Knowledgebase

Fruit on my fruit trees snow coming #791717

Asked May 19, 2022, 5:20 PM EDT

I have peach trees that have small peaches on them and a cherry tree that has lots of small cherries on it. Will I have any fruit from these trees after the snowstorm that is coming.  Can I do anything to save the fruit?   May  2022 

El Paso County Colorado

Expert Response

Hello!

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of good options.

Whether or not fruit will survive depends on how cold it really gets and for how long.  Green fruits on peaches and cherries can take temperatures a few degrees below freezing for short periods--it it gets down to 28 degrees for example just in the early morning for an hour and then heads right back up again, much of your fruit may survive.  The longer and colder the exposure, the more damage can be expected.  

If your trees are small enough, you might be able to cover them--for the cover to be effective it needs to be able to trap heat from the ground, so will need to cover the plant from "head to toe".  With the wet snow expected, be sure to add strong supports to any cover to prevent snow from building up and crushing/breaking branches.  

Some folks also swear by using Christmas lights wrapped along the branches to provide a bit of heat.  I'm not aware of any experimental evidence to support this, but there is anecdotal support at any rate.  It might be worth a try!

I hope this is helpful.

Cordially,

John

An Ask Extension Expert Replied May 19, 2022, 5:42 PM EDT

Loading ...