Thread: Jack Frost

Got cold suddenly last night about 9.30.
Last year we had a sudden -6C frost which wiped out our blossoms and new fruit so I was a bit worried. Went out with headlamp and rigged up hose to have water spray on what trees it could reach. Was already -1C by 10pm. Under lean-to at 7am this morning was -3.5C. Pic shows the results of the spraying.

I hope we have some fruit this season but only time will tell.

Orchards south of havelock in Hawke’s Bay froze at 2 am this morning and thawed when the sun hit the ground at 7 am

All my auto start machines ran the 5 hrs and we kept the orchards at plus 2.9 degrees

Without the frost fans going we would lose fruit for sure

The new frost boss machines burn 21 litres of diesel per hour

No sleep for me last night


Not sure whether to go have a wee sleep or go for a hunt

I don't know whay will happen to our trees. The ice is supposed to insulate. I only was able to reach a couple of trees with the spray so will be interesting to compare sprayed vs unsprayed. It was -2C in the glasshouses at 7,15 this morning and -3.5C under my shed lean to. Last year as fruit was setting we copped a sudden -6C two nights running and that killed all our fruit for last crop.

Lost all fruit in Hanmer last year apart from apples due to late snow. From what I hear it happened again yesterday, growing stuff so much easier now we are back up here

We had a frost here but not as hard.
It is a bit of a raffle as I think the one this morning wont do too much damage but a nasty storm later can stuff everything.
Apples, feijoas and nuts like walnut and hazelnut are ok but the rest good luck.