The same winter storm/Nor’easter/bomb cyclone that just blanketed the Northeast U.S. with feet of snow and ice also made its chilling presence known deep into the South. Freeze watches and warnings (falling iguana alerts, too) in Florida were in effect days out from the extreme weather event, helping local produce growers prepare for what promised to be long hours of cold protection practices for crops. Despite it being multiple years — for some, more than a decade — since such cold air threatened and made its way well down into the Sunshine State, growers were ready and up for the task.
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Cold protection practices were in play at Southern Hill Farms in Clermont.
Photo courtesy of Southern Hill Farms
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Growers had to get back into the swing of freeze protecting crops with the latest cold snap. It has been several years since temps dipped this low in the Sunshine State.
Photo courtesy of Southern Hill Farms
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Gene McAvoy, Associate Director of Stakeholder Relations for the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, documented crop damage from the latest cold snap on social media. He reported seeing some fields that were severely impacted to others that were basically unscathed and everything in between. Regarding this field shot, he says, "Older tomatoes in colder areas took it hard."
Photo by Gene McAvoy
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This planting of squash near Indiantown was left uncovered to the elements. The cold has taken its toll.
Photo by Gene McAvoy
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This field of eggplant in South Florida is looking "rough" after its encounter with the recent cold snap.
Photo by Gene McAvoy
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This planting of sweet corn in Palm Beach County did not fare well during and after the recent cold snap. Chalk this one up a loss.
Photo by Gene McAvoy
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Putting water out to ice over sensitive crops might seem counterintuitive, but the practice proves effective to save fruit.
Photo by Vivek Sharma
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These ice-encased strawberries were the result of a long-night's work of cold protection.
Photo by Vivek Sharma
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Blueberry harvest time is just around the corner for Florida growers. Producers in the Sunshine State and the rest of the Southeast put long hours in to save their crops.
Photo by Cecilia Heller
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Irrigation is for more than just watering crops. In this case, it's providing an element of protection.
Photo courtesy of Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association
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Freeze protection of crops can yield some pretty cool images.
Photo courtesy of Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association
A quick look through social media posts provided some instant feedback from the fields of how growers took on the cold snap. Fruit, vegetable, and citrus growers all were affected.
Scroll the slideshow above of some shared images captured during and after the cold snap.
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) reports early indications are that temperatures across the state did not get quite as cold as some had predicted, but assessments were still ongoing.
Per a memo sent to members by FCM Executive VP/CEO Mike Sparks:
Avoid These Mistakes When Flying Drones Over Your Farm Field
“We have already had reports from the field that there may have been some colder pockets leading to potential damage in parts of the Flatwoods area including Highlands, Hardee, and DeSoto counties. As you have a chance to go out and evaluate your own groves in the coming days, we want to hear from you. If you experienced sustained sub-freezing temperatures and resulting damage, please email Tamara Wood ([email protected]) or Matt Joyner ([email protected]) with your location and a brief update on what you’re seeing in your groves.”
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775Cold Snap Lights Fire Under Florida Farmers To Take Stock of Crops
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Paul Rusnak is the Senior Online Editor for Meister Media Worldwide's Specialty Crops Division, which consists of American Vegetable Grower, American Fruit Grower, and Greenhouse Grower magazines, all Meister Media brands. He is based in Northeast Florida. See all author stories here.
January 31, 2022 
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