The short answer is "NO". It is mother nature, just do not plant the tender trees. It is going to happen again and again.

In Florida, I heard citrus farmers bring in heaters and blowers into the citrus field. I remember that was just one or two day freeze. I do not know even that is effective.

Its just part of growing fruit. Cold in the winter, last spring frosts/freezes, hail storms, wind storms, bugs, insects, disease, squirrels, thieves... Showing -10F here tonite...sitting at -4F right now. Only way around this is to grow under a structure ...high tunnel/greenhouse..something or grow in a pot/container.

That (water) at -5F would be a disaster. I can't imagine what happens when the whole thing freezes solid...you'd have a mountain of ice starting to form.

we are getting -19F Thursday. I think this peach season, too, is shot (2nd year running). I only have two out of four peach trees ready to fruit, but I was hoping for some this year.

This is why I normally do not grow things marginally tender in my zone, like figs and Asian persimmon. They are nice, but highly unreliable. It may be fun to grow them, but not fun to lose the crop for the entire year.

Glib-

What varieties are going to flower? That sucks. Although flip side...no fighting bugs/squirrels/birds.

I agree on marginal fruits. I have peaches out in the yard, but they are rootstock. I'm trying to see how successful Japanese Plums are up here (vs peaches). Even every other year would be good with me. Satsuma and a few others. My issue with peaches is the trees just look bad after a few winters. Not sure if its canker or what. Plus you really have to watch borers on peaches---ive lost a few trees to them (young).

-5 is not low enough to kill peach buds that are fully dormant.

I agree. I'd say -10F to -20F and you are playing with fire... closer to the -20F and its game over. I'd love to try contender/madison and see how they stand up to Wisconsin weather...just no room right now.

That's good news, I think last year it was the amount of time we were under zero. It has been the only year that my peach tree didn't make a single bloom. I get a late spring frost about every other year that gets the blossoms when they r open. It really seams to me like it helps the tree to only fruit every other year. It always grows more on non fruiting years and looks healthier.

Peaches can bear fruit every year without health consequences if conditions are good and fruit is adequately thinned. Commercial growers in many soils grow them on berms to assure good drainage- they'd be out of business if trees took every other year off.

My trees are in well drained soil and are well nourished and I get vigorous healthy growth and, when weather doesn't interfere, crops every season that require thinning. I even have a 25 year old Madison peach that is as productive of big peaches as it was 18 years ago. Long lived variety, that- keeps sending out plenty of vigorous shoots.

Peaches not only require well drained soil but do not respond well to spring drought or competition from nearby forest trees. They are much less competitive than other fruit species that way- almost like blueberries, but not quite.

I thin the fruit but probably not enough. I lost a branch that was 2 inches in diameter from the weight of the fruit year before last. When u thin ur peaches harvestmann how much space do u leave between peaches? I usually leave about six inches but that is still a bunch of peaches on a mature standard peach.

I thin to about 8" if peaches are evenly spread throughout the tree. I don't think that is your problem with vigor if you are already thinning to 6"- depending somewhat on the variety. It probably has something to do with the soil or moisture.

Frank, the trees are both PF types, but I can not remember the numbers. It was -19F last night, so for a second year this crop is shot. I guess I will get a sizable crop in 2016, but two years out of two is a bit unnerving. Peaches have always been a significant crop in SE MI.

Are there orchards (commercial) around you? That is too bad. Sucks ... with no crop those trees will grow like crazy, so you'll have to keep up with pruning/etc. Maybe try your hand at some budding.

You never know. Even last year i had some sweet cherries bloom and that was after 45 days that dropped below zero including some -20Fs... I also had a few apricot blossoms but nothing ever set.

I'm sure you still have plenty of other fruit (pears/plums?) ...

Michigan is the 6th largest producer of peaches so these temps are a major loss to this area. I myself have other fruit, all berries which is fine, as I love berries anyway. I just had raspberries in my oatmeal for breakfast. Harvested from the garden last year. I store about 20-30 pounds of raspberries for the winter. I still have 10 pounds left. They freeze so well. I just planted 36 pepper seeds and have my onion starts already growing about 2 inches high. I'll germinate tomatoes about March 15. I usually start with 36 plants, and give about 1/2 away of both peppers and tomatoes.

So the gardening season has started for me. I need to check them daily.

I'm starting a number of flowers this year too, and a bunch of herbs. I grow pole beans, cucumbers, garlic and other stuff, melons, etc. So even when the trees do not produce I always have plenty of harvest. Last year I got about 20 melons, 6 different kinds. This year only growing 2 watermelons and 1 melon.

I grow a lot of herbs (several kinds of basil) and lots of zinnias...i also plan on growing some borage ... i have quite a few coneflowers and other perennials. I do it mostly for the bees. They love herbs and the butterflies (monarchs) go nuts for zinnias. I actually had zinnias flowering in early June last year and never stopped until the a hard freeze in the fall. I also grow pyrethrum from seed. Last year i actually had it flower and then the rabbit attacked! stupid thing just bit the flower heads off. They take forever to flower so i started them yesterday in hopes they'll flower by late Aug/Sept. Beautiful and highly toxic flowers.

I gave up on onions years ago. I use to grow bottle type onions (Italian something) and alisia craig (huge)...but they are just so cheap to buy and i tend to use more dried onion in my cooking. I do have some leeks i'm trying (I grew them in the past..kind of fun). A couple tomatoes is good enough (slicers and grape). I grew a bunch of peppers last year but still have a bag full in the freezer.

I should have some blueberries flowering for the first time this year.

Couple tips for growing from seed.

Bottom heat is a must (at least it has been for me)... use a good potting mix. Pre soak seeds if you can (annoying planting them though when you do it that way..).

Yes, I have a heating mat and added a thermostat. Yes, presoaking works, but I I'm growing 18 different peppers, and it's just a pain to do it. So I usually just keep the soil very wet the first day. Onions have to be started early here to get to any size. I have borage and zinnia's too.

I like to make my own tomato sauce and the wife like's cherry tomatoes, so all I grow is sauce, paste and cherry types. I try different heirlooms every year. Find what works best here. I enjoy this kind of gardening a lot. Much more rewarding them fruit trees. At least lately around here! Hope to change that one day!