North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Hal Love" <lovehd@comcast.net>]

The temperatures here were only a little colder than this time last year,
but the damage is several orders of magnitude higher due to the
unprecedented warmth in March. Plants that normally bloom a month apart were
blooming concurrently. Most were 2-4 weeks ahead of schedule. Most plants
were at or past full bloom and the damage is total to the fruit. Many plants
are likely to be killed to the ground, but I won't know for a while. We had
6 nights below freezing, with 23 F and 21 F Saturday and Sunday up on the
elevated terrace where I grow most plants, and upper teens down in the lower
areas. Saturday night we were below freezing for about 16 hours. Here is a
list of the damage so far.

Blueberries-all near or past full bloom. 100% loss on all but one variety,
Aurora. The Auroras have a few un-damaged fruit buds, and even some live
flowers that were still less than 50% developed. Green growth was less
damaged than all others as well. Most others have damage to shoots and
leaves, as well as all the fruit and flowers.

Kiwi-these were really slammed-looks like about half of the 25 medium to
large vines were killed to the soil line, as the cambium is dark brown, and
in some cases trunks even ruptured from freezing sap. Even some argutas and
arguta hybrids were severely damaged or killed, although some seem ok. It
will be some time before I know which ones will recover.

Grapes-all green growth killed, cordon damage on both muscadines and bunch
grapes, trunks seem ok so far.

Figs-all green killed, smaller wood split open and larger limbs are starting
to die back. Not sure if trunks will survive yet.

All pears and peaches are dead, but foliage is ok. Pawpaws were all blooming
and all leaves and flowers were killed. New leaves are starting to appear.
Black currants, gooseberry, jostaberries-'Josta' and 'Orus8', and some
golden currants-all leaves and flowers killed, but new growth starting to
show on shoot tips.

Now for the things that survived with little or no damage:

Asian persimmons on native rootstock were still dormant and completely
undamaged. These are Chocolate, Giombo, and Hachiya. Aronia and some Aronia
hybrids no damage even though leaves and some flowers were present.
Mayhaw-slight damage to the tips of tender new growth only.
Serviceberries-had slight budbreak-no damage at all. Crandall clove currant
and one other-no damage to leaves-flowers and smaller fruit all killed, but
larger fruit ok. Two jostaberries, 'Red' and 'Black'-no damage. Actinidia
pilosula-no damage at all, still dormant with only slight bud break
beginning on a couple of buds. And of course, most invasive weeds were
totally ok and laughing at me.

Hal
zn 6b, TN