<p>As the ice and snow begin to thaw in Michigan after the harshest winter in decades, fruit farmers are now finally able to assess the damage done to orchards, fields, and vineyards.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">According to a press release from the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB), heavy snows, hungry varmints, and unrelenting cold may have damaged much of the state's fruit trees, bushes and vines.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"There certainly is going to be some bud damage, and potential damage to the wood," said Ken Nye, horticulture and forestry specialist for Michigan Farm Bureau. "Apples probably weren't affected too much, but we'll see some damage to <b>cherries, peaches, grapes and blueberries.</b>"<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"The best case scenario now is for us to stay cool as long as possible," Nye said. "The way we're set up right now is we might have the kind of spring we can get through without too much frost damage. That will vary by location, but it always does."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Deep snow cover is beneficial because it helps to insulate the ground and replenishes ground-water and surface-water in the spring. However, the weight of the heavy snows has already been shown to cause damage in high density apple orchards where growers have observed some breakage in lower branches.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Most fruit trees are now beginning to emerge from dormancy and growers are reporting a variety of damage. The damage is expected to vary widely depending on the pest species and microclimates involved. As fruit trees bud in the coming weeks, farmers will have a much better picture of the severity of the damage.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Mice and rabbits are both known to gnaw on fruit tree bark throughout harsh winters. Farmers have also reported damage from deer nibbling on buds where they could be reached.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><b>Blueberries</b> are able to endure temperatures as low as -20ºF, but there is another threat to the crops. The County Road Commission's mandate to keep the roads clear has caused an accumulation of salt which has altered the soil chemistry, something to which blueberries are sensitive.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"Because the winter was so hard and so long, counties had to use more salt than normal," Nye said. "Road salt dries up the blueberries plant."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Field observers from Michigan State University Extension estimate significant damage this year to bushes close to heavily-salted roadways, particularly US-31 and M-45. Again, the damage has yet to be fully assessed and could vary as much as 40% from one field to the next depending on local conditions.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">How bad is the damage? In the coming weeks the damage will be more accurately assessed. For now though, it looks as if the harsh winter has taken a significant toll on Michigan fruit crops.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="https://www.michfb.com/mi/" target="_new"> Michigan Farm Bureau </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
