Dormant Plants Are Tougher Than They Look

One of the most important things to remember is that dormancy provides significant cold protection. Many fruit trees and perennial fruit crops tolerate temperatures well below freezing when they are truly dormant. In most winters, temperatures that cause concern, including the upper teens to mid-20s F, cause little to no damage to dormant plants.

This is why many cold snaps in January and February pass without consequence. If buds are tight and growth has not started, there is usually no action needed beyond patience.

Dormant fruit trees tolerate winter cold well. Many cold snaps cause little to no damage when plants remain fully dormant, even under extended snow cover. Photo by Michael Polozola

Timing Matters More Than Temperature

Freeze damage is not just about how cold it gets. It’s about what growth stage the plant is in when the freeze occurs.

• Dormant buds and crowns are very cold-tolerant.

• Swollen buds or emerging shoots are more sensitive.

• Open blooms and developing fruit are highly vulnerable.

A temperature that causes no damage in midwinter can be devastating later in the season once growth has begun. For this reason, freezes later in the season often cause more damage than colder freezes earlier in winter. This is why late freezes feel unpredictable. The same temperature can produce very different outcomes depending on crop type and stage of development.

Nondormant tissue is far more sensitive to freezing temperatures. When growth is active, even short cold events can result in visible injury. Photo by Michael Polozola

What Crops Are Most at Risk?

Not all fruit crops respond to freezes the same way. Growth habit, bloom timing and plant structure all influence risk.

• Peaches and plums bloom early and are often the most affected by late freezes.

• Strawberries are low-growing and often bloom early. Open flowers and developing fruit can be damaged by temperatures near or below freezing.

• Blueberries can tolerate some cold during bloom, but open flowers and small green fruit are vulnerable.

• Blackberries generally tolerate winter cold well, but late freezes can damage flower buds and young shoots, especially on early-blooming varieties.

• Apples and pears bloom later and often escape the worst damage.

• Muscadines break dormancy late and are rarely affected by late freezes, making cold-related crop loss uncommon.

• Pecans are rarely affected by late winter freezes because bud break occurs late.

• Figs typically leaf out late and are more affected by severe, prolonged cold than brief freezes, with temperatures around 15 F or lower often killing aboveground wood while the roots survive.

Understanding these differences helps explain why some years bring a heavy crop on one fruit and a total loss on another.

Citrus Is Different and More Vulnerable

Citrus deserves special mention because it is never completely dormant. Even during winter, citrus maintains low-level metabolic activity, which makes it more susceptible to cold damage than truly dormant fruit crops.

As a result:

• Citrus can be injured at temperatures that do not affect many other fruit crops.

• Damage may not be visible until days or weeks after a freeze.

• Leaves, twigs and even bark can be affected.

Because citrus does not fully “shut down” for winter, site selection, variety choice and freeze protection play a much larger role in citrus survival than they do for most other fruit crops.

As a general rule, citrus injury becomes likely when temperatures fall into the mid-20s F, with significant damage possible below about 20 F, especially during prolonged freezes.

What You Don’t Need to Do

Late freezes often prompt panic responses that do more harm than good.

• Do not fertilize early to help plants recover. Fertilizer before spring growth can increase stress and does not protect against cold.

• Do not prune in response to a freeze. Damaged tissue is easier to identify after growth resumes.

• Do not assume plants are dead. Many fruit crops resume growth weeks after a cold event, particularly when temperatures fluctuate.

In most cases, the best response to a freeze is simply to wait.

What Can Help in Certain Situations

There are limited cases where action is useful, especially for small plantings and low-growing crops.

• Covering small plants or bushes (such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or young citrus) during short freezes can protect vulnerable tissue when applied before temperatures drop and removed the next day.

• Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil, so watering before a freeze may provide slight protection for low-growing plants.

• Site selection matters long before a freeze occurs. Plants grown on higher ground with good air drainage often suffer less damage than those in low spots.

For larger trees, protection is rarely practical, and losses are sometimes unavoidable.

Strawberries are particularly vulnerable to freeze injury once flowering begins. Even brief cold events can damage open blooms and developing fruit, especially in exposed plantings. Photo by Michael Polozola

Freeze Damage Doesn’t Always Mean Crop Loss

A light freeze may thin blooms rather than eliminate them. In some cases, moderate bud or bloom loss can actually improve fruit size and quality by reducing overcrowding. Many fruit crops compensate by redirecting energy to remaining fruit or vegetative growth.

It is also common for plants to appear unaffected immediately after a freeze, only to show damage days later or to look damaged initially and recover surprisingly well.

Ice accumulation can look severe, but dormant wood often withstands freezing conditions. Damage is best evaluated after growth resumes. Photo by Michael Polozola