They don’t remember this. Fruit orchards in Olomouc scorched by frost, damage up to 100%

The frost also burned in the cherry orchard, the plums are also noticeably damaged. This year’s extreme has no parallel in the history of Vílémov orchards.

The damage is overwhelming mainly because due to the above average warm weather of the previous weeks, the trees were in flower about three weeks earlier and fruit growth was extremely advanced.

A sharp cooling came into it. At the beginning of the week, they measured minus 2.4 degrees Celsius in the set.

Doubtful greenhouses in Nemilany? Vietnamese vegetables from Hané reap success

“The frost was widespread. The extent of damage to apple trees is 60 to 100 percent. I don’t remember the extreme we are experiencing this year. I’ve been here for 40 years,” pointed out Jaroslav Mačkal, head of the Vilémov orchards of the Senice na Hané Agricultural Cooperative.

“We’re talking about damage from the first wave,” added the fruit grower.

The frost also hit on Friday morning, when growers measured minus 2.6 degrees.

“As it warms up, we’ll see the show fairly quickly – how many hatchlings we’ll find on the ground under the trees,” he added wryly. “See how it’s black in the middle? This will all fall,” he pointed to the burnt pistils of the apple blossoms.

Cherries: 60 percent damaged

Another impact of frost damage in fruit orchards is the threat of damage to the fruit.

“The losses will be not only in the fact that the apple will not grow at all, but also in the form of frost damage, cosmetic defects,” explained the orchardist, showing the current extent of damage on individual apple trees of the Champion variety.

Twilight of Czech apples. They destroyed 16 hectares of trees in Vilémov

Perceptible effects of frosts can also be seen in the cherry orchard, where the Burlat variety – the first summer cherry – did “best”.

“Interestingly, in the case of flowers that face the ground, some fruit remains. What is facing up, towards the sun, you won’t find the fruit there, it’s 100 percent burnt,” he examined the distribution specifically of the popular stone fruit.

According to Mačkal, the loss of cherries in this phase of vegetation is up to 60 percent. According to fruit growers, plums are also affected by the frost.

“This will all go down, there aren’t many green fry,” the experienced fruit grower shook his head, saying that the total damage should be mapped in Vilémov during May.

A fresh apple in winter? Just suffocate

Expenses will remain, but no income

Although the yields will be poor, the cooperative must ensure the care of the orchards. The trees cannot be left untreated this year.

“We will have costs, but without the necessary income,” said the head of the orchards of the Senice na Hané Agricultural Cooperative.

Fruit growers have been operating in this location for over 60 years. Various types of fruit were also harvested here from 230 hectares. Today, the acreage is roughly a third. Last year in January, they completely eradicated almost 16 hectares of apple trees, as well as 8 hectares of cherry trees. This “production” is unprofitable and they have to subsidize it within the company. According to fruit growers, the situation is intolerable in the long term.

“If this continues, we will have to talk about another reduction,” added Jaroslav Mačkal.

However, it is not possible to simply replace orchards with, for example, field crops. These are long-term investments that are not small.