be nixed this year, if the trees are starting to blossom?

Edited April 21, 2021 by grampy