Plants in Tasmania’s south are bursting into life with new foliage and blooms way ahead of time.
As pretty as it might be for a normally grey winter it could be a real problem for some fruit and wine producers.
Horticulturalist David Drysdale from Greenhill Nursery at Leslie Vale explains frosts could burn tender leaves and blossoms.
“Certainly there’s a high chance this year that we will see a lot of frost damage on plants due to the foliage and flowers out at the wrong time of the year, we’re probably three to four weeks ahead of where I’d expect it to be.”
David’s been recording conditions for the Bureau of Meteorology at Leslie Vale for 27 years.
“Especially the orchards in the Huon Valley and Derwent Valley if they have got into flower with the cherries, the vineyards too, they often get the leaves on the vines early, then the flowers and leaves get burnt back severely.”
