The weather has been fickle in the Central Washington State. Occasional sun has begun gradually melting the snow, but winter is still upon the Superfresh orchards. After a quick snow flurry, the Superfresh team met with Dave Gleason, Chief Horticulturist, to check in about the long winter.
In his January report, Dave said it seemed like winter would never end. One month later, the Superfresh team is still waiting for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw. “One of the measures we use to indicate where we are each year, compared to normal, is called growing degree units,” Dave explains. “In the Yakima Valley, we are at 22. Compared to normal, that means we are a month behind normal bloom, and six weeks behind where we were last year.”
The long winter allows Superfresh Growers to pace their pruning, rather than rushing to get it done before bloom. This long winter is allowing plenty of time to get winter projects finished. The team is now waiting for the ground to thaw so that they are able to plant new trees, install irrigation, dig ditches, and prepare for bloom and the harvest season.
Though this winter feels long compared to recent ones, it is actually normal. Dave and his team continue to be optimistic and look towards spring. “A longer winter can lead to a shorter spring, which is ideal for tree fruit growing conditions.”
Contact:
Catherine Gipe-Stewart
Domex Superfresh Growers
Tel: 509.654.7465