April is a wonderful month full of blossoms and springtime. The problem with April is that the weather can be unpredictable. One day you’re outside having a picnic in 70° weather. The next day you’re bundled up having hot cocoa in 40° weather. This unpredictable weather can cause a lot of damage to blossoming fruit trees. The warm weather will cause blossoms to open, then the cold weather will freeze the blossoms. Blossoms that freeze do not produce fruit. Let’s go over how to keep your fruit tree blossoms from freezing so that you’ll have plenty of fruit for the summer.
Be Picky About Where You Plant
Where you plant your fruit tree matters. Plant your tree on a north facing hill if it’s possible. This will prevent the blossoms from blooming too quickly. You want a location that is out of direct sunlight to delay blossoming, but also out of cold pockets. This is a difficult task but it should help your fruit tree significantly.
Cut the Grass Around Your Tree
Keep the grass, or growth, at the base of your tree short. The shorter the growth, the warmer the tree will be. Bare soil gives off the most heat when the tree gets cold. Soil is more efficient at absorbing heat than grass is.
Fertilize Your Fruit Tree
Fertilization helps the tree grow and it also prevents fruit trees from blooming early. Trees that are low in nitrogen usually bloom too early, causing the flowers to freeze. The goal is to keep the flowers closed until there is no risk of them freezing. As soon as flowers open they are a lot more sensitive to the cold.
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Water the Flower-buds
After the tree has budding spray the buds with cool water. You can set sprinklers up on your fruit tree to keep water on the buds continuously. Your tree will stay watered and the buds will stay cool. Buds that remain cool will not open. Closed buds are protected and will not be damaged if the weather gets cold. The buds that flower are susceptible to damage.
Cover the Tree in Freezing Temperatures
Cover the tree with a blanket in freezing temperatures, if the tree has already bloomed. This will keep the blossoms warmer so they won’t freeze. You can also hang Christmas lights with big bulbs, in your tree. The big bulbs will warm your tree and your tree will look beautiful! Christmas bulbs on your tree will work the best if the tree is a dwarf.
Summing Up
Spring is such a beautiful time of year but it can wreak havoc on your fruit tree. Imagine working so hard on planting your tree only to have the blossoms freeze. Come Summer you wouldn’t have any fruit! That would be such a tragedy. Weather you planted apple, peach, or apricot these tips can help. Fruit trees can be hard to grow but hopefully you’ll think it’s worth it. These tips will help keep your fruit tree from freezing and provide you with delicious fruit this summer. Your family will thank you for all your hard work when they are enjoying a tasty peach cobbler.
Image Source: Pixabay
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