Frost and Freeze Injury on Grapes
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Frost and freeze injury results when cold temperatures kill young shoots and flower clusters in spring. Injured tissues usually drop from vines.
Leaf distortion caused by freeze injury that occurred during the bud stage.
(Photo: Chris Smigell, University of Kentucky)
Partial freeze injury to foliage.
(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)
Severe frost injury resulting in shoot death.
(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)
Frost-injured primary buds with subsequent growth of uninjured secondary buds.
(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)
Frost-injured flower cluster in which blooms were killed.
(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Select vineyard sites with good air drainage.
- Delay pruning.
- Reduce vineyard freezing using equipment such as wind machines (air inversion), overhead irrigation (sprinklers), or supplemental heat sources.
