Snow is not bad after all…keep it dry.

Having some snow on trees and ground, even if it is not that heavy like the one we had last night, is not bad at all. Having a layer of dry snow on the ground should provide good insulation for soil and roots against the expected low temperatures we will face tonight and tomorrow morning. Also, large limbs that are still loaded with snow should get some protection. Using sprinklers will worsen the situation as wet snow works as a good thermal conductor and will transfer these freezing temperatures to roots much faster than dry snow.

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About S. Sherif

Dr. Sherif M. Sherif is an Associate Professor of Horticulture at the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech, USA. He received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in horticulture from Alexandria University, Egypt, and his doctorate in plant agriculture from the University of Guelph, Canada. Dr. Sherif's broad research experience in molecular biology, plant development, and tree physiology has led him to lead several research projects focusing on the biotic and abiotic factors affecting fruit trees' production, sustainability, and competitiveness. Sherif's current research program at Virginia Tech focuses on frost mitigation strategies, precision crop load management, high-density production systems, molecular regulation of critical horticultural traits, and germplasm development.