What's the Weather Doing to Fruit?

January 09, 2009

What's winter weather doing to fruit depends a great deal on your location in Alabama.

What started off as one of the best chill hour accumulating fall and winter conditions seen in a number of years in central Alabama has turned south or should I say sour, or has it. Looking back at historical data from central Alabama and comparing past years were well ahead of the 10 year average chill hour accumulations.

We started losing ground in central Alabama the last half of December. Just two days ago we reached 74 degrees, I figure we have a few more warm days to go and then will see temperatures return to more normal conditions. While we don't need 70 degree weather it might not hurt us to be slowing down the accumulation of chill hours.

Early accumulation of chill hours to fruit trees can work to set trees up for major freeze damage in early spring. Some locations in north Alabama have already received from 70 to 100 percent of their chilling needs depending on the variety. Warm temperatures will be increasing heat units and move these plants toward earlier bloom. If you grow fruit then you know that earlier bloom greatly increases the potential for spring freeze damage.

As of 1/8/09:
In north Alabama:
Cullman has 695 chill hours. This is approximately 82% chilling satisfied on 850's
Belle Mina has 875 chill hours or 100 percent chilling satisfied for 850 chill hour varieties.
Hazel Green has 917 chill hours and is within 96% satisfied for 950 chill hour varieties.
In south Alabama:
Semmes has accumulated 330 chill hours. (289 last year)
Fair Hope has accumulated 286 chill hours. (254 last year)
Grand Bay has accumulated 348 chill hours. (242 last year)
Brewton has accumulated 447 chill hours, (354 last year)
Headland has accumulated 394 chill hours, (354 last year)

In central Alabama where the majority of peach are grown in Alabama, the chill hour accumulation is 557 chill hours, (418 this date last year).

FOR ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS RETURN TO PEACH IPM HOME PAGE, CLICK CHILL HOURS

With the exception of some very low chill varieties, at our Research and Extension location, most of our varieties still have maroon colored wood indicating low physiological activity at this time. Long range forcasts have cold weather returning for the next two weeks. Fortunately this cold front seems to be coming in gradually, which will be helpful to recondition our fruit trees some.

Below is a photo taken to illustrate how much variation there is based on chill hour requirements. This photo was taken late February 06, central Alabama.