How to Manage Pests

Frost injury

Mild frost may produce a corky ring around the surface of the young fruit, usually near the calyx end. Frost occurring from petal fall to when fruit are about 0.33 inch in diameter may cause internal freezing of the fruit. Externally there may be no symptoms, but as the fruit matures it becomes flattened or distorted by development of internal pockets of dead tissue. On occasion, internally damaged fruit drop from trees a week or two after injury.

Solutions

To reduce the likelihood of frost injury, conserve heat by keeping the vegetation under trees mowed short, so that the soil surface is firm and moistened. If overhead sprinklers are available, use them on apples and pears to prevent frost injury when low temperatures occur during bloom. Trees can be protected from frost injury by covering them with floating row cover or using protective shelters if freezing conditions occur during bloom or early fruit growth. These covers should be prevented from touching the tree.