A hard freeze is expected this weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for the Springfield area from 6 p.m. Saturday until noon Sunday. Plants and trees that have bloomed earlier than usual during the recent warm weather could be damaged.
Kelly McGowan, horticulture educator with Greene County Extensionis especially worried about fruit trees. She said plants are more susceptible to damage from cold temperatures the further they along they are in their development.
"Peaches and maybe even pears typically bloom typically bloom earlier. Most of them are at the full bloom stage right now. So, if we get temperatures down around 24, 25 degrees, we can expect about a 90 percent flower kill," said McGowan.
Apple trees aren’t as vulnerable right now, she said, since most blooms are still in the tight cluster stage with some just starting to open up. But if temperatures drop into the upper teens, those could be impacted, too. She said one way to try to protect fruit trees is to water them before the freeze. Some orchard growers use overhead sprinklers since water puts out a little bit of heat as it freezes. Using smudge pots and wind machines might also help prevent damage.
According to McGowan, an effective way to protect strawberry plants and flowers is to use row covers and sheets that go all the way to the ground. But she reminds gardeners to uncover the plants in the morning when the sun comes up.
