Temperature: Cold
In some cases, a pre-determined number of days with cool temperatures are needed by the plants in order to grow properly. Some varieties of fruits and vegetables need to have temperatures between a specified range (ex: 45˚F - 32˚F) for up to 1,000 hours before the plant/tree comes out of its dormant state. If this requirement is not met, then the fruit/vegetable will not set or it may produce smaller sized produce.
Crop Damage: Citrus crops are very sensitive to freezing temperatures. Sub-freezing temperatures will freeze the juice inside the fruit and the water in the leaves and branches of the tree. As the ice crystals expand, it can ruin the fruit from the inside and destroy the plant.
Water Resources: One of the more popular methods to protect fruit from freezing is by spraying the plant with water. Heat is released when the water freezes on the outside of the plant and fruit, leaving the inside protected. However, because the plant needs to be continually sprayed to create new layers of ice, this can draw down groundwater levels significantly and cause limited water resources, or issues of sinkholes in some areas.
