With the worst of the winter cold hopefully behind us, pruning of tree fruit and small fruit should be kicking into high gear.  Based on grower feedback, both the apple and peach crop have sustained little to no cold damage and hopes are high for a full crop. Pictured is a high density peach orchard in Illinois (photo credit: E. Wahle, Illinois Extension 2025).  One grower brought a forced peach branch to the Southern Illinois Fruit and Vegetable School which was held the second week of February in Mt Vernon, and the bloom was a definite glad tiding.

Growers are reporting seeding of transplants for high tunnel production got started in early February, as well as more recently seeding of early season crops for field production.

The entire region is in a warming trend, following a couple of weeks of sub-freezing temperatures and varying levels of snow.  With lingering snow still on the ground in shady areas, soils are wet with temperatures just above the freezing mark.