Tag Archives: frost

Sprinklers for Frost Protection: What You Need to Know Before Turning Them On

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This week and weekend, the temperature is expected to drop below freezing, and some areas throughout the state may even experience snow showers. While the apples, cherries, and peaches in our location in Winchester, VA aren’t at great risk yet because the flowering buds are not yet at a developmental stage that raises red flags, other parts of the state, particularly around central and southwestern Virginia, could be at a much more advanced stage, particularly for stone fruits. These freezing temperatures might be a cause for concern.

That’s why some growers might be thinking about using irrigation sprinklers for frost protection. It’s a convenient method if you already have them in your orchard. But, I’ve noticed over the years that some might be using sprinklers the wrong way or when they’re not necessary, which can cause more harm than good.

I hope we don’t experience any damaging frost this season, but if we do, and you’re considering turning on your sprinklers as your last resort in the face of spring frost, I’ve recycled some information from old blog posts to remind you of the science and application of using sprinklers for frost mitigation. So, here’s a quick read to help you understand how to use sprinklers effectively and safely.

If you’re looking for a way to protect your trees from frost damage, using sprinklers (e.g. overhead or under-tree irrigation sprinklers) may be a viable solution. When you use sprinklers, you are essentially harnessing the latent energy of water molecules as a source of heat to warm up your trees. But how does this work exactly?

To understand this phenomenon, it’s important to note that water exists in three states: liquid, solid (ice), and gas (vapor). The transition among these states can either produce energy (exothermic) or consume energy (endothermic).

When the air temperature drops below freezing point (< 32°F), and you use sprinklers, you encourage the transition of water from its liquid phase into ice. This process releases latent energy into sensible energy (heat) that plant tissues can use to warm up.

While this may seem like an ingenious solution, there are some potential drawbacks to using sprinklers. To ensure that using sprinklers to reduce frost damage doesn’t harm your plants, there are three crucial things to consider. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

First and foremost, it’s essential to keep an eye on the wind. This is because wind can encourage the transition of water from its liquid phase into its gaseous phase (vapor). During this process, heat in the air and around your plants will be consumed in an endothermic reaction. That’s why it’s recommended that you avoid using sprinklers if the wind speed is above 10 mph.

To help you determine the amount of water needed under different wind conditions and temperatures, refer to the table below (Table 1).

Table 1 provides information on the amount of water (in inches per hour) that should be provided for frost protection under different wind speeds (in miles per hour). This table is based on information from the University of Florida Extension Circular 287.

The second thing you need to consider when using sprinklers to reduce frost damage is the dew point. In simple terms, low dew points mean low humidity. If the dew point is too low, the water you add through sprinklers will quickly evaporate to compensate for the low humidity. This will cool down the air around your plants, which will cause more damage.

Under moderate dew points, a portion of the water you add through sprinklers will turn into vapor and consume heat, while another part will turn into ice and produce heat. After some time, the net energy will be positive, and you’ll reap the benefits of using sprinklers. However, if the dew point is too low, it means that the air is too dry and will take much longer to become saturated with vapor. During this time, the air temperature may drop to a critical temperature that can damage your buds or flowers. In this scenario, using sprinklers may cause more harm than good to your plants.

To help you determine whether sprinklers will be useful in your situation or not, refer to the table below (Table 2) to determine the temperature at which you should turn your sprinklers on/off. If the dew point and the critical damage temperatures are not within the range shown in the table, it’s best to avoid using sprinklers altogether.

Table 2 provides information on the minimum temperature at which sprinklers should be turned on/off. This data comes from UC-Davis and is part of their FP005 Quick Answers guide.

To determine when to turn your sprinklers on and off for frost protection, use a critical temperature for frost damage (columns) and dew-point temperature (rows) chart. The point where the row and column intersect is the temperature at which you should turn on or off your sprinklers. It is generally recommended to use sprinklers to protect against temperatures in the range of 24 to 32F.

To find out the critical temperature at which 90% of the flower buds can be killed, please refer to the following link: https://blogs.ext.vt.edu/tree-fruit-horticulture/2022/03/27/hard-freeze-is-expected-this-tuesday-march-29/

You can get the dew point information for your location by using your zip code on Intellicast at http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Weather.aspx?location=USVA0837.

The third factor to consider is the amount of water your sprinklers can provide. If you’re uncertain whether your sprinklers can provide an adequate amount of water, it’s best not to use them at all. Refer to Table 1 to determine the amount of water required under different conditions.

By considering these three factors, you can ensure that using sprinklers to reduce frost damage is effective and safe for your trees.

Another, probably less devastating, frost event is expected tomorrow, April 18

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Another frost/freeze event is expected from midnight today to 9:00 am tomorrow (Monday, April 18), with temp as low as 30 oF in some portions of central, northern, and northwest Virginia. On their webpage, the National Weather Service stated that “this frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing”. I can’t comment about plumbing, but I can probably provide insights into how this frost event would impact apples, peaches, and apples in the state. In our location in Winchester, VA, most apple cultivars, including Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Reds, and Goldens, are between 20%- 90% bloom. Some early cultivars, e.g., Pink Lady and Zestar, are already post-bloom. For cultivars at early bloom and full bloom, 10% kill happens at temperatures below 28 oF for > 30 min; and 90% kill happens if the temp drops below 25 oF for >30 min. Based on the current forecast, the lowest temp in most of the locations I looked at in Frederick, Rappahannock/Maddison, Roanoke, Nelson, and Carroll counties, is 30 oF, which should not, theoretically, cause any significant damage to apple blossoms. For cultivars at post-bloom and petal fall, subfreezing temp (below 32 oF) can cause damage to the skin of developing fruitlets, leading to “frost rings”. Fruits with a frost ring will likely grow normally until harvest, but blossoms damaged by the frost will likely abscise within the next 2-4 weeks. Temperatures above 28 oF should not cause significant damage to flowers and developing fruits of peaches and sweet cherries.

Freeze Injury Updates (Winchester-March 29): Sweet cherry blooms lost to freezing temperatures; apples and peaches made it through.

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Temperature profile of orchard blocks in the AHS Jr. AREC’s research farm (Winchester, VA) on March 28-29, 2022.

Our digital temperature data loggers recorded temperatures as low as 17 oF that continued for > 2h this morning (Tuesday, March 29). Some of our apple cultivars, including Gala and Pink Lady, were at the tight cluster and first pink; whereas, others like Fuji and Honeycrisp were between half-inch green and tight cluster. Temperatures below 21F were enough to wipe out the flowers of these cultivars completely, but we were pleasantly surprised to find out that all apple cultivars we assessed this afternoon survived this frost event with minimal damage. We recorded between 15 – 35% bud mortality in the king blooms and less than 15% in the side-blooms of Honeycrisp, Gala, and Pink Lady, with the latest showing the highest percentage of damage. Similarly, the four peach cultivars (Rich May, Sunhigh, Red Haven, and John Boy) we evaluated showed less than 15% flower mortality.

I generally believe that 10-30% flower mortality after frost is not a bad thing and could even be considered desirable as a natural thinning process and to ensure a good return bloom next year. It is generally evident that thinning during bloom has a very positive impact on return bloom; and whether this thinning is done chemically (e.g. liquid lime sulfur), mechanically (e.g. hand thinning), or by mother nature, the impact on return bloom will probably be the same.

On the other hand, our sweet cherry cultivars failed to sustain these low temperatures, and despite being still in the tight-cluster stage, they were severely damaged, with an average bud mortality rate of around 80% in Ebony Pearl and Selah. Regina, a relatively late-blooming cultivar, was still at the swollen bud stage, showing 0% damage.

It is also worth noting that flower development can vary among cultivars, species, and locations in the state. Also, temperatures recorded this morning in Winchester were seriously low, but they might not be the lowest in other areas. So, you can depend on this report only if your trees are in the same developmental stage and your temperature didn’t go below 17 oF this morning. If otherwise, I suggest that you evaluate the damage in your block as per the method and images I shared in previous posts.

Flower buds were collected from three apple cultivars (Pink Lady, Gala and Honeycrisp) and assessed for damage after the frost event that occurred on the morning of March 29, 2022 in Winchester/Frederick county area.
Flowers were collected from four peach cultivars (Sun High, Rich May, John Boy and Red Haven) and assessed for damage after the frost event that occurred on the morning of March 29, 2022 in Winchester/Frederick county area.
Flowers were collected from three sweet cherry cultivars (Ebony Pearl, Regina and Selah) and assessed for damage after the frost event that occurred on the morning of March 29, 2022 in Winchester/Frederick county area.

Risk of Frosts this Week

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The weather forecasts for the coming week show three days with potential frosts. For Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service is forecasting a low of 29F in Winchester and a low of 30F in Tyro. I’m sure other locations in VA are also at risk of frost.

In the Winchester area, apples are 1/4″ green tip with some cultivars showing pink. Peaches are at first pick to some early blooming cultivars having a few open flowers. The phenology in Central VA is a bit more advanced, with peaches having been in bloom for nearly two weeks. According to the critical temperature charts, we can expect a small amount of damage from these temperatures but not a complete crop failure.  So, fingers crossed that it doesn’t get any colder than predicted. However, even if flowers are not killed by the frosts, there is also the risk of russets and frost rings. Temperatures are forecasted to warm up towards the end of the week.

Below are  links for the Washington State University fact sheets (as pdfs) on the critical temperatures for flower buds:

Michigan State University has adapted the WSU critical temperature fact sheets into this easy-to-read fact sheet.

MSU has also put together an excellent set of resources about freezes and frosts in fruit crops.

Additionally, work done by Dr. Steve McArtney (NCSU) and others has shown that applications of Promalin (gibberellin 4+7 plus the cytokinin 6-BA) at 25 ppm immediately following a frost event may help increase fruit set and cropping. In essence, the Promalin sends signals to the developing fruit that the seeds are still intact and growing, even though the frost has killed the embryo. The result is a crop of parthenocarpic (seedless) fruit. This “rescue treatment” is not a full proof way of setting a crop, and it is still unclear under what environmental conditions and for which cultivars it works best. If the temperatures drop much below 28F, each grower will have to make a decision as to whether or not it is worth trying to rescue the crop with Promalin.

You can read more about the “rescue treatment” with Promalin in this Good Fruit Grower article.

Fruit Bud Damage from Cold Temperatures

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Cold temperatures in the winter, such as we’re experiencing over the next couple-few days with a polar vortex can cause damage to plants, people, and livestock. Tmin forecast 1_6_14_midatlanticAt this time of year, fruit buds on our main tree-fruit crops (apple, peach, cherry, and pear) are still in their winter dormant state (endodormancy). During endodormancy, buds have a very low water content and tend to be more cold tolerant. However, absolute lows are not the only factor to consider. If warm temperatures precede a cold spell, then tree buds tend to be less cold tolerant and are more likely to be damaged. There is also considerable variation amongst species and cultivars. For this reason, critical temperature thresholds, like those developed for spring frost damage to flower buds, are not well defined. However, from an ongoing discussion among pomologists in the Eastern part of North America, the consensus seems to be that peach flower buds start to be damaged at -10F and complete crop failure and/or tree loss occurs at -20F. Cherry and plum flower buds are slightly more cold hardy than peach buds and damage will likely occur at -20F. Apple flower buds can withstand temperatures down to -25F. As of now, the forecast for most of Virginia does not show temperatures dropping below 0F. Hopefully, this means that fruit buds in Virginia will not be damaged by the polar vortex.

Plants are not affected by wind chills (plants do not lose heat to the wind). But people and animals will be impacted by the heat loss from the high winds that are accompanying this storm. I’ve seen several wind chill forecasts for Tuesday in the -10 to -20F range. If your pruning crews are outside, make sure they are dressed appropriately for the cold. Also, make sure that your farm animals at least have shelter from the wind. For more information on protecting farm animals and equipment from the cold, read Cory Childs’ (VCE-Warren Co.) blog post from earlier today.

 

 

MaluSim Carbohydrate Models for May 13: Winchester and Central Virginia

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Slide3Slide3The MaluSim carbohydrate model was run on May 13 for both Winchester and Central Virginia.

In Central Virginia, many later blooming cultivars are around 10 mm fruitlet size and can still be chemically thinned. From applications made over the past weekend, growers can expect average responses to chemical thinners. As we move through the week, greater and greater carbohydrate deficits are predicted, which will increase the potency of chemical thinners.

For Winchester, the model is predicting mild carbohydrate deficits early in the week, and much more severe deficits towards the end of the week and over the weekend. Applications made this past weekend through the middle of the week will likely have an average to slightly aggressive response. However, applications make towards the end of the week may result in very aggressive thinning activity. If the weather forecasts hold up, growers should consider reducing rates for applications made towards the end of the week.

I will run the model again on Thursday, May 16.

Fruitlet sizes from the Winchester AREC:

  • Honeycrisp: 8.8 mm
  • York: 8.0 mm
  • Fuji: 8.6 mm
  • Suncrisp: 8.4 mm
  • Pink Lady: 9.2 mm
  • Empire: 11.8 mm

One more note, there are widespread frost/freeze predictions for most of Virginia for Tuesday morning. If a significant frost/freeze event occurs, growers should be cautious with their thinning applications until they can assess if damage has occurred. However, the forecast for Winchester predicts the temperature will only go to 32F, which will not be cold enough to cause significant damage. The forecast for fruit growing regions to the south of Winchester appears to be in the mid-30s to low 40s.

To see more information, click on the linked pdf files below:

Peck Winchester VA MaluSim 5_13_13

Peck Central VA MaluSim 5_13_13

Potential for Cold Temperature Damage in Northern VA

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The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures to drop to 22F by the morning of April 4 in the Winchester area. For the bud phenology that I’ve seen in the area, we will probably be spared from having very much damage.

Apples are still dormant with a few early blooming cultivars at silver or green tip. Even at green tip, there should only be 10% damage when temperatures drop to 18F. Peaches with a little pink showing may be susceptible to a low level ~10% of damage. Cherries are still in stage 1 or 2, and should be able to withstand temperatures down to 17F with minimal damage. So, fingers crossed that it doesn’t get any colder than predicted. Temperatures are forecasted to be more “spring-like” next week!

Here are pdf links for the Washington State University fact sheets on the critical temperatures for flower buds:

Additionally, Michigan State University has adapted the WSU critical temperature fact sheets into this easy-to-read fact sheet.

MSU has also put together an excellent set of resources about freezes and frosts in fruit crops.

Frost Damage

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At our lab in Winchester, we got down to 28F for 2 hours this morning between 6 and 8 AM. I’m seeing damage to king bloom in early blooming apples, but side blooms look like they’ll fair much better. However, I’ve been hearing reports down to 25F in some orchards, with much worse damage. Sweet cherries were in full bloom, and many petals are showing damage. Peaches were past petal fall, and the trees in the lowest area on our farm are probably going to loose some fruit.

It’s going to be a difficult thinning year if we loss a large percent of the king bloom…Unfortunately, we still have about a month where we can potentially have another frost…

 Sweet cherries–more damage on the tops of the branches, than on the bottom, where there still might be some viable flowers.


Frost damage to king and some side bloom in Pink Lady. This tree was at the lowest area of the block. Unopened side bloom appeared to have minimal damage, but it’s still early to quantify the damage.

There appeared to be less damage to this Red Delicious flower with the king bloom open and side bloom still closed.