European farmers battling 'devastating' spring frost

It may look beautiful, but farmers in the southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg weren't too happy to see snow covering their apple orchards in late April. The late cold snap is worrying fruit and wine growers across Europe. When the temperature dips below 0 degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit), their harvest is at stake.

This vine in a Hoflössnitz vineyard in Radebeul, Saxony, did not survive the recent severe frost. The German Winegrowers' Association (DWV) has said it fears crops will be lost across the country. "The young, fertile shoots are now freezing, and those that grow back may not be fertile," DWV President Klaus Schneider told the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper chain on Friday.

The overnight frost was particularly devastating because the grapevines had already grown quite a bit due to record high temperatures in early spring, said Schneider. In the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, lows of minus 2.5 Celsius (27.5 Fahrenheit) caused severe frost damage.

These Bavarian winegrowers were creative in their attempt to rescue their vines, stretching plastic wrap along the rows to protect tender shoots from the frost. At this stage of their growth, the shoots — which will eventually grow into grapes — can freeze completely if the temperature drops below zero.

But these vines in Saxony are beyond help, as are the vineyards of the Episcopal Seminary in Trier, western Germany. "The damage is absolutely devastating and will lead to severe yield losses," said estate director Julia Lübcke to the Catholic News Agency, KNA. "We're certain to see a 90% loss along the Saar and Ruwer rivers."

After the mild temperatures in March and the resulting early blossoms, the cherry trees in Steffen Schönemeyer's orchard in northeastern Germany are already bearing small green fruit. In the worst case, the frost can ruin the entire year's harvest.

But farmers have developed some methods to help fight the frost. One approach is to use a gas flame to heat the air, which is blown through the rows of the orchard. This warms the surrounding air and protects the sensitive blossoms from the icy temperatures. However, this method is costly and only works on small areas.

The cold snap is causing stress for farmers not only in Germany, but also across Europe. This farmer in Olomouc-Slavonin, Czech Republic, chose a more cost-effective approach to protect the fruit, covering a field of strawberries with a tarp. This keeps the fruit warm, like a blanket, and protects it from the frost.

At this vineyard near Saint-Emilion, in southwestern France, winegrowers have tried to keep temperatures above freezing with anti-frost candles. Wine-growing regions across France, from Var to Burgundy, have been hit by this spring's late cold spell.

At least these Romanian asparagus pickers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania can relax. The spring vegetable is also sensitive to cold, needing a soil temperature of at least 13 degrees Celsius to thrive. But since white asparagus is grown under tarps anyway, the cold snap isn't a major problem — the German favorite will just ripen later this year.