Due to the mild winter, blossoms can already be found on the fruit trees. Growers are posting pictures on social media of buds on the trees that you normally do not see during this time of the year. A potential risk is if the temperature suddenly drops and frost occurs, "This happened in the 1984/1985 season, when the temperature suddenly dropped from 10°C to -10°C. This caused a great deal of damage," says Jos de Wit from Fruitconsult. According to the crop adviser, there is no need to panic, "If it freezes a few degrees there is nothing to worry about."

"The recent warmer weather has caused there to be some moisture in the buds. If the temperature drops gradually then the tree will pull much of the moisture from the cells. In March 2012 we had a situation where the buds swelled and the temperature dropped to -20°C. This caused damage and a part of the buds were rotten. But if the frost is gradual then there is nothing to worry about," continues Jos. "I don't think there are too many buds already open. Plus, you can't do much about it. You can cover a root-stock, but you can't cover an entire tree. You can't protect the buds."