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Frost/freeze injury can affect flowers, seeds, and small, developing fruit. Injury to flower pistils prevents pollination, while injury to flower ovaries kills flowers; damaged flowers drop from trees. Browning of pistils and ovaries is apparent almost as soon as flowers thaw. Seed killed by frost or freeze may result in fruit drop, or fruit may remain on trees but fail to develop to a marketable size. Freezing temperatures may also cause cracking and splitting of fruit skin and the development of sap pockets that are hidden within fruit.

Freeze injury resulting in cracked fruit.

(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)

Lack of seed kernel (right) compared to normal peach seed (left).

(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)

Small, unmarketable fruit (left) compared to normal-sized fruit (right).

(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)

Management:

• Select a site with good air drainage.
• Use frost protection equipment, such as wind machines (temperature inversion), overhead irrigation (latent heat), and/or a supplemental heat source.

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