Lewis Farms preps berry plants for freezing temperatures

ROCKY POINT, NC (WWAY)– The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for the Cape Fear, as temperatures are expected to drop into the upper 20s overnight.   

The dropping temperatures have crews at Lewis Farms working to get their crops ready for the freeze and possible frost.  

Owner and President of the farm, Cal Lewis, says they’re protecting their strawberries with row covers, and their blueberry bushes with a thin sheet of ice using water sprinklers. 

He says as long as the temperatures don’t drop below 26 degrees, and the wind doesn’t exceed five miles-per-hour, the plants should survive.

“We can start losing little green berries at 32 degrees because the water inside of a berry will start freezing. When it freezes, then thaws out, then that’s a rotten berry. So, we are vitally concerned about that tonight. Mainly because the water that we use won’t be consistent because the wind is blowing, and we can’t get good coverage on our bushes,” said Lewis.     

Lewis says they are confident the strawberries will survive, but are concerned the wind chill could be an issue with the blueberry bushes.