The Kentucky Nut Growers Association would like to congratulate Dr. John Strang on his retirement after 42 years at UK as Extension Professor and Fruit and Vegetable Specialist. John will be retiring October 31, 2020, but still plans to be actively involved with the Kentucky Nut Growers Association and Kentucky State Horticultural Society. Please join us in thanking Dr. Strang for his many years of invaluable service to the fruit and nut growers of Kentucky sharing his expansive experience and knowledge.
2020 was a difficult and unusual year on many fronts, one of which was the weather. Record cold temperatures were reported across the state on April 15 and 16, and again on May 9, decimating the fruit and nut crops around the state. This may also lead to a large crop next year, setting us up for a pattern of biennial (alternate) bearing.
South-central Kentucky: Growers in Bowling Green, KY reached 27F on April 15. Crop loss was dependent on site, as higher elevation sites escaped the coldest temperatures and had near-normal fruit and nut crops. Growers at lower elevations reported no nuts on shellbark and shagbark hickory or pecan, a normal black walnut crop, few persimmon fruit, and a small crop of pawpaw.
Central Kentucky: Frankfort reached 25F two subsequent nights on April 15 and 16, and 27F on May 9; Lexington hit 27, 28, and 29F respectively. Most fruit and nut crops were in full bloom and beginning to leaf out, so flowers, developing fruit, and new vegetative growth were all lost. KSU had about 5-10% of usual crop of pawpaws, a near-normal crop of black walnut, very few pecan, and no hican, hazelnut, or persimmon.
Elizabethtown area: reached 25F on April 15. Fred Blankenship of Cecilia, KY reported a handful of nuts on a seedling of Grainger Shagbark hickory, a small amount of nuts on walnut, no shellbark hickory, and no heartnuts. The cold also froze back the tip buds on most Carya trees.
Eastern Kentucky: Report from Cliff England, England’s Orchard and Nursery, McKee, KY. This spring was very hard on the orchards here in Kentucky, as we collectively from all 3 orchards lost between 350 to 450 trees to the brutal cold once the trees had leafed out. On 15 April 2020 the trees had been leafed out since March 30th and forecast of freezing temps was predicted. On the morning of 16th April we had 25 degrees F and it was very obvious that the weather / temps were not in our favor. We continued to spray for pests and so on, and on the 10th of May after the trees had recovered and leafed again for the second time we experienced another freeze with temps of 27 degrees F, and there was not a tree in sight that was not heavily damaged. I made several rounds of checking the trees and found maybe a handful of Persimmons, maybe 10 pounds of Pawpaws and 6 Asian Pears, no Apples, no European Pears, and if there is any Jujube fruit that did make it, it will be so late in ripening that the late Fall freezes will scrap them off in October as the Jujubes will not have time to ripen.
Southwestern Indiana: Ralph Lowe, New Harmony, IN reached lows of 27 and 28F on April 15 and 16, and reported a full or near-full crop of pecans, walnuts, and persimmons.