By Clint Thompson
Fruit and vegetable growers in Southeast Alabama were subjected to sub-freezing temperatures earlier this week.
Neil Kelly, Alabama regional Extension agent in Southeast Alabama, expects minimal damage from the few hours of low temperatures, which varied from field to field.
“I don’t think the freeze (this week) is going to be terribly rough on us. It dipped down fast and started coming back up pretty quick (Tuesday) morning,” Kelly said. “I would expect minimal and scattered freeze injury on some of the fruit crop, some of the tree crops. I don’t suspect anything real detrimental. We’re just going to see some isolated, scattered freeze injury.
“Any time the average temperature is forecasted for 27 (degrees Fahrenheit) or 28, you’re going to have some cold spots that are 24, 25. Some might only get 32 or 33. With topography, there’s some variation in those low temperatures. I would expect to see some freeze injury but nothing major.”