By Will Jordan
Peach losses were unfortunately common for growers in the Southeast. Due to an unseasonably warm February and a freeze in March, much of the crop was devastated, especially in Alabama.
Producers can take action to mitigate future crop damage in the future. Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, emphasizes the implementation of wind machines on farms.
The advanced stage of this year’s crop made the trees vulnerable to the sub-freezing temperatures that were experienced in mid-March. It was advanced due to the unseasonably warm temperatures felt in February. Blooms were set much earlier than normal, which left the trees susceptible to cold injury.