As the cold front passes today it is bringing rain, but more importantly warmer temperatures by the weekend as ag industry experts held their collective breath in the early morning hours yesterday when things turn almost too cold briefly. Michigan State University Extension experts Mark Longstroth, Bill Shane and Brad Baughman's weekly regional fruit report for Michigan's Great Southwest says most growers likely escaped unharmed when temps dropped early Tuesday, May 3rd, to near freezing in some low-lying areas.
The report says, those low-lying temperature readings "may have caused some damage to unprotected crops," however they later say, "With the exception of strawberries, no fruit crops should have been damaged." They also point out that "No freezes are in the forecast, and there is only a slight chance of damaging freezes in May."
Low temperatures early Tuesday varied from as low as 33-degrees in the 6-7am hour near Lawrence to 35 in the Scottdale neighborhood of Royalton Township and 33.6-degrees in South Haven. Temperatures stayed closer to 38 and 39 degrees at the coldest point near Benton Harbor and Berrien Springs, while Watervliet dipped to just under 35-degrees in the 5-7am period.
The crop report says that rainfall totals for April averaged 3.5-inches for the region, and plants have leafed out relatively rapidly despite the cool temperatures due to the warm, moist soils and warmer night temperatures. Today's passing cold front will see a rebound into the 70s for the weekend ahead with lows around the 40 mark.
The MSU Extension Fruit Educators say that the bloom is ending for stone fruits, while apple orchards are near full bloom and early petal fall in Berrien County, while pear bloom is ending.
Juice grape buds are growing, hybrid wine grapes have leaves unfolding among the most advanced areas and vinefera wine grapes are at bud burst stage.
Strawberry leaves are still emerging, and once the buds emerge they can be killed by cold temperatures. Reports indicate that growers have put out straw and some have rain sprinklers to prevent frost-damage to exposed lower buds.
