# Hard freeze coming.



## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

Anybody watching this low pressure system coming in bringing freezing temps to our area tonight. 26-27 degrees is what the weather folks are telling us. It's gonna be hard on new seedlings. My family grows strawberries, peaches and apples, irrigation is set up for tonight. Gonna be a long one.


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## chevytaHOE5674 (Mar 14, 2015)

18 degrees and snow here this morning. Luckily it's been a cold spring so nothing is planted and green up has just started.


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## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

I planted a few acres about a month ago. Just starting to green up nice. Hay fields are about 50%. I have corn about 3 inches high. It’s going to be tough on us.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Yeah it is going to be tough on a lot of folks. The corn growers in your part of the country will likely be hit hard. Here, the forecast is for frost so things like grapes and peaches will have it tough. I covered 15 tomato plants in my garden. Taters should be ok. Frost tonight and tormorrow night. Frost is bad enough, but a freeze this late in the season is very difficult.

Regards, Mike


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

It has been a cool wet spring for the most part here. We have had nice warm days on occasion but they have not stuck with us. We had a few days in April that approached 90°. All the same, we will grow and harvest our crops and manage our hay and be thankful for all our days under the sun.

Regards, Mike


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Forecasting 31° here for low tonight. I am 2/3 done with corn and it is all spiking thru but should be fine. 40 acres of beans just coming up as well, but rye cover crop is still green over them so I hope it protects. Lots of watermelons in the area with styrofoam cups over them. Have a friend with 300 acres of melons already planted.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Local field of watermelons ready for tonight's frost.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

Forty years ago frost this time of May was normal not the last twenty though. March and April where backwards so far May is kinda normal. My orchard grass got burned once by frost this year so I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets hammered again.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

It’s amazing as we seem to brace for rain or drought, but May frosts, in my area, I don’t remember anything like this! Gives a new meaning to “cool season grasses”...


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## mstuck21 (Oct 4, 2019)

Just frost expected here but we also have irrigation up and ready to go. We have first planting of zucchini, squash and cucumbers in the ground. Nothing like that pic of watermelon but enough that replanting wouldn't be my first choice. I guess we're at least fortunate to have replanting be an option. We'll take it as it comes. BTW I will be putting that idea of styrofoam cups in the back of my toolbox just in case I need it one day down the road.

Best of luck cjsr8595 and everyone else effected


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

31 and a nice coating of snow and iceBefore 3:00 a.m. already. I am wondering how this will affect Some of our crops.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

Currently 27 here. Really hope this does not shut down 1st cutting growth. 5-8 years ago we had late freeze and growers had more yield on 2nd then 1st cutting.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

IH 1586 said:


> Currently 27 here. Really hope this does not shut down 1st cutting growth. 5-8 years ago we had late freeze and growers had more yield on 2nd then 1st cutting.





IH 1586 said:


> Currently 27 here. Really hope this does not shut down 1st cutting growth. 5-8 years ago we had late freeze and growers had more yield on 2nd then 1st cutting.


It could .


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Just talked with the owner of the farm in Southern Illinois that I lease to deer hunt, and he said that frost was really heavy on the corn and that it didn't look good. I hate it. He planted beans earlier in the week so they are ok.

Regards, Mike


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

We were lucky here in the northern valley. Bottomed out at 35, a bloomin heat wave compared to the forecasted 29. Another frosty night tonight,


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

mstuck21 said:


> Just frost expected here but we also have irrigation up and ready to go. We have first planting of zucchini, squash and cucumbers in the ground. Nothing like that pic of watermelon but enough that replanting wouldn't be my first choice. I guess we're at least fortunate to have replanting be an option. We'll take it as it comes. BTW I will be putting that idea of styrofoam cups in the back of my toolbox just in case I need it one day down the road.
> Best of luck cjsr8595 and everyone else effected


They better be very, very careful with them cups......they should have a hole in them. They could be in for a big surprise when the cups come off.....about 25 years ago we had a late frost and covered 100 acres of melons with solo cups, the cups that were put down with no air to enter didn't make it, ironically the ones that the wind blew catywompus and allowed air to pass made it through the freeze. Couldn't find a solo cup in South Georgia that year as everyone thought that was their only play...
Good luck fellas....you're gonna need some.


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## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

29 degrees and a light snow/ice and heavy frost. Time will tell on the new seedings and first cutting. Glad all my corn and beans are still in the bag!


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## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

My family kept air moving in the vineyards with tractors and sprayers and irrigated everything else. We will know more in a couple days. I had a heavy frost and the grass was frozen. It was about 26-27 here. Good luck everyone. I believe this is going to slow growth down in our hayfields hands down.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

somedevildawg said:


> They better be very, very careful with them cups......they should have a hole in them. They could be in for a big surprise when the cups come off.....about 25 years ago we had a late frost and covered 100 acres of melons with solo cups, the cups that were put down with no air to enter didn't make it, ironically the ones that the wind blew catywompus and allowed air to pass made it through the freeze. Couldn't find a solo cup in South Georgia that year as everyone thought that was their only play...
> Good luck fellas....you're gonna need some.


They know what they are doing, this ain't their first rodeo. Usually have some melons with cups on them every year, if they didn't, they did not plant early enough.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

haybaler101 said:


> They know what they are doing, this ain't their first rodeo. Usually have some melons with cups on them every year, if they didn't, they did not plant early enough.


I'm sure they do, but it wasn't really meant for "them" it was meant for Mstuck21....as you probably know, it costs a lot of money to plant melons, it only takes one time to learn that lesson.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

somedevildawg said:


> as you probably know, it costs a lot of money to plant melons, it only takes one time to learn that lesson.


Gal that was a couple years younger than me had some melons planted. I'm sure they weren't cheap by the looks of 'me!


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## mstuck21 (Oct 4, 2019)

Thanks for the heads up. Makes sense but might not necessarily cross your mind in the moment.. you’re correct that would really be one of those lessons you wouldn’t forget


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Almost a foot of snow here today and still snowing hard! Power went out an hour or two ago like usual. Was short sleeve weather on Friday.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

I cut 15ac of fescue/rye mix today, first chance here without rain for a week or more, toboggan and heavy coat, sure did seem strange, saw a little burn on some rye grass, couldn't wait any longer, the seed heads would be turning gold in another week... did get some funny looks from passing cars all bundled up cutting hay LOL....


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

stack em up said:


> Gal that was a couple years younger than me had some melons planted. I'm sure they weren't cheap by the looks of 'me!


About $900 per acre here.....really need to get a premium for 'em. Sometimes you do....sometimes they get left in the field, not worth pickin'. When the price gets down to .10-.12 per pound it's trouble, poor yield is double trouble. Our advantage here is they usually are ready to be shipped right before July 4th....most of our melons go right up the eastern seaboard.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

slowzuki said:


> Almost a foot of snow here today and still snowing hard! Power went out an hour or two ago like usual. Was short sleeve weather on Friday.


Wow....from short sleeves to snow, that's crazy. I couldn't handle it, I'm thinking of movin' A bit further south myself after last night... 49* that's cold for this time of year for sure.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

somedevildawg said:


> About $900 per acre here.....really need to get a premium for 'em. Sometimes you do....sometimes they get left in the field, not worth pickin'. When the price gets down to .10-.12 per pound it's trouble, poor yield is double trouble. Our advantage here is they usually are ready to be shipped right before July 4th....most of our melons go right up the eastern seaboard.


Wow, you guys are not much ahead of us. Local melon growers try to have enough for road side stands for July 4th weekend with commercial shipments kicking off the next week. Melons here head north thru Chicago and northern Midwest.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

haybaler101 said:


> Wow, you guys are not much ahead of us. Local melon growers try to have enough for road side stands for July 4th weekend with commercial shipments kicking off the next week. Melons here head north thru Chicago and northern Midwest.


Shipping here starts around June 10-15, most are closing up packing sheds around the 4th-6th....harvest crews have left for North Carolina around the last of June leaving only packers and shipping crews. North Carolina is the last stop of the season for the harvest for these guys....they head back south to Immokalee Fl. To take a break and get ready for planting down there. Their season is done there now and they are headed up to north central Florida then South Georgia....a few go to north Georgia but most to North and South Carolina after that.....
No doubt, Memorial Day and July 4th has the largest demand but I figured as far north as you guys were they would shoot for Labor Day. They are really pushing it to get in on the July 4 action. I bet there is a lot of pucker factor going on with them...but right after the 4th the price drops significantly so I can understand why they push that hard.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

This weather this spring really has been something else. Here March was warm with many windless days, then April came and the wind never quit and also unusually cold. End of April and first week of May have been warmer but nights still get pretty cool. Now we get 4 nights of lows in the low to mid 20s. Had some rain and then switched to snow last night till noon today with about 30 mph winds. I'm afraid the alfalfa is gonna get toasted. Not much is planted around here let alone coming up yet. Been to cold. Grass is nice and green but just a couple inches tall.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

somedevildawg said:


> About $900 per acre here.....really need to get a premium for 'em. Sometimes you do....sometimes they get left in the field, not worth pickin'. When the price gets down to .10-.12 per pound it's trouble, poor yield is double trouble. Our advantage here is they usually are ready to be shipped right before July 4th....most of our melons go right up the eastern seaboard.


I don't think you and I are talking about the same kind of melons.....


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Light frost. Grapes and uncovered veggies are toast. Some tree fruits will be blackened. Win some you lose some. Not the end of the world. It will be tough on the growers that sell to the wineries.

Regards, Mike


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Plenty of frost about here this morning


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Frost here last night, all the mud from the rain and snow is frozen solid, even the cow pies in the pasture are like rocks. Tonight is supposed to be colder yet. Crazy that in May I have to worry about the sprayer and hydrants freezing and cracking.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

somedevildawg said:


> Shipping here starts around June 10-15, most are closing up packing sheds around the 4th-6th....harvest crews have left for North Carolina around the last of June leaving only packers and shipping crews. North Carolina is the last stop of the season for the harvest for these guys....they head back south to Immokalee Fl. To take a break and get ready for planting down there. Their season is done there now and they are headed up to north central Florida then South Georgia....a few go to north Georgia but most to North and South Carolina after that.....
> No doubt, Memorial Day and July 4th has the largest demand but I figured as far north as you guys were they would shoot for Labor Day. They are really pushing it to get in on the July 4 action. I bet there is a lot of pucker factor going on with them...but right after the 4th the price drops significantly so I can understand why they push that hard.


I see, looks like guys here are hitting stride about time your guys are done. Shipping starts here July 10th-15th with price dropping early to mid August and everything is done by Labor Day. Migrants leave here and go to Michigan to pick apples.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

haybaler101 said:


> I see, looks like guys here are hitting stride about time your guys are done. Shipping starts here July 10th-15th with price dropping early to mid August and everything is done by Labor Day. Migrants leave here and go to Michigan to pick apples.


They might come, IF our governor has eased her dictatorship. 

Larry


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Last week's cold weather sure put a kibosh on GDD in my area. We seem to be 100 -120 GDD behind last 5-6 year average and the hay shows it.

https://enviroweather.msu.edu/run.php?stn=msu&mod=w_ady&da1=1&mo1=3&da2=20&mo2=5&yr=2020&mc=539&ds=cd

Larry

PS do other states have program available from their local ag colleges like this?


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