Cold weather helping crops in early spring
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WETM) — Last night’s hard freeze didn’t hurt local crops. That’s because the recent cold weather is keeping trees and vines from blossoming.
The late frost from last year did affect the growth of crops but cold weather is something that crops need before they start blossoming.
“This is actually kind of what we really wanted was that cooler weather. We want to hold things back,” says David Stamp, vineyard manager at Lakewood Vineyards. “If we get a frost later, when the vine starts growing, yes, that’ll have a very devastating effect on us.”
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According to Stamp, the cold weather inhibits crop growth, and once the temperature rises, the buds will begin to blossom.
“For right now, they’re running a little bit early with the weather change. But the spring bloomers that we have are very resilient to temperature changes and cold snaps. So, for right now they’ll be just fine,” says Michelle Podolec, executive director for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chemung County.
Podolec suggests that if farmers experience crop damage due to frost, they should contact Cornell Cooperative Extension for assistance in finding ways to report the issue to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. They can also assist farmers in exploring crop insurance and other sources of emergency grants and funding that may be available to assist them.
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