Prospects for Fruit this Year in Denver

The 2015-2016 winter in Denver was unusually mild for fruit tree flower bud survival with only two days of zero degrees F (December 17 and 28) and no temperatures below zero (National Weather Service DIA records).

February 2016 brought enough warm days that fruit trees with a low chill requirement and low growing degree hours to reach bloom such as apricots and peaches were in flower by mid March.

Apricot in bud March 5

Apricot in flower Mar 19
with snow on branch

March brought fifteen days with minimum temperatures 28 degrees F or below. Overnight lows were 20 degrees F on March 19th and 10 degrees F on March 24. As a rough guide, 28 degrees F is the low temperature where many flower buds showing color or in bloom can be damaged. Prospects for apricot and peach fruit this year are likely poor.

Apple blossoms April 24

April has brought warmer nights. Since April 1st when the overnight low was 25 degrees F, the minimum temperature has not dropped to 28 degrees F.

This means that late blooming fruit such as apple and pear, and even fruit that bloomed slightly earlier such as sour cherry and plum may have fruit this year. Note that the specific location of fruit trees, localized overnight minimum temperatures, health of trees and amount of bee pollination activity are some of the factors that will affect your prospects to develop blossoms, set and grow fruit.

Photo credit: All photos credit Carl Wilson