I just wanted to share results of some experimenting here. I have many
small fruit trees. I'm experimenting now with some systems to protect
the trees when they are in flower in the spring and we expect a frost.
I'm putting two tree bags on each tree. Inside the tree bags I have an
outdoor light fixture with a ceramic heating element, I think about 125
W. Last night the temperature inside the bags was about 10 degrees
warmer than outside. That's plenty for protecting the tree when the
outside temperature gets as low as even 18-20. The temperatures outside
last night were mild for this time of year, a low of about 29, so this
is a good test for temps dipping into the lower 20s.
Previously I have been using a halogen spotlight of about 75W but much
of that wattage is going to producing light. I was finding that I need
two of them to get a good temperature increase, so one of the ceramic
units works better and is sturdier.
I have them on a timer that turns on at dark and off at dawn.
They make tree bags that are quite large but if the tree is too big,
it's difficult to get the bags over it.
By the way, there are two reasons for using two bags. One is that it is
better insulation. The other is that the inner bag tends to get torn by
branches, so I use an older bag that is already torn as the inner one,
sort of "underwear". An intact bag goes over that one.
In addition to late spring frost protection, I'm using a similar setup
for my pomegranates, which don't like much below 15-20 degrees. We do
get down to zero or even a little below at times. I have four
pomegranates planted in a row. I've got a two-layer wall of straw bales
around them and a heavy duty transparent tarp over the whole thing.
Inside are two halogen spot lights on a thermostat that turns on at 20
degrees. Last year the tops of the plants survived perfectly well and I
expect them to do so again this year.
The only issue with the pomegranates is that their new leaves in the
spring seem to be very sensitive to even slight frost. With all the
protection I give them, they leaf out early, so I have to keep them
covered until frost danger is well over.
Regards,
Jay
Jay Cutts
Director, Cutts Graduate Reviews
Lead Author, Barron's MCAT Prep Book
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(505) 281-0684 (landline, no texts)
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On 1/3/2023 10:03 AM, Henry via nafex wrote:
> Del,
>
> Thanks for waking up the list!
>
> If Dennis changes his mind, I would be interested.
>
> I did not know we had someone from Northern Minnesota on the list. I grew up in Lake of the Woods County where I planted my first apples.
>
> I would love to hear more about what you have had success with up there.
>
> I also really appreciate it when people tell us where they are.
>
> --Henry Fieldseth
> Minnespolis, Minnesota, USA, Zone 4
>
>
> On Tuesday, January 3, 2023, 09:07:58 AM CST, MnDel <dsmndel@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> excellent,! I will try leaving you a private message and we can sort out
> particulars that way, del
>
> On Tue, Jan 3, 2023 at 8:53 AM Dennis B <pogohome@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I would love to have them. I am just starting out with my orchard. Don't
>> know what survived this extreme cold blast we got.
>> thanks,
>> Dennis
>>
>> On Tue, Jan 3, 2023 at 8:50 AM MnDel <dsmndel@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> thanks Lawrence, I will wait and hope someone on the list wants them, how
>>> many folk are left here? Del
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jan 3, 2023 at 12:00 AM Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Mon, Jan 2, 2023 at 9:58 PM MnDel <dsmndel@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I have a stack of these to give away for cost of postage, any takers?
>>>> nafex
>>>>> was great for me in my orchard beginnings in the 90's
>>>>> del stubbs
>>>>>
>>>> There is a possibility that the D.H. Hill Library at N.C. State
>>> University
>>>> in Raleigh, N.C. might want them. I have contacted them in the past and
>>>> they expressed interest in some of my books on agriculture.
>>>> What about the National Agricultural Library or the Alternative Farming
>>>> System Information Center at NAL?
>>>>
>>>> Unless someone in this list wants them or NAFEX itself or their
>> members.
>>>>> __________________
>>>>> nafex mailing list
>>>>> nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
>>>>> Northamerican Allied Fruit Experimenters
>>>>> subscribe/unsubscribe|user config|list info:
>>>>> https://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Lawrence F. London, Jr.
>>>> lfljvenaura@gmail.com
>>>> __________________
>>>> nafex mailing list
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>>>> Northamerican Allied Fruit Experimenters
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>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Del, 2b/3a n. Mn
>>> __________________
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>>>
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>
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