... I was too wimpy about the frost/freeze issue.

I think we're past the frost for about a week now, the long-range looks warmer through next friday here. And, once bloom is over and leaves emerge, they are less sensitive anyway.

We actually had probably 5 to 6 frosty nights out of the last 8/9 days, but it never get below 32 officially at the reporting station 3 miles from my house. Hard, patchy frost is how I would describe it. Not a knockout blow except to my saucer magnolias, and we all know how sensitive those are anyway.

In looking at fruit blossoms this morning, the thing that actually seems to have taken the worst hit is sour cherries. 10 out of 10 dead on lower branches that I casually surveyed as I walked the dog. Might be better results higher in the tree.

Despite the weather, apricots have set some fruit, sweet cherries have set a decent crop, and plums appear good. The rest of it is still in bloom at various stages, apples are mostly still opening, about 20% of the blooms on the trees are open, depending upon variety, of course.

So, I think you were right, Harvestman -- don't freak out until 28 degrees.

I didn't go out and spray anything off this year, because it didn't seem cold enough to merit the extra work and bother, which is probably a wise decision, since I would have had to do it so many mornings.

Now, had it gone below that 28/29 degree point, I would have gotten out there and tried to save fruit -- I have done this before and it does work -- fell to 25 degrees on the last Monday morning in April 2 years ago, and I spent about 3 hours out in the cold going around and around spraying down the trees repeatedly, and I am convinced that it did save my crop, since many Michigan commercial growers had poor crops that year due to freeze issues.