For a Productive Spring, Fruit Trees Need Time To Chill Out

For a Productive Spring, Fruit Trees Need Time To Chill Out

Inside every sleeping apple or pear tree is an internal clock, ticking down the darkest days of winter. Each hour of cold below about 45 degrees Fahrenheit is marked until the timer hits zero and the tree awakens, primed for the warmth of spring. Not really, but that’s as good a way as any to think about winter dormancy in fruit trees — and many other plants, too. If you’ve ever scratched your head about chill hours while shopping for the latest…