A hard freeze is different from just a regular freeze, because a hard freeze is defined by the destruction of seasonal vegetation, a frozen solid ground surface, and heavy ice forming in puddles.
Florida is at the peak of its winter agriculture season. Growers currently are harvesting citrus, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, snap beans, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, radishes, squash and ferns. The Sunshine State is a primary supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables to the rest of the country during winter months.
Yesterday, our governor, Charlie Crist, extended an executive order relaxing weight and height restrictions on vehicles taking crops to processing plants in an effort to help growers speed up their harvesting ahead of the chilly weather.
While much of the country deals with freezing temperatures this time of the year. It is big news and a laborful event for those of us who live here. I covered my plants with more caution once the forecast dipped to 23 degrees.
I wondered how the small citrus growers in my neighborhood would cope. Johnson Growers have a grove of immature orange trees. They decided to run their sprinklers all night long.
I took this picture around 10.15 this morning. I could really only photograph one row of trees, so imagine looking at acres of these frozen orange trees as I was.
Tonight I called President Erickson, Doug's counselor, who is also a scientist, to ask him about it. He explained to me in terms that I didn't quite understand, but found interesting nevertheless...that when water turns to ice it gives off a tremendous amount of heat which actually keeps the plant warm as long as ice is being made. (Our freeze started at 11 last night and at 9 this morning we were still in freezing conditions.) The only risk comes later when the ice melts, if it falls onto the trees and breaks the limbs. But the Johnson Growers continued to run the sprinklers all day as well so the ice slid off the branches rather than breaking them. President Erickson said they were smart and that he thinks the trees will be fine.
Amazing!
4 comments:
Wow! Who would have thought that would work?!
Thanks for doing the research. I knew about the sprinkler trick but I didn't know the whys and hows.
As I traveled to work yesterday morning I, too, saw many orange groves with baby trees that were covered thickly with ice. It was a sight to see.
The plants actually look pretty with the ice!
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