While the recent unusually warm weather was great for getting outdoors, the sudden return to a chilly winter could result in some problems for spring crops.

"If it's going to cause any loss effect, it would be on fruit crops; apples, peaches," said Kelly E. Sundy, county executive director of the Schuylkill County Farm Service Agency.Horticulturist Tanner Delvalle said that it was too early for problems with other crops, but that a cold snap later in the season could be particularly devastating."We see more problems when we get cold temperatures in April," Delvalle said. "That's more of an issue."As of now, AccuWeather is reporting that March will see a roller-coaster ride of temperatures. An early warm stretch hovering between 20 and 25 degrees above normal will drop off to the upper 30s and lower 40s. Similar patterns may play out over the course of the month.Extreme warm and cold cycles could wreak havoc on fruit bud development in particular.Sundy said that she has seen buds appearing on regular trees, and some local farmers are also experiencing early activity in their orchards."The buds are swelling about five to six weeks ahead of time," Richard Graver, owner of Graver's Orchard in Lehighton, said in regard to his fruit trees. "What's happening now should be happening around the 10th or 12th of April."While many people welcomed the recent warm streak, and are looking forward to more, the inevitable drop-off into colder weather leaves fruit trees susceptible to severe damage."Plants are in a vulnerable growth stage before blooming, and that increases the chance of damaging spring freezes. No one wants to see an Easter freeze, especially if trees bud and bloom early," master gardener Pam Hubbard said.Take peaches, for example - exposure to temperatures of 26 degrees for 30 minutes can kill off 10 percent of the buds during first bloom. Drop 5 degrees lower, and that loss jumps to 90 percent.If something like this hits after the spring sets in, though, farmers do have a few tricks up their sleeves."They'll burn brush piles around the trees, to try and keep the warmer temperatures," Sundy said.The ideal scenario for fruit crops would be stable, cool temperatures throughout March. However, with unseasonal highs that stretch over a few days, a return to average temperatures could result in lost buds."Even a normal spell of cold weather causes a problem, because the buds would still be exposed to freezing," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dale Mohler said.Being that frost is reasonably expected up until mid-May, earlier blooms are at a high risk for loss."I was pruning some plums this morning, and that's OK for the time being, but any more warm days and they can open up too early," Graver said last week.While some fruit-bearing trees may have experienced a premature flowering, orchards and farmers with the Schuylkill County Farm Service Agency have yet to declare any catastrophes."Currently, I have not had any losses reported to me," Sundy said.Hubbard said that she has been fielding questions about home gardening earlier than usual this year, with some people telling her that they have completed their spring cleanup and prep work already. Even if it seems like spring in the next month, she recommends waiting out the wild weather."I caution home gardeners to resist the temptation to plant vegetables and annual flowers too early," Hubbard said.