Dutch Fruit growers ready for the threat of night frost

A cold week, with a chance of night frost, is on the way. Fruit growers are therefore keeping a close eye on temperatures. "Our pear trees are already in bloom and the apples are also starting to blossom. This is a sensitive period for us. If there is a snap freeze, the blossoms could freeze. This, in turn, means no fruit", explains Edwin van Rijn, a fruit grower from Marknesse.

He is well prepared for this eventuality. "We can irrigate and so prevent night frost. We have a night frost alarm in the orchard, which is set at half a degree above zero. If the temperature falls below this, the alarms sounds and we go outside", says Edwin. "The majority of fruit growers now irrigate, but in the past night frost certainly caused smaller harvests."

There is no chance of frost in Sint-Truiden tonight. See some night frost tweets below:

The frostguards are ready for the #night frost

Sprayers still on in the orchard to protect the blossoms against #night frost. Busy night.

Irrigating to protect blossoms is not always an option. Braziers being used to protect these cherry trees

The weather report predicts cold night. Calibrating thermometers. Big differences from plot to plot.