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Evaluating Fruit Tree Buds Following Freezing Weather

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Penn State University has distributed information from fruit specialist Jim Schupp regarding how to asses fruit tree health following the recent freezing weather:  Peach Bud Survival - Compare the number of live buds to the number a fruiting lateral should carry based on the target yield per acreimage014

  1. To get a good estimate, examine about 150 to 200 flower buds per variety per block.
  2. Collect one strong fruiting lateral (pencil thick and 24 to 32 inches long) from each of two sides of 5 representative trees per block.
  3. Bring the fruiting laterals into a heated building, place them in buckets of water, and allow them to warm up.
  4. Count and record the total number of flowers and unopened buds on a branch.
  5. Examine the ovule in the center of each flower, and count the number that are healthy.
  6. Compare this number per fruiting lateral to your desired crop load. If, for example, you have 12 live flower buds on a fruiting lateral that should carry 3 peaches at harvest, then you have four times as many live flower buds as are required for a full crop.

More info can be found at:  http://extension.psu.edu/plants/tree-fruit/news/2014/grab-some-buds
NFG 4/7/2016

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About cmanneri

Christy is a graduate of the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware with a master's in Public Administration. She is the chief operating officer of a local non-profit, 3B Brae’s Brown Bags and a Communications Specialist for the University of Delaware. Her research interests include issues of social justice, such as nutritional insecurity, community re-entry, and domestic violence. She also volunteers with her local school district and has a deep passion for education policy, as she believes many social injustices stem from inequitable opportunities in education.