West Michigan’s Freeze Could Leave Apple Crop Bare

Do you love the smell of homemade apple sauce?

When you think of the fall, do you think of drinking apple cider?

Last year, the drought almost wiped out the apple crop. The grocery stores were forced to import apples from West Michigan and Washington. Our pockets felt the loss of the apple crop as well when the cider prices jumped to 10-13 dollars a gallon at some orchards.

I know, it’s barely feeling like spring let alone fall. While you are right, the cold temperatures that are making your dream of spring are also threatening your fall activities. If apples aren’t for you, you cannot forget about Michigan cherries which are also being threatened.

Why are Cherry and Apple Crops Being Threatened?

On Sunday night and Monday morning this week, all over Michigan temperatures dropped to freezing. A freeze is a huge problem for fruit trees in the spring, especially since spring came late in Michigan.

When the weather warms up, fruit trees start to blossom. During this time, fruit trees become very vulnerable. Since West Michigan’s temperatures dropped below freezing, there may be considerable damage.

According to Mlive.com:

In fact, across the state, growers have been making preparations for “potentially the largest crop of apples and cherries that we’ve ever seen,” said Armock, who estimated the 2013 crop could yield between 30 and 34 million bushels of apples this year, from Traverse City down to the state line. “It’s a lot of crop at risk,” said Armock. That crop means income for many people involved in the state’s multimillion dollar agricultural sector.”

How to Prevent Losing the Crop

One tried and true way to prevent losing the crop is to install Rootwells. Rootwells are a scientifically proved to enhance the trees roots and increase the mass of the tree. By having strong root and a larger mass the trees are more likely to survive a freeze or drought.