ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Apple farmers worry the late-season Arctic blast in the East could take a big bite from their budding crops.
The unseasonably cold air moved into Northeast and mid-Atlantic states this week shortly after a warm spell sped up bud growth on apple trees. Buds become more sensitive to cold as they mature, making the cold snap especially troubling in big apple-producing states such as New York.
Farmers are starting to assess the damage this week as another round of plummeting temperatures loom.
While farmers are checking individual buds for damage, they won’t be able fully assess potential losses until the growing season progresses.
Damage will vary from farm to farm depending on varieties, how low local temperatures dropped and how far along the buds were.
