Freeze damaged navels shed fairly easily except when treated with 2,4-D which will cause abscission to be slower and less complete. After the 1937 freeze a navel orchard was divided to allow natural drop on half and stripping of the rest. Similar orchard treatments were done with Valencias following the 1937 freeze with the results demonstrating this variety's general tendency to have a smaller crop after a delayed harvest. In other words, the picking of sound Valencias in September, October and November causes a greater reduction on the subsequent crop than leaving frozen fruit to drop on its own. Present indications are that good fruit will be found as a more thorough assessment is made in each orchard.
Some salvage is a possibility whereas stripping results in an immediate expense.
With potential income so devastated by this year's freeze, the expense of dropping fruit may be better applied to culture for next year's crop, particularly for high priority items like water. Adapted from a release issued by Neil O'Connell, John Pehrson, 1991. In very severe cases dieback may continue for the entire season. No pruning should be done for 6-12 months. Time should be given for new growth and dying back.