North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

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On Apr 13, 2007, at 8:46 AM, Jim Fruth wrote:

> Tim,
>     I'm is zone 3 and zero of my orchard was damaged.  I've got  
> numerous
> berries, tree fruit, stone fruits, vines, all unscathed.
>
>     Let's hear it from everyone.........................whose fruit  
> trees,
> vines, bushes, etc. are still undamaged?

Here is eastern Massachusetts (zone 6) we had a difficult winter, but  
an "ordinary" difficult winter, not a horrible winter.  I kept  
worrying that stuff would break dormancy early, but nothing did.

Right now I have some damage to the roses I put in last summer, and  
to the experimental cold-hardy camellias I planted, and I'm a little  
worried about the apricot buds (they are swollen and pink, and  
there's still cold weather in the offing) but everything else looks  
completely fine.  (Actually, the apricot buds look completely fine,  
but I'm concerned they have been cold-damaged anyway, since I  
understand flower buds are very sensitive.)  The strawberries have  
just begun to sprout, the apple and blueberry and apricot buds are  
swelling, the currants show green tip, the raspberries and grapes  
look fully dormant, the oaks are fully dormant, as are the maples and  
most other large trees.  In short, it looks like early spring/mud  
season.  I haven't unburied the pomegranate I planted last year, but  
I suspect it had trouble with the combination of harsh cold and lack  
of snow cover.  But I won't know how it's doing until I remove it's  
leaf mulch in another couple of weeks.

Ginda