As a fruit gardener, you have to be alerted to frost season to avoid the damages that accompany it.
To prevent the risks, there are specific precautionary measures that you must take to keep your fruit from freezing during frost, one of which is spraying of water. But how does spraying water on fruit keep it from freezing?
Basically, gardeners often spray water on fruit to keep it from freezing. This is because when the temperature drops, this water freezes and releases heat to its environment, producing ice on the fruit, which keeps it from freezing.
We’ll come back to that later!
Table of Contents
Does Spraying Water on Fruit Prevent Frost Damage?
Generally, spraying water on fruits before a freezing night will prevent frosting and any risk of damage or withering of the fruits due to the water that heats the fruits as the temperature drops.
Moreover, this is a question of the intermolecular forces which are at work between water molecules.
Why Will Spraying Water on Fruit Trees Before A Frost Prevent Freezing?
Not just fruits, the main reason a gardener waters crops is because when water freezes and becomes ice, it results in latent heat.
Then, the ice that generates on the plant will prevent it from the colder surrounding air temperatures, thus, giving no room for freezing, hence, the need for watering.
Related Post: How to Save Plants from Frost Damage
How Does Spraying Water on Fruit Keep It from Freezing?
Going by the above discussions so far, we believe this question has been answered to some extent.
However, to buttress this point, we can say that spraying water on fruit, just like other plants, serves as a precautionary measure to prevent it from freezing and, subsequently, frost damage.
So, you have to prevent it by adopting the method that involves the spraying of water on your fruits. When that liquid water freezes, it helps produce energy that comes in the form of heat on the fruit, thereby preserving it against frost damages.
Again, spraying water on fruit keeps it from freezing by increasing the soil’s ability to retain heat from the sun, thereby protecting the roots of the fruit and protecting them from any dangerous effect that may be a threat to them.
However, on the other hand, spraying water does not protect younger plants. Therefore, to keep all plants safe, including fruits, with a covering of ice, the water spraying must be carried out before the freezing temperatures start and regularly continue until they stop.
Is It Advisable To Spray Water on Fruit Before A Frost?
Well, water is like an insulator. Plant cells that are well watered will make it difficult for the plants to experience any frost damage.
Similarly, wet soil can remain warmer than dry ones; therefore, constant watering or spraying activity in dry, cold weather will make it easier for the fruits to be guarded against freezing conditions.
Related Post: Does Spraying Plants With Water Prevent Frost Damage?
Why Do Gardeners in Cold Areas Spray Water on Fruit Trees?
Gardeners who stay in cold zones often spray water on fruit trees because, when the temperature eventually drops, which it would (though it may linger), the water will freeze and produce heat to the area, some of which is still-ripening fruit.
Meanwhile, the produced heat will have the capacity to protect the fruit inside from freezing.
When Should You Avoid Spraying Water on Fruit?
It would be best if you stayed away from spraying water on your fruits or other plants during the complete appearance of the midday sunlight, as it can result in the leaves suffering from unsightly leaf burn.
Hence, you should always watch out for this factor and prepare yourself for its occurrences as a gardener.
