if the ground temperature dropped below freezing, what could a farmer growing oranges do to protect his crop?

Answer 1

Orange trees are subtropical ,they stop when it freezes
save the oranges ,do something with it ,and wait for warmer times to think about orange trees again
meanwhile save the trees and keep the ground warm

he should cover the ground in a thick mulch

MULCH
cut down the weeds before they produce seeds and leave them where they fall,they will cover the ground and put even more organic matter on top,you can use saw dust,leaves green or dry,and when you plant make a little space and plant in the mulch.this is the easiest quickest and by far most benificial way(for the quality of you soil)to prepare the land for planting


the top part of the soil where the topsoil is being produced houses a world or microbiotic life.

Mulch is organic material green or dry that covers the ground,the thicker the better the composting process will turn it in to black topsoil
an exelent mulch is forgotten or old bales of whatever ,straw or hay or alphalfa

the humidity is preserved underneath and promotes the devellopment of worms(their exists no better compost than their excrements)and a variety of micro biotic life which together with the mulch produce more topsoil.

the mulch also keeps the ground temperature even and guards against the impact of the rain ,which would other wise brings salt to the surfave if on unprotected land

Mulch also prevents the soil from drying out because of the sun and, lay it open to wind erosian.

and it turn out the lights for any weeds that want to come up
do not use chemicals because the water will wash them into the ground and if enough people did that, you would be guilty of helping to contaminate subteranean water suplies that other people could be pumping up to drink Source(s) http://spaces.msn.com/byderule Source(s) a good book that has a very large section on soil and some of the things mentioned is --a designers manual by Bill Mollison
and there are many articles in word an adobe that you can find on the internet under the name Permaculture

Answer 2

By the time ground temperature dropped to freezing, it may be too late to do anything. Ground temperature may be colder than the air temperature just a few feet above the ground. At that point, what can be done is to employ smudgepots or other types of heaters, employ large fans to mix the warmer air above with the cooler air below, or use aerial irrigation equipment to spray a mist of water onto the trees. Either one of these can be short-term tactics but neither can help cope with really extreme conditions. Actually, root function and plant growth generally drops to near zero at around 45-50 degrees F. thus productivity of the trees would come to a halt for the duration of the time the temperature was lower than 50F. Plant cells can survive freezing temperatures of 32F for a time because the cellular contents act as an antifreeze for a time. But, if the temperature drops to 28F or below, the cells will freeze, the tissue will be disrupted (the cells burst) and the frozen parts will die. Any tactic that can keep the tree parts above 28F will help -- the current crop production may suffer, but the trees will likely be saved.

Answer 3

In maximum factors the place oranges improve, the floor temperature infrequently does this. additionally, because of the fact the timber are extremely hardy, and the crop is on the branches, heating the air around the timber is the terrific subject. the classic answer replace into "Smudge pots" those are somewhat great oil burning warmers, which usually land up serving as mail field decorations in former orange turning out to be factors. The smudge pots are crammed with oil, and placed by using the orange grove. Then the farmer burns 1000's of gallons of oil to maintain the plant life heat. Strict air toxins regulations are heavily restricting using smudge pots at the instant, and that they have got yet, to my information, to return up with a sparkling answer. Small scale orange growers from time to time conceal great parts of their plant life with plastic sheeting, to help catch interior the sunlight, and what little warmth a plant produces. that's what they DO. here is what they could do: it must be achievable to place in a extensive water heater as component of the irrigation device. because of the fact the temperature drops, heated irrigation water might unfolded to the plant life. that isn't an suited answer, because of the fact all of the steam might in all probability condense on the fruit. Technically, this could desire to heat the fruit, even if it would probable additionally get the fruit soaked with water, and if the heating replace into no longer sufficient, the orange, and the water around it would then freeze collectively. added watering might convey approximately added layers of ice. additionally, that lots steam coming off an open field might decrease down on sunlight, might make seeing around interior the orchard harder, and ought to help unfold colds, and different illnesses between the employees, who're meant to %. merely previously the 1st freeze. i assume some fancy electric powered heater layout must be useful. probable very lots so, because of the fact it would not intrude with the plastic sheeting lots, and the farmers ought to then use the two techniques. bypass your patent waiting?

Answer 4

Pick what he can and juice it. If the air temperature drops to a point that threatens the fruit or the trees, smudge pots can be used to try to make a temporary greenhouse, but when the soil begins to freeze, the farmer will be fortunate if the trees survive, let alone the crop.