FREEZE COMMING ,Fruit trees ?

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baust55

Registered:1240892043
Posts: 497

Posted 1365604897	Reply with quote #1

A QUESTION INTERNET EXPERTS ! MY apricot is in full bloom a few other trees have buds .It is saposed to rain off on all night and get down to 28f . maybe flurys . Would covering tree with a sheet that will get wet ,be worse or better than not covering at all ...? Ideas ? opinions ? __________________ AUSTIN Read more mad non- scientist stuff ....check out my post on KITTY LITTER ! http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/kitty-litter-really-kitty-litter-7398708?pid=1287129765#post1287129765 "I grow fruit of the wine!" Zone 5 Fig trees I have : Hardy Chicago , Weeping Black , Ginoso , Excel , VEBT , and Genovese Nero . My Wish list: Panache, Florea,Desert King , RdB, Marseilles black vs, Vdb , Abruzzi, JH Adriatic , Nero 600 , MvsB, Malta Black,

bigsmile542

Registered:1362361945
Posts: 148

Posted 1365605752	Reply with quote #2

I have seen citrus sprayed with water to word off the cold. May work in your case. Zone 8 Southwest TX

baust55

Registered:1240892043
Posts: 497

Posted 1365610602	Reply with quote #3

maybe if it rains steady __________________ AUSTIN Read more mad non- scientist stuff ....check out my post on KITTY LITTER ! http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/kitty-litter-really-kitty-litter-7398708?pid=1287129765#post1287129765 "I grow fruit of the wine!" Zone 5 Fig trees I have : Hardy Chicago , Weeping Black , Ginoso , Excel , VEBT , and Genovese Nero . My Wish list: Panache, Florea,Desert King , RdB, Marseilles black vs, Vdb , Abruzzi, JH Adriatic , Nero 600 , MvsB, Malta Black,

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,727

Posted 1365610743	Reply with quote #4

Hang Christmas lights in them, cover them with a blanket, then plastic. It's worked well for me. Your other option is to move South. If all the flowers are at the edges of the trees it will work better to drive some 1 1/4" PVC pipe in to the ground close to the tree and just higher than it to keep the weight off of the branches and not break off the flowers. Incandescent lights generate much more heat than the leds. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

Rob

Registered:1320245426
Posts: 550

Posted 1365612646	Reply with quote #5

This is crazy weather. I was in south FL over the weekend and it was only a high of 74 degrees. I came back to maryland and the high today is 88 degrees. And in Austin it's supposed to be 28 tonight? __________________ Rob Maryland Zone 7 http://rbfigs.webs.com/

baust55

Registered:1240892043
Posts: 497

Posted 1365617007	Reply with quote #6

ok will try see what i can do thanks __________________ AUSTIN Read more mad non- scientist stuff ....check out my post on KITTY LITTER ! http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/kitty-litter-really-kitty-litter-7398708?pid=1287129765#post1287129765 "I grow fruit of the wine!" Zone 5 Fig trees I have : Hardy Chicago , Weeping Black , Ginoso , Excel , VEBT , and Genovese Nero . My Wish list: Panache, Florea,Desert King , RdB, Marseilles black vs, Vdb , Abruzzi, JH Adriatic , Nero 600 , MvsB, Malta Black,

aphahn

Registered:1354927274
Posts: 321

Posted 1365619301	Reply with quote #7

There is a commercial product called KDL that is supposed to give a couple degrees of protection. You can make something close from liquid kelp and blackstrap molasses. I have been spraying with 1/4 cup kelp + 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses per 2 gal water (have a 2 gal sprayer) this spring. You spray the afternoon before the cold snap. This page has good info on the temps different fruit can take. http://www.hrt.msu.edu/faculty/langg/Fruit_Bud_Hardiness.html It looks like you are on the edge of what apricots can take, there is hope. We just hit 6F last night with the apricot in full bloom, pears with buds exposed, cherries green tip or more and peaches in red calyx. I hoping we at least get some fruit this year :( __________________ Andy - Zone 6a Lat 39.9º N, Alt 5390' Westminster CO ⚘ Scion List

Alan1631

Registered:1347991991
Posts: 145

Posted 1365622376	Reply with quote #8

My experience is that the KDL only works if you spray it 3-4 days in advance. Depending on the size of the tree (under 8' or so), drive four pieces of 10', 1" pvc in ground or 3/4 EMT (about 8" or so). Place a bright outdoor flood light (not florscent) at the base of the tree. Throw a couple of large sheets over the tree, using the pvc/emt as support. Then throw a large plastic tarp over the top of the sheets and seal to the ground (2x4's, etc). Turn the light on when it gets below 38 or so and let the heat build up. The sheets are important because any part of the tree that touches the plastic tarp will get damaged by the extreme cold. I do this in Florida to protect a tropical guava and it works pretty well down to about 26-28 degrees. Anything below that and it is hit or miss. If this is not possible, run a sprinkler directly on the tree if the wind is not blowing too bad. This will enable ice to form a sheet on the tree. This ice blanket will not allow anything covered to get below 32 degrees. That is what the do to protect the strawberry fields down here in the winter on freezing nights. Only works if there is very minimal wind (<5 mph). Good luck. __________________ Alan _____________________________ Zone 9 - Central Florida Wish List: Panache, Bourjosotte Gris, Raspberry Latte, Petite Negri, Black Maderia, Cajun Honey

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