North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <gardendiva@charter.net>]

I'm cautiously optimistic that my fruit came through two weeks of frigid 
temps (down to 12F one night) and snow every day or two in decent shape. 
This weather hit after several weeks of spring temperatures that swelled 
buds, brought 1,500 daffodils to bloom and the lilacs to show their flower 
buds.  All the daffodils ended up as mushy piles of goo on the ground, and 
we won't talk about the tulips, which are struggling.

A quick tour of the orchard this afternoon, after yesterday's snow melted, 
shows that the Montrose apricot I grew from a pit given to me by Del Stubbs, 
has pink buds that will flower tomorrow probably.  Apples are showing flower 
buds, and what leaves are emerging are a bit browned on their edges.  Looks 
like the apples will flower within the next week, as will the Saturn peach. 
My graft Asian pear (Korean Giant with Shinseiki grafts) is probably the 
worst.  All tips had swelled, were showing leaf rosettes and buds when the 
latest snows hit.  These are brown on the edges, but I think they will 
flower.  Compact Stella cherry is still dormant, although there are a few 
buds swelling, as are those on the miniature Le Nain Vert pear.

If anything is lost, it may various blueberries.  All five varieties had fat 
flower buds that are now browned.  I'm not seeing any dessication in the 
buds, but they are totally bronzed.  Alpine strawberries look like piles of 
mush, too.  All three grape varieties are in good shape as they have not 
broken bud yet.
Doreen Howard
Zone 4b, Wisconsin-Illinois border