Nature’s alarm clock

Dismay best sums up the last month.

For tree fruit growers this recent spell of ‘fine’ weather will, from past experiences, commit us to six weeks of sleepless nights ahead.

We expect to see a few early Bumble Bees around now – at much lower temperatures than of late.

The eggs of Winter Moth will hatch once daytime temperatures climb to 12deg C consistently – usually in about a month ahead from now.

Apple buds are breaking – usually a slow, gradual progression from bud break, bud burst, mouse ear, green cluster and eventually pink bud (when the unopened blossom buds stand proud amongst some bold, green rosette leaves). These rosette leaves are rather important for supporting the nutrition of the adjacent blossoms. Should the general momentum of the tree metabolism be accelerated – as it will be after recent succcessive days – the blossom buds risk emerging too hard on the heals of the green cluster stage, then invariably the blossoms will be weaker.

Many overwintering insects are at risk of being awakened prematurely only to succumb to cold weather by mid April. Not only will they not be available to pollinate fruit tree flowers, they won’t be available to reproduce either.

The temperatures experienced here during this last week would have been more than adequate for a successful pollination of fruit tree flowers early in May. We haven’t reached April , yet. There are flowers open on Louise Bonne of Jersey pear today.

The brakes need to be applied for the next three weeks, at least, to avert the probability of frost damage to tender stages late in April and through much of May. Remember, the late frost during mid May last season left us some badly scarred fruits – they were the lucky ones.

Rainfall is another concern with March remaining rather dry.

A sustained period of cool and wet until mid April is to be preferred – and then everything will stand a better chance!

Snooze!