South Carolina peach farmers fear harm from late frost

LANDRUM, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina farmers are taking precautions against a frost that could damage peach trees and other crops.

Brandon Hyder in Landrum tells WYFF-TV that frost is the biggest danger, but also says there’s little he can do besides hope for the best.

Workers have cut the grass around the 150 acres of peach trees at Hyder Farms, which Hyder said Wednesday would help keep frost from settling.

He and his family also pruned trees.

Winds above 10 mph would help keep frost from forming on branches and the grass, Hyder said.

Losing a few peaches would actually be OK. Hyder said that some peaches have to be manually picked when a branch has too much fruit on it.

“Of course, we don’t want them all to get frost and killed but we would like to see some of them thinned out,” said Hyder. “We’re going to have to do it anyway, so it kind of is beneficial at some times.”