A Creston orchard含羞草研究社檚 soft fruit supply has been completely wiped out by record-breaking winter weather that settled in the area a few weeks ago.
The Creston Valleyfrom Jan. 12 to 14, when a cold weather system touched down in area and caused thermometers to plummet as low as -27.2 degrees Celsius.
Frank Wloka at Wloka Farms said his soft fruit trees have suffered 100 per cent bud mortality from this weather event, including peaches, apricots, prunes, plums, nectarines and cherries. He confirmed the data with an agronomist on Jan. 29.
含羞草研究社淭he damage is extraordinarily significant,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲e have experienced crop losses in the past, but not as extensive as we have experienced this go-around.含羞草研究社�
He said his farm will have no soft fruit to sell this year, which will ultimately have heavy financial repercussions.
含羞草研究社淲e know we含羞草研究社檙e going to be in a substantial red ink situation for this year. That含羞草研究社檚 a given. We have to manage what we can to reduce the cost structure in a way so that we are basically able to carry forward into next year,含羞草研究社� he said.
The farm will still have vegetables and some apples, but Wloka said these crops are not as lucrative because they don含羞草研究社檛 draw as many visitors to Creston Valley.
含羞草研究社淭he problem with not having soft fruit for our operation, is that it含羞草研究社檚 still very much the drawing card for the tourism that comes into this area,含羞草研究社� he said.
Wloka is not the only local businesses that has been impacted by the winter storm.
on its grape plants last week and owner R茅mi Cardinal said he isn含羞草研究社檛 expecting much fruit at all this year.
Martha Flamenco at Flamenco Farms said that while she hasn含羞草研究社檛 completed a full bud assessment yet, she expects the crop to be light, particularly cherries and peaches. She said she含羞草研究社檇 have further data by the end of the month.
Wloka worked with an agronomist from Pearl Agricultural Consulting Inc. to determine the extent of the damage. He gathered tree samples and placed them in water for 48 hours at room temperature, and then cut into them so the agronomist could examine the tissue underneath the tree buds.
The buds were dead and brown as expected, but they also found some damage in the branches. Wloka said this could indicate that the whole tree might be at risk of dying, which is a worse outcome than a tree simply not producing fruit for a season.
含羞草研究社淲e are seeing browning in the cambium layer and that含羞草研究社檚 not a good sign at all. There could be tree mortality. If not the full tree, it含羞草研究社檚 probably going to be limb mortality. I also think that some of the really small trees that were planted over the last year or two are at high risk of loss as well.含羞草研究社�
Wloka said that while it isn含羞草研究社檛 uncommon for orchardists to lose trees in winter, damage was worse this year due to a stretch of mild weather that led up to the cold spell. Spring-like temperatures caused the trees to bud prematurely, which lowered their tolerance for cold and caused them to freeze when temperatures plunged below zero.
含羞草研究社淚f the buds had been dormant, we would have had a reduced crop but we likely would not have had 100 per cent bud kill,含羞草研究社� he explained.
Wloka said fluctuating weather patterns, which are becoming more frequent, leave him uncertain for the future.
含羞草研究社淚s it a 100 year event? Is it something we含羞草研究社檙e going to be faced with more going forward as climate change puts its grip on us?含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t could repeat itself,含羞草研究社� he added.
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