A recent report out of Highmoor Farm estimates that bud stages are about three weeks earlier than usual. This is very similar to the early spring of 2010, when a few days of frost during apple bloom killed a majority of blossoms and fruit yield was low. 28 degrees F will kill an estimated 10% of apple blossoms, while 25 degrees F will kill 90%.

Here at MOFGA, as of April 2, a couple of the early apple varieties (Chestnut and Trailman) are showing a hint of green on some terminal buds, though not all. All other apples are still at silver tip stage. Pears are reaching bud burst and all stone fruit (plums, cherries, peach) are at swollen bud, though nearing bud burst.

A good color resource can be found at this link from Cornell: (http://fls.cals.cornell.edu/). Scroll down the list to #58 "Growth Stages in Fruit Trees".