For those in New England that have FB, this is an interesting interview with a rep from the NH Division of Forests and Lands regarding the impact the recent late-season deep freeze (worst in about 35 years) had on our fruit-bearing trees (as well as oaks, beech, etc.). //www.facebook.com/eric.orff/videos/2153070238213446 It will be devastating to a lot of the local economy if this holds true and the apple orchards don't produce later in the year. Additionally, those of us who have weakened oaks, due to two years of complete defoliation from the gypsy moth caterpillars, will have to see if the trees that were already struggling to survive will make it. Pic below is one of my oaks that mostly survived the defoliation but was hammered by the late freeze. All the young buds/leaves have been completely killed off, and almost every oak tree around here that wasn't already killed by the defoliation now looks like this.
I'm seeing little signs (droppings) of the gypsy moth caterpillars. No widespread defoiliation, yet. The only trees that didn't fully leaf out, are three ash trees on their way out. EAB
Apple trees in this area are full blossoms right now. I think we misses the late freeze because we are behind you by a week or 2 with weather so trees hadn’t really started yet.
I was wondering how you fared up there by the border. Good luck down there. So far, the only gypsy moth caterpillars I have seen hatch here were from one egg mass a couple weeks ago, and they all died after only crawling a short distance. We're crossing our fingers that the worst is over (since they usually hatch in May), however only time will tell (since supposedly the third year is the worst). Regardless, there will be a lot of felling, cutting, splitting, and stacking this year without having to do much scrounging due to the huge number of trees already killed. With so much of it being oak, I'll probably still have to scrounge some 12-24-month drying species to augment my hoard, but I may also look into a making a homemade kiln next year (depending on how the hoard looks at the end of this year). None of my planted fruit trees had blossomed yet, and I was bringing in two potted apple trees during the cold nights (they do have blossoms). I forgot to bring in a potted peach tree that was covered in blossoms one night, and every blossom died off. No fruit from that tree this year. Goping to get those three trees in the ground this weekend.
A few local apple orchards in our town in VT were unfortunately hit pretty hard. They said they may not have any crop this season. That’s going to be really hard on them as they are smaller operations relatively speaking.
Yesterday the governor of Connecticut requested a federal agriculture disaster declaration due to the frost a few days ago. It got down to 33 at my house but plenty of places even south of me saw the mid/high 20s. I noticed a lot of damage in different parts of the state. I imagine up in New Hampshire it must’ve gotten hit hard. Governor Lamont Requests Federal Agriculture Disaster Declaration Due to Crop Damage Caused by Recent Sub-Freezing Temperatures
I haven't seen anything yet in NH about state or federal assistance for farms that took a heavy hit, however after reading some of the recent articles about the frost damage, it wouldn't surprise me if something like that isn't offered eventually. Hard freeze causes significant crop damage at farms in NH, beyond | Local News | sentinelsource.com Valley News - Cold snap may have wiped out Upper Valley apple crop (vnews.com)
Apple orchard about a half mile down from me got wiped out. He won't have apples or peaches for sale this year. Also no cider, which was a pretty good money maker for him. Peaches dropped off for me and most of my apples but I have like one or two on each tree. Freeze got the beech tree in the back yard. It has held onto some of the damaged leaves and grown very few new ones. Could be some kind of blight but I'm hoping it is/was the freeze.
Most likely beech leaf disease. I started looking out for it a couple years ago, and spotted it for the first time last year. Unfortunately it effects the young saplings just as much as the old giants.
