04/04/05 The Orchard slow down

The warmer than usual weather early last month led to concerns in the fruit industry that one spell of frost is all that would be needed to cause significant damage, especially with cherries blooming earlier than normal. Two weeks later, there have been cooler temperatures. But according to Nate Squires of Northwest Wholesale, the temperatures have been mixed with rains and wind, easing frost concerns. SQUIRES: In taking with some of the field staff around in the last two weeks, we do have some areas that had received some damage but not anything to what we were fearful that we may have had or may have in the future. The change in weather conditions over the last two weeks have also ease grower concerns about dealing with an advanced schedule in applying pesticides, irrigating orchards, and the like. SQUIRES: Last year, in accordance with Tim Smith, we were fifteen days earlier than in a normal year. With the cool weather that we have had here, that window has condensed a little bit. And now we're down to about nine days earlier than normal. Still an advanced schedule yes, but the cooler weather has slowed down development of trees. SQUIRES: What's happened is with the cooler temperatures with some of the moisture, some of the things that we've gotten in the last two weeks; it's let us slow down that rate a little bit. And Squires adds cooler weather couldn't have come at a better time to mix in with the increased moisture, as it diminishes the chances of mildew on cherries.