Frost and fruit trees

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I have a couple of plum trees loaded with blooms. It's supposed to get to 31 Wednesday night and 28 Thursday night. What is the prognosis for survival of the blooms? Do you think they will make it?

 

[RNeumann]

50/50

If it happens they will rebound just fine. We live in an area that does the same thing this time of year. You can throw burlap, sheet or tarp over the tree to help. If it’s going to get a lot colder you can add a lightbulb under the sheet for the night.

 

[freedomlives]

That's right on the edge according to this: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1643&context=extension_curall

But if you just have a couple of plum trees, can you possibly cover them with something? Old bedsheets? That white textile used as row-covers?

Spraying with water is another option: Using sprinklers to protect plants from spring freezes |


MSU Extension

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a couple of plum trees loaded with blooms. It's supposed to get to 31 Wednesday night and 28 Thursday night. What is the prognosis for survival of the blooms? Do you think they will make it?

If that is all the colder and for an hour or two, they might make it. Not a good area for those kind of trees that bloom early in the season Peaches and plums) because of late sustained frost, like last year. Last year I covered the few trees I have with quilts sewed together and tied off as good as possible but the frost was to long of duration and didn't get anything.

I am on city water so I can't run a sprinkler during the cold hours like they do in Florida at times.

 

[MossRoad]

Just don't put plastic sheeting over them. That makes it worse. Only use cloth if you go the cover route.

You could put out some burn barrels near the trees. Orchards used to use smudge pots. You could also try several fans pointed up into the trees.

I never had luck with sprinklers. I do end up covering my grapes pretty much every spring due to late frosts.

 

[marchanna]

Up here the spray them with water if their expecting a frost. Some one explained the thermodynamics of it to me once, but I forget now.

 

[/pine]

FWIW...if it's feasible to spread them out in the canopy...a string or two of NON LED Christmas lights will do a good job down into the mid 20*'s

 

[Spindifferent]

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/files/PictureTableofFruitFreezeDamageThresholds.pdf

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Up here the spray them with water if their expecting a frost. Some one explained the thermodynamics of it to me once, but I forget now.

I think basically what happens, is the water acts as an insulator, and also will lose heat first, giving the blooms a bit more time before they freeze. Of course it only works for a short time.

 

[oosik]

Never had plums - my bag has always been apples. Have eight trees - all are different varieties. Always seem to have one tree that blooms to early. I've never done anything and never seem to have lost that much fruit. But then again - the weather here can get really crazy. One year I had a killing frost - third week of July. Really raised cain with my corn.