As we approach the Fall and Winter seasons, a critical time for fruit and citrus trees approaches. Louisiana’s climates can be hit or miss when it comes to fruit production because of the unpredictable weather. Will it never drop below 50? Will we have two ice storms? Will it snow at Easter? Who knows. We can’t control the weather, but we can choose trees based on their needs and what we can know about the climate.

Citrus trees do not like the cold- easy. Mature trees are fairly hearty from Central to South Louisiana. The tricky part comes from Mother Nature- when will the cold arrive? If we have a late freeze or cold front, fruit may already be setting. This is when we typically see trees not make an expected amount of fruit. Dormant trees are much more likely to withstand the cold. When temperatures are going to be below 27°F for an extended period, try to protect your trees.  If (and when) you need to protect a citrus tree, cover the trunk and leaves, make sure your tree is well-watered, harvest any ripe fruit, and maybe get festive and string some holiday lights if your tree is near an outlet.

Fruit trees are very different from citrus. They need cold. When you look at our plant info or tags, you may see the term “chill hours.” If a tree has a chill hour requirement, make sure that you are choosing the right tree for your property. Chill hours are the hours spent below 45°F. As you know, we have some winters where that doesn’t happen a lot, especially for our friends in South Louisiana (but their citrus are hearty and productive). After we had an insanely cold winter a few years ago, we had tons of customers tell us that their peaches, apples, etc. made more fruit than ever- the miracle of chill hours. 

This is confusing. I know. My best advise is this: know your climate, make sure you check the chill hours, and be prepared when the weather is crazy. Along with your hurricane snacks, get some winter burlap and twinkle lights to have on hand. And with all things that grow, patience is key. We will have weather that will kill plants. We will have weather that isn’t ideal for production. It’s inevitable. We will also have years of abundance. But there is balance in nature- a great winter for lemons may not yield as many apples. Enjoy the variety, and keep growing!