Last night, 1 to 6 inches of heavy, wet snow fell in northern Utah. It is important to remove as much heavy snow as possible from limbs to prevent breakage.
Tonight, there may be more snow in northern Utah, and temperatures are predicted to go down to the low 30s along the Wasatch Front, and 28 in northerly areas.
We will be able to determine any freeze damage to fruit in about one to two weeks.
In General:
- Clear off snow, where possible, with a soft tool to minimize limb breakage
- If any limbs have cracked, prune them out, making a clean cut
Commercial Growers:
- Watch your weather station temperatures and be ready to turn on wind machines
Backyard Growers:
- In general, temperatures around 28F may cause about 10% fruit damage. This will help you to decide if you should take action.
- On taller trees, fruit in the interior should be OK, but exterior fruit may be damaged.
- If your tree is short enough, you can cover it with a light blanket. This protection works best if the blanket touches the ground to maintain interior warmth.
- Some areas of the country use sprinklers when temperatures are close to freezing.