Blizzard Last Night

[55 Fargo]

Fired up old Fargo, she was shivering but running proud outside was at least 6 below.

You southern Guys, ever see exhaust fog, well here is some...

[Oldguy48]

I've got the utmost respect for you Canucks. I don't know how you endure the frigid winters as you do. Here in Pennsylvania, our winters are generally very mild compared to yours. And by the end of November, I just want to hibernate until about May, so I don't have to put up with the snow, ice, etc. My hat's off to you sir...you folks are a tough lot!

[pflaming]

Cold weather and trees: When we speak of cold weather, we speak of temps that drop below the freezing mark for a few hours. The cold never really penetrates the ground surface. These cold 'spell's force the sap down and that invigorates the trees for the new crop. A warm winter will usually mean a light crop and less sweet fruit.

Citrus is the exception, it likes cold weather high 30's and fog, like a cold storage, but a long cold night freezes the sugar in the fruit. Our trees start blooming mid febr, first fruit in 90 days, most fruit in 120/150. Later fruit usually sweeter than early fruit. I seldom eat a peach before late June. I have a clos friend who is a grower/packer/shipper so I have total access to his cull conveyor. This time of year I'm eating Cuties and Kiwi. One of the benefits of this area.

[55 Fargo]

I've got the utmost respect for you Canucks. I don't know how you endure the frigid winters as you do. Here in Pennsylvania, our winters are generally very mild compared to yours. And by the end of November, I just want to hibernate until about May, so I don't have to put up with the snow, ice, etc. My hat's off to you sir...you folks are a tough lot!

Niece and Her Husband live in West Chester Pa, they love your winters compared to here. He works for the Phillies so they go to Florida a bit too, for training camp...

[55 Fargo]

Cold weather and trees: When we speak of cold weather, we speak of temps that drop below the freezing mark for a few hours. The cold never really penetrates the ground surface. These cold 'spell's force the sap down and that invigorates the trees for the new crop. A warm winter will usually mean a light crop and less sweet fruit.

Citrus is the exception, it likes cold weather high 30's and fog, like a cold storage, but a long cold night freezes the sugar in the fruit. Our trees start blooming mid febr, first fruit in 90 days, most fruit in 120/150. Later fruit usually sweeter than early fruit. I seldom eat a peach before late June. I have a clos friend who is a grower/packer/shipper so I have total access to his cull conveyor. This time of year I'm eating Cuties and Kiwi. One of the benefits of this area.

Canadian Peaches, Apples Pears, grapes etc, grown in BC or Niagra region, not till July August, they have winter but very mild compared to Manitoba,Saskatchewan and Alberta, where it can be very cold.

But having said that we still grown beautiful veg gardens, apples, even grapes at my place, nothing like Cal, but they still grow....

[pflaming]

Rockwood, yes and cold climate fruit is much sweeter than CA fruit. If you want to grow peaches, cold even very cold weather does NOT hurt the tree, what you must protect are the buds. Place a tree on the south side of a building and prune it like three fingered hand with the main branchs in a row, keep it a about 6' tall and design a way to drop a curtain down over it at night once the buds are out, do that til you are past the cold snaps and you will have LOADS of fruit.

Just remember to thin in May and leave at least six inches between each small fruit. The tree will look bare but you will have nice size fruit and lots of it. Try it. Once that tree is three years old, then graft two of the branches to different varieties so you have three progessive crops.

[55 Fargo]

Rockwood, yes and cold climate fruit is much sweeter than CA fruit. If you want to grow peaches, cold even very cold weather does NOT hurt the tree, what you must protect are the buds. Place a tree on the south side of a building and prune it like three fingered hand with the main branchs in a row, keep it a about 6' tall and design a way to drop a curtain down over it at night once the buds are out, do that til you are past the cold snaps and you will have LOADS of fruit.

Just remember to thin in May and leave at least six inches between each small fruit. The tree will look bare but you will have nice size fruit and lots of it. Try it. Once that tree is three years old, then graft two of the branches to different varieties so you have three progessive crops.

Hey Paul, all apple, grapes, and some pears, are all hybrids, designed in Manitoba at Morden to tolerate, cold snaps to -30 and -40 even. Peaches might tolerate down to 0, but have never seen any survive here, the cold snaps are 2 long.

I have my genetically modified grapes bred for zone 4 on south side of house, we are zone 3a-3b, where Fargo and Grand Forks ND are zone 4, see how cold it can be here..

Most apple tress, are grafts on crap apple root stock, don't ask me how I first discovered this

[pflaming]

Get some good manure, mix it with straw or hay, and make pile it around those trunks. I'm sure you know most of the ways to protect buried pipes. I would guess all farm pipes are 6' + feet below the surface. We would do this around our cattle tanks usually several times a winter, it didn't stop the freezing but it greatly minimized it.

[55 Fargo]

Get some good manure, mix it with straw or hay, and make pile it around those trunks. I'm sure you know most of the ways to protect buried pipes. I would guess all farm pipes are 6' + feet below the surface. We would do this around our cattle tanks usually several times a winter, it didn't stop the freezing but it greatly minimized it.

I think you get Peach trees to survive here, but not thrive, they do no grown in ND, so not my chance here.

Water and sewer lines are 7-8 feet underground, average ground frost is 3-4 feet here, with a good snow cover much less, and areas that are trampled with cars, could be 6feet of frost.

It is funny though, on warm winter days, my water spiggot on south side of house flows, have seen insects buzzin around outside on warm February days too

[55 Fargo]

[55 Fargo]

20 minutes ago, we did not get that much snow, but now it is blowing like crazy. It is very dry and powdery, it is 0, with a 20 below windchill, living here is not for the squeamish.

So you Guys living in the south or more temperate zones, don't complain, this could be your winter, and it's not overly fun......