Weather · Fruit trees, vines, vegetables and cereals
Frost: measure the damage and find the cold zones
After a frost, everyone wants to know how much has been lost. We fly the field and give you the damage by zone and the area it adds up to.
We have not flown this problem ourselves yet. We work it out with you, on your field.
The problem
Frost does not hit evenly
A spring frost burns flowers, buds and newly set fruit. In vegetables and newly emerged crops it kills plants. And it does not hit the whole field the same way: cold air flows downhill and settles in the low zones.
Then you have to decide quickly: report the loss to your insurer within the deadline in your policy, resow or not, prune. For that you need to know how much area is damaged and where.
How it works
A flight a few days later
1
We fly after the frost
In fruit trees, a few days later, with burnt flowers and buds. In cereals, one to two weeks later, when the damage shows.
2
We send you the map
Damaged zones, with their area. In young crops, live plants per zone.
3
You decide with data
The insurance claim, resowing only where needed, or where to prune. Before resowing or pruning, tell the insurer or keep untouched sample areas, so you do not lose the loss assessment.
Frost pockets repeat. The map tells you where to put frost protection or where not to plant an early variety.
Where it shows up
Where it appears
- Almond
- Pistachio
- Peach
- Apple
- Olive
- Walnut
- Kiwifruit
- Grapevine
- Citrus
- Fig
- Garlic
- Onion
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Lettuce
- Pepper
- Courgette, melon and cucumber
- Strawberry
- Bean
- Maize (corn)
- Wheat
- Barley
- Cotton
What farmers ask us
Frost: field questions
Will the insurer accept the map?
It helps you document the damage and the area, and show it to the loss adjuster. The assessment is theirs.
Can anything be done before a frost?
Frost protection has to be decided beforehand. One year’s map is useful for the next: it marks the zones where the cold settles, which is where protection pays most.
How long do I have to fly?
A few days in fruit trees and vegetables, before the crop recovers or the flowers drop. In cereals there is a little more room.
Know someone this would help?
Send them this page. If they have frost in their fields, you save them some searching.