Higher temperatures in California resulting in early season bloom
Apricots, oranges, and peaches are just a few of the valley's signature crops that start out in this beautiful and delicate way. People from all over the world come to see the blossoms.
But due to the unseasonably warm start to February, the timing of this bloom is multiple week's ahead of schedule, reported yourcentralvalley.com. On the surface this may not seem like a problem, but Stacie Grote with Simonian Farms says some growers are concerned: "If we were to get a frost in the next few weeks it could devastate the cherry crop.”
Cold temperatures are important during the winter so plants can go dormant, but when an orchard in full bloom is exposed to the cold, it could be an entirely different story. "There is still so much time for the weather to change; storms, frost. It's not unheard of to have a frost in March. That's making the farmers a little nervous," said Grote.
