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[Pete Tallman <pete_tallman@hotmail.com>]

For several years I have been claiming that 'Niwot' black raspberry is hardy 
for Longmont, Colorado (front range), zone 5. November 2014 has proven to be 
its downfall. Niwot canes did not survive the transition from 64 degrees in 
early November to minus 4 a few days later before the canes had a chance to 
go completely dormant. (Newspaper said minus 13, but my thermometer only got 
down to minus 4.) No growth is evident in the over-wintered Niwot canes, so 
there will be no floricane berries this year. (Jewel black raspberry is 
similarly impacted.) New Niwot primocanes are now emerging to (fingers 
crossed) give a good primocane crop in August. A lot of my apple trees were 
severely damaged or lost, although a few apple varieties seem to be 
attempting a full crop, like Yellow Transparent, McIntosh, and Almata. Losses 
are way beyond anything I've experienced here before. Cherry trees are mostly 
gone. (I have one cherry with a few blossoms on it, but several other trees 
are completely gone.) Blueberries are severely impacted. Reka and Elliott 
blueberries look mostly OK for blossoms, but others look pretty bad as far as 
blossoms go, although most of the blueberries are attempting to start new 
growth on vegetative buds. There is not likely to be blueberry pies this 
year. Swenson Red grape doesn't look like it made it, but Petite Jewel and 
Somerset grapes look OK. 

Pete Tallman
Longmont, CO 
Colorado front range