Cherries are a delicious summer fruit. However, they are sensitive to extreme weather such as frost, excessive rain, and hailstorms. When it’s raining or snowing, the watery fruits gets moldy and may rot. It is essential to know how to protect cherries from harsh weather so that you can enjoy the harvest.
There are several quick methods of protecting fruits from frost damage. Nothing is more heart-wrenching than watching the beautiful fruits you’ve lovingly nurtured for years wiped out overnight by an encounter with Jack Frost. This blog post will show you how to protect your cherry fruits from hailstones and rain.
How to Protect Cherries From Rain
What steps can you take to prepare for rain? Storms and torrential downpours are prevalent in the spring. Rain is welcome, but it could also cause a slew of issues and headaches, as seasoned fruit growers know.
The main concerns during the rainy seasons are fungal issues such as brown rot and black spot, fruit cracking, fruits being blown off by strong winds, and the possibility of hail.
The first step to preparing your cherry orchard for rain damage is to watch the forecast. This is crucial in the spring and summer when the cherry trees are blooming or bearing fruit. Do the following things to save your trees from rain damage.
Pick all the ripe fruits. You may also pick some fruits that are a little more green than usual. If it can ripen off the tree, it is preferable to pick it up and let it ripen safely in the fridge rather than risking damage if you leave it on the tree.
Net as your cherry fruits and ensure the netting is well anchored. Cherry rain cover is the best measure because it eliminates the cherry cracking caused by rain and frost. The cover also:
- Improve microclimate, yields, and quality of cherries
- ensure an environment-friendly way of managing insect pests
- Reduce dependence on pesticides that impact human health
The rain cover is made of the core material of virgin High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE).
How To Protect Cherry Trees From Hailstones Damage
When a hailstorm sends you fleeing for cover or has you running to park your car in a safe location, your plants are trapped in the garden. If you’re fortunate, the storm will pass with just a few injured leaves. On the other hand, a significant hailstorm can deplete tender plants and strip cherry trees of their leaves in seconds.
The first step towards protecting cherry plants from extreme damage is preparation. Monitoring forecast is the first step in the right direction when preparing for severe weather. Prepare the orchard before leaving for work if the weatherman predicts a hailstorm. It’ll save you the stress of running like crazy through the dangerous storm to keep your precious plants. Here’s how to protect your cherries from hailstorms
Use A Hail Netting
No matter the size of your orchard or what you grow, you need cherry hail netting to protect your fruits if you live in an area susceptible to hailstorms. The netting is available in different sizes to suit your unique needs.
It’s transparent, drapes nicely, and is porous to allow rain and sunlight penetration but not hail. Consequently, your plants enjoy all of the benefits of outdoor life without being threatened by hailstorms.
The netting also acts as a solid deterrent to several airborne parasites and predators. It also keeps the birds that would be happy to wreak havoc on your garden at bay without hurting them. Ensure that the netting does not touch the fruits to avoid peak through damage.
You’ll need to set up a support system for the hail netting. You may opt for a complex or a simple support system based on your project. Also, the size of your orchard and what you specialize in will determine the type of system you get. Before installing the netting, decide whether you need a permanent fixture or one that you can quickly and effortlessly remove if a storm threatens.
Because hail netting enables sunlight, water, and air to pass through, most people in hail-prone regions install it as a permanent fixture. It’s similar to making a significant play tent for plants.
Choosing the Right Hail Net For Your Cherry
It may be hard to settle for the right hail net for your cherry orchard to maximize profits.
Well, most types of hail nets can meet most of your protection needs including bird protection. You will want to combine hail protection with the other benefits. If your orchard trees are vunlerable to both rain and hail damage you can use a commercial cherry tree rain cover.
If you can build a canopy overhead for your installation the better. The net canopy is held by wires tensioned by poles or anchors. You can choose quad crossover hail netting as the best solution.
What to do After Hailstorms
Don’t lose hope in your harvest dreams if you were unable to prevent hail damage in your cherry orchard! Your trees will not die simply because they have been destroyed by hail. The level of damage, your plant health, before the hailstones, and the time of year, will all impact recovery. First, remove any severely damaged foliage and prune broken branches.
If you are unsure whether the cherry trees will recover, give them a week and keep an eye out for signs of growth. If your fruit has been bruised by hail, it may still be edible. Pick all of the fruit that’s ready to harvest. Preserve it straight away, as damaged fruit won’t store well. It won’t be pretty to eat fresh, but it can make excellent juice or jelly.
Fungicide may be used to prevent infections in fruit that is not yet ready to harvest. Be on the lookout for signs of disease and decay until the fruit is ripe for harvest. A little preparation could go a long way toward protecting your orchard from hail damage!
Conclusion
A hail netting is one of the best nettings you can invest in if you live in areas prone to extreme weather to protect your plants from damage by hail and rain. It’s translucent and won’t trap unwanted heat. Contact us for the best deals in town.
We at EyouAgro understand how frustrating it is to lose cherry fruits due to shattering. It causes significant losses, and it can take a long time for a grower to recover. We’ve come up with the best ways to keep cherry fruit from shattering. Please contact us at Info@eyouago.com to fill your orders or for more information.
