Mark Battany, Viticulture/Soils Farm Advisor
UCCE San Luis Obispo County
Narrated online Frost Protection Training Units are now available at no charge through the UC Cooperative Extension. These presentations cover the topics of passive frost protection, active frost protection with both wind and water, and methods of measuring temperature.
All of the Training Units are available in both English and Spanish.
Frost damage remains one of the most economically important considerations for grape production in many areas of California. As the severe damage of the 2008 season indicated, the losses of crop production and value can be very significant when frosts occur and insufficient protection measures are in place.
To help growers prepare for and respond to future frost events, the UC Cooperative Extension has prepared a series of narrated online Frost Protection Training Units which cover a broad range of fundamental frost protection topics. All Training Units are available in both English and Spanish. To view the Training Units, one needs a computer with internet access and audio capability to hear the narration.
The training unit titled “Passive Frost Protection” discusses the basic definition and types of frosts, how frosts relate to atmospheric conditions, and the preventative measures that are carried out prior to a frost event to avoid or minimize damage. The training units “Active Frost Protection: Water” and “Active Frost Protection: Wind Machines” discuss the energy and labor intensive processes carried out during a frost event using these active methods.
The final training unit, “Methods of Measuring Temperature”, provides instructions for measuring various types of temperatures important to frost monitoring and describes some of the types of frost alarm systems available to growers.
You can access all of these Frost Protection Training Units at the following websites:
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