LONGMONT, Colo. — April is a month that can mess with our feelings in Colorado, and the relationship can get complicated if you own an orchard like Sharon Perdue.
“You either love it or hate it," Perdue said. "If you lose your blossoms, you hate it. If you keep your blossoms, you love all the moisture you get in April."
Perdue is the owner and operator of Ya Ya Farm and Orchard in Longmont, and she knows the damage a late-spring freeze can do.
“Last year, we really lost everything except for a few cherries and that was really the harshest that it’s been," she said. "It’s kind of sad in the fall because people don’t understand why you don’t have fruit for them.”
The snow that fell Monday actually helped protect the buds on the trees, Perdue said.
"I really wasn’t worried about the temperature because I knew the snow was sitting on there and it was going to insulate those little buds," she said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Perdue examined some of her trees. The apple trees looked good, but she was a little concerned about her pear trees and the buds that had already started to open.
“I don’t know, these guys might not make it," she said. "They’re a little too open.”
Perdue has been in the orchard business too long to worry, but she acknowledged the potential freeze on Tuesday night was more concerning than snow.
“It’s going to be cold, and as you can see, the snow’s melted and gone off the blossoms, so tonight will be more of an issue," she said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Perdue still wasn't quite sure how to feel about April. It all depends on how the month treats fruit budding on her trees.
"I'll tell you next week!" She laughed.
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