North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Steve <sdw12986@aol.com>]

I was on here back in March complaining about the weather (later in the 
"early pruning" discussion). After more than a week of warm weather 
including some days in the low 8os we had a prediction of 3 degrees and 
I wondered what that might do to the awakening fruit trees. Well, it 
actually only went down to 13 that night and the trees were just fine.
Last Friday, I finished up some pruning that I hadn't done yet and I 
couldn't help but notice that nearly every tree I own is just loaded 
with flower buds. Every plum (except one young one), all the apple 
varieties, and the Manchurian apricots are really loaded. The pears have 
a moderate number of flower clusters. As of last week, no flowers were 
open but the plums were close and, of course, the apricots even closer.
It's been cool with snow flurries every day since then until today. That 
doesn't worry me. In fact it's good that it's been cool to stop further 
development of the buds. Now the forecast for Friday night is 16 degrees 
and Saturday night the forecast is for 14 degrees. That worries me!
I don't have a question. This is more of a "misery loves company" sort 
of post. I'll report back Sunday or Monday and let you know how cold it 
actually got and how the flower buds look.

Steve in the Adirondacks