Coastal Region

Rob Terminal reports, "Starting with strawberries, spider mites are increasing in the area with eggs and adults warranting treatment. Strawberry crops are very susceptible to mite impairment at the moment. Remember to sanitize plants by removing dead flowers and fruit to mitigate confronting affliction. We have lost some brassica crops due to the freeze; if the growing signal is intact, the crops may recover with reduced yields possible. There volition be a peach crop. Early on peach varieties have been hitting quite hard in the expanse, with subsequently varieties looking promising. Blueberries will make a crop, but again, at that place are varying levels of damage."

Be sure to remove dead flowers and fruit to help with disease management.

Be certain to remove expressionless flowers and fruit to help with disease management.
Rob Terminal, ©2022, Clemson Extension

We will still have a blueberry crop, but there is some cold damage present.

We will still have a blueberry crop, but there is some cold harm present.
Rob Last, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Midlands Region

Justin Ballew reports, "We have a meliorate idea at present of how the cold last weekend affected things. On strawberries, nosotros did end up seeing some damage to open blooms that were in contact with the row covers. In areas where the temperature got down to around 24, an estimated xx-30 % of the blooms that were open at the time have been killed. In areas where it reached 22 °F or less, we've seen much college (as much as seventy % in i field). Information technology appears that most developing fruit was non damaged and volition still exist harvestable. At this point, information technology is really important to tissue sample regularly and make sure the plants accept everything they need. Hopefully, the weather won't become hot too fast this spring so that we can accept a nice long harvest. In brassicas, injury to the older leaves became more credible as damaged tissue stale out. It nonetheless doesn't look like whatsoever growing points were killed but losing the older leaves volition wearisome the plants downwards and ready dorsum harvest a few weeks. Some overwintered fields probably will not recover enough to harvest before the plants bolt."

The blooms with the darkened centers were in contact with the row covers and have been damaged by the cold. They will not produce a berry.

The blooms with the darkened centers were in contact with the row covers and have been damaged by the cold. They will not produce a drupe.
Justin Ballew, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Cold damage to turnip (left of center) and mustard (right of center). The plants will recover, but the harvest will be delayed by a few weeks.

Common cold damage to turnip (left of heart) and mustard (right of center). The plants will recover, simply the harvest volition exist delayed by a few weeks.
Justin Ballew, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Phillip Carnley reports, "Due to the cold last weekend, strawberries are experiencing an uptick in spider mite populations from remaining covered. Brand sure to scout accordingly and cull your handling carefully. I take also noticed an increase in phytophthora. Strawberries in Orangeburg and Calhoun are looking great, and picking has started. The peaches were striking hard, with virtually of the early on varieties taking the brunt of the damage. On later varieties, the impairment has yet to be seen. If growers were able to ice down blueberries, the crop was salvaged, simply anything left unprotected was lost."

There are a few strawberries ripening up in the Orangeburg/Calhoun area.

There are a few strawberries ripening up in the Orangeburg/Calhoun surface area.
Phillip Carnley, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Blueberries that were iced down with overhead sprinklers escaped most of the cold last weekend.

Blueberries that were iced downwardly with overhead sprinklers escaped most of the cold final weekend.
Phillip Carnley, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Sarah Scott reports, "After, what seemed similar a devastating freeze event, it seems we have come out amend than expected. From early assessments in the peach orchards, it looks similar we have lost a practiced many May peaches and some of the early June peaches. Most mid to late varieties are looking good every bit of now. It takes some time for cold damage to show upward, and fifty-fifty though the blooms survived, it doesn't mean that nosotros are in the clear. We will continue to monitor trees every bit fruits develop to cheque for quality. Blooms will often survive cold weather and continue to produce fruit, but the quality is poor. Overall, at that place is impairment and loss, only we still could accept a good peach crop this year. Hopefully, we won't have whatever other freeze events! Strawberries were another crop that we have been monitoring closely after the common cold. Some harm occurred; however, growers were able to encompass and/or water ice their plants to save most of the crop. It seems we are on track to begin regular harvest in April. The extended wet periods have led to some botrytis showing up, and then we are monitoring that."

This peach branch has blooms at several different stages.

This peach branch has blooms at several different stages.
Sarah Scott, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Bloom that was tight during the freeze shows no damage.

Bloom that was tight during the freeze shows no damage.
Sarah Scott, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Pee Dee Region

Bruce McLean reports, "Cold harm has been the primary topic over the last week. Blueberries (both highbush and rabbiteye) took a significant striking from the cold event a little over a week agone. It looks like most everything that was very tardily pink stage through open up flower and fruiting got nailed. Everything from the early pink stage to less mature blossom buds managed to escape injury. Some early cultivars similar Star, O'Neal, and Jewel (Southern highbush) sustained 70+% damage. Even Climax (rabbiteye) sustained 50% damage. Significant damage occurred on blueberry farms regardless of whether they were frost-protected or not. Hopefully, all of the damaged fruit/flowers will exist shed off of the plants. Damaged fruit that remains on the found is subject to botrytis and tin can be a indicate of infection for a more serious pathogen, botryosphaeria. Also, damaged fruit that remains on the plant and sizes upwards can exist "corky" on the interior, causing fruit quality issues. Strawberries, on the other mitt, did fare somewhat better. Foliage, flowers, and fruit that were touching the floating row covers during the freezing weather did sustain harm. Fruit and flowers that had some space betwixt information technology and the cover pulled through very well. Small plants were more than subject area to injury. Early harvest yields will be impacted. Be sure to get through your fields and remove damaged flowers and fruit, to reduce the likelihood of botrytis development. Exist certain to scout ofttimes from here on out. And if botrytis does try to develop, use a fungicide targeted for botrytis."

The more mature flowers towards the tip of the branch sustained damage, and the less mature flowers (down the branch) escaped injury.

The more mature flowers towards the tip of the branch sustained damage, and the less mature flowers (downwardly the co-operative) escaped injury.
Bruce McLean, ©2022, Clemson Extension

Funny how some strawbeey floweres escaped injury, but adjacent flower succumbed to cold.

Funny how some strawberry flowers escaped injury, but next flower succumbed to cold.
Bruce Mclean, ©2022, Clemson Extension