damage
Monday, April 9th, had several distinctions that made it a bit different from other days. First is the fact that it was my Mom’s birthday, she would be 95 on this day – she passed on Mother’s day in 1997. Second is not a biggie but this was our first day back from Texas and we are trying to recover from being gone for over a week. Third is the fact that we had a hard freeze while we were gone and I need to check out the damage from that – will come back to that later.
My morning was spent recovering inside the house, with some putting away of clothes and ‘stuff’. In the afternoon I ventured down to the post office to pick up the mail. It was a good thing I took a plastic bag with me because I filled it up – plus we had two packages. Then it was over to Bi-Lo for a ‘few’ grocery items – over 50 bucks worth. After that I picked up some takeout for our evening meal and headed home to partake thereof with the Spice.
Shortly before sundown, I meandered somewhat apprehensively outside to assess the damage from the freaky cold snap – the coldest for those days in this area since back in the 1880s. Two nights in a row there was a frost and one of them was in the mid to upper twenties. Starting at the driveway, the leaves of the blueberries were only affected in a minor way, but the berries may be lost. Most of them were dimpled as from freezing but it will be a few days to see if they will fall off.
The small paw paw trees on the other side of the drive are always late to put on leaves and seem to have only minor damage. The blooms that I found earlier on the one of them evidently didn’t get pollinated because they are drying up and falling off. Little or no damage was noted on the Cornelian cherries and the June berries. The small stubborn pecan tree moved from the garden a couple of years ago didn’t have leaves as yet so hopefully it will be OK. The main branches of the small hazelnut trees weren’t affected but the new sprouts at the ground line were all wilted.
The fig trees transplanted during last years dormant season are a different story. They are very sensitive to frost and all sprouts and leaves are dead. If they live, they will grow again from the roots plus the possibility of any figs from them is slim this year. The blueberries on the bedroom end of the house are about like the others and only time will tell whether any berries will be left. Their mulch is getting a little thin, I’m sure they will benefit from another layer of organic matter.
The single pear tree had bloomed abundantly and had much small fruit hanging all over – now almost all the fingernail sized fruit has turned brown. Only two or three were noticed that weren’t dead already and it remains to be seen if they will grow. Its blooms were killed last year and had no pears at all. Checking the muscadines, I was somewhat surprised that they were only about 10% affected. They are late to put out shoots and leaves and that may have been their salvation.
The larger hazelnuts on this end were about like the smaller ones and the main blueberry patch also was like the other blueberries, blueberries may be hard to come by this year. If so, it will be the first time this has happened since I have been growing them. The leaves and small figs on the larger trees on this end are dead; hopefully they are big enough to sprout again instead of having to grow back from the ground. The rugosa rose and the thornless blackberries didn’t seem to be damaged.
God is still good – all the time. ec
My morning was spent recovering inside the house, with some putting away of clothes and ‘stuff’. In the afternoon I ventured down to the post office to pick up the mail. It was a good thing I took a plastic bag with me because I filled it up – plus we had two packages. Then it was over to Bi-Lo for a ‘few’ grocery items – over 50 bucks worth. After that I picked up some takeout for our evening meal and headed home to partake thereof with the Spice.
Shortly before sundown, I meandered somewhat apprehensively outside to assess the damage from the freaky cold snap – the coldest for those days in this area since back in the 1880s. Two nights in a row there was a frost and one of them was in the mid to upper twenties. Starting at the driveway, the leaves of the blueberries were only affected in a minor way, but the berries may be lost. Most of them were dimpled as from freezing but it will be a few days to see if they will fall off.
The small paw paw trees on the other side of the drive are always late to put on leaves and seem to have only minor damage. The blooms that I found earlier on the one of them evidently didn’t get pollinated because they are drying up and falling off. Little or no damage was noted on the Cornelian cherries and the June berries. The small stubborn pecan tree moved from the garden a couple of years ago didn’t have leaves as yet so hopefully it will be OK. The main branches of the small hazelnut trees weren’t affected but the new sprouts at the ground line were all wilted.
The fig trees transplanted during last years dormant season are a different story. They are very sensitive to frost and all sprouts and leaves are dead. If they live, they will grow again from the roots plus the possibility of any figs from them is slim this year. The blueberries on the bedroom end of the house are about like the others and only time will tell whether any berries will be left. Their mulch is getting a little thin, I’m sure they will benefit from another layer of organic matter.
The single pear tree had bloomed abundantly and had much small fruit hanging all over – now almost all the fingernail sized fruit has turned brown. Only two or three were noticed that weren’t dead already and it remains to be seen if they will grow. Its blooms were killed last year and had no pears at all. Checking the muscadines, I was somewhat surprised that they were only about 10% affected. They are late to put out shoots and leaves and that may have been their salvation.
The larger hazelnuts on this end were about like the smaller ones and the main blueberry patch also was like the other blueberries, blueberries may be hard to come by this year. If so, it will be the first time this has happened since I have been growing them. The leaves and small figs on the larger trees on this end are dead; hopefully they are big enough to sprout again instead of having to grow back from the ground. The rugosa rose and the thornless blackberries didn’t seem to be damaged.
God is still good – all the time. ec
posted by mreddie | 5:23 PM
6 Comments:
AHHH- that's not a happy situation you have there-sorry it happened.
I picked you as a favorite blogger so check out my site when you can.
June
Junierose - Thanks for your sympathy, it is not looking good, hopefully I will know the full impact on the berries in about a week. ec
I, too, hope all turns out okay. I almost envy you for all your gardens so to see some spoiled hurts me too.
My mother, too, had her birthday in April, 6th. She was buried on Mother's Day, 1935, at age 33. I was 9 but remember her very well.
So I know your feelings.
We, too, are having a cold spell, snow today, and Easter at our daughter's for dinner, the guys watching the snow in Chicago made me quip, I hope it snows all summer!! Then when the gasps came, I said I am sick of hearing of global warming!!
My family agreed!!!
Betty G
Hope all is well.
So, perhaps it is good to be a 'late bloomer'....so sorry your beloved fruit trees were hit with an unusual frost. I wonder, if this were a business, and this was an orchard, would insurance cover the loss of the fig trees?
itsboopchile - It irrates me as well how all these educated folks claim 'global warming' when they (should) know well that these things have a natural cycle - I guess it just fits into their politics.
Jayleigh - I will have to check these plants again in a few days to assess the loss but meanwhile, in the words of the old song - "It is well with my soul".
Bonita - True, the late sprouters were not hit as heavy. I have learned that one can get insurance for almost anything - for a price. We have some large scale peach growers just north of us and most of their crop was wiped out too. ec
Post a Comment
<< Home