Well, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...or the Rochester area we know either. Wow, what a roller coaster of weather. Warmer then normal February. A bit cool at beginning of March. Then extreme warmth for the rest of March and now to frosty evenings as we enter April. Many of our plants are basically 4 weeks ahead of schedule.
Are you confused? Think how your plants feel! We were set up for one of the most spectacular blooming seasons for Magnolias and then....BANG!....a 20-25 degree F night and all the flowers didn't just have black spots, they basically completely 'melted' into a yucky brown color. And the touch texture? Like a Hosta in November...Nasty!
But ornamental landscape plants are fairly resilient. Some lilacs were already in a tender stage as well as viburnums, forsythias, flowering pears, and flowering plums. There is burn on the foliage, but the plants will throw more new growth and rebound from the stunting...at least that is what has been the norm in late spring frosts.
But Fruit Farmers are in a bigger plight. Peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and even plums are well advanced in bloom stage and development. When many flowers are damaged by frost, its not always noticeable as in the case of the Magnolia. In the case of Fruiting Cherries and Peaches, the inner parts (the Pistol and Stamen) of a flower's reproductive system are damaged. If flowers are damaged in their pollination parts, they can't develop fruit. A Fruit Farmer depends on the FRUIT, not the looks of a tree. Bad buds or no flowers = no fruit = no product for sale = no income. Mother nature has a bad side....
So...what does it mean for your plants? I had the chance today to talk to the wife of a man who was essentially my first boss when I was a teen. It was a fruit farm. Great caring family that was grounded and I owe her, her husband, and their sons a great debt of gratitude for their nurturing as I started working with plants 30 years ago. She related to me a response her father-in-law would share, and one she believed in, when someone would ask "So how is your crop this year?". Her father-in-law would respond "I'll let you know when I get paid for it".
Translation - We don't always know the damage that mother nature can cause with extreme temperatures until the season finishes out.
For landscape trees and shrubs, I'm optimistic tho. I still believe a lot of the damage is cosmetic and the plants will recover throughout the season. For the Fruit Farmers....I hope damage is minimal also. We will know as the next couple of months progress.
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