Good to Know

We all know that climate and weather play a critical role in the economic success or failure of commercial fruit production. However, weather changes in recent years have caused growers and researchers to question what the future climate might hold for fruit production. In the Great Lakes region, winters have been milder, as evidenced by a change in frequency of ice formation on Grand Traverse Bay (see chart “Years”). We have also observed snow melt and fruit tree growth earlier in spring. As a result of these warming trends, the average date of tart cherry bloom in Traverse City, Michigan, […]