After the recent chill that hit california citrus farmers, the California Citrus Mutual are expecting the effects to show come harvest time. The effects should be good however, according to them, the cold can be great for maturing citrus. They even said the cold weather the past three days is a welcome change from the unseasonably warm December weather to date.
Temperatures ranged in the high-20s to low-30s on Friday-Sunday nights which is ideal for most citrus varieties at this point in the season. Navel oranges and lemons are generally more cold tolerant than mandarin, or easy-peel, varieties such as Clementines, Murcotts, and Tangos, but with frost protection by wind machines the weekend temperatures proved favorable for all varieties. The cold weather will actually cause the maturation process of the fruit to slow, allowing for the fruit to store longer on the tree and maintain its flavor, external quality, and color.
Temperatures were expected to be a little warmer Monday night and will remain above freezing for the remainder of the week.
