As a fruit farmer, one of the challenges you might face during the apple growing season is hail damage. Hailstones are known to cause significant damage to apple trees, fruits, and leaves. The result can be a financial disaster for growers. To protect your apple crops against hail damage,
Here are some effective recommendations that can help:
1. Plant hail-resistant apple tree varieties.
To avoid damaging apple trees, consider planting varieties with rigid bark and branches. It’s been observed that some apple cultivars, like the Gravenstein and Duchess, have weaker branches. When you choose to plant hail-resistant varieties, such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Red Delicious, you reduce the risk of your apple trees getting damaged by hailstones.
2. Cover the fruit trees with hail nets.
Another way to protect your apple trees is to provide physical coverage with hail nets. The nets are designed to prevent hailstones from hitting the fruits and branches. Most hail nets come in different sizes and thicknesses, so you can buy what’s most appropriate for your trees. However, covering the trees with hail nets needs to be done at the right time before the hailstorm, as it may damage the fruits if they are already formed.
3. Install a hail suppression system.
Installing a hail suppression system is another way to protect your apple trees against hailstones. A hail suppression system uses silver iodide to produce an element that attracts supercooled water droplets in the sky. As a result, the cloud is forced to form smaller hailstones that melt before they can reach the ground. Installing a hail suppression system can be costly, but it’s an effective way to protect your crop in the long run.
4. Time your apple planting.
Hailstones are most common during the growing season, from May to July. If possible, schedule planting your apple trees in such a way that they mature before or after these months. This means planting apple trees early in the season or late in the season before the first frost.
In conclusion, hail damage can be devastating for apple growers, and it poses a challenge during the growing season. As a farmer, it’s wise to take proactive measures to protect your crop from this risk. With these recommendations, you can protect your farming investment and ensure that your apple trees produce a healthy and profitable harvest.