At the Allans Flat strawberry fields, workers prepare for the chilly months by using overhead sprays to try and keep the frost off the fruit’s flowers.

Owner Martin Schmidt said frost burnt the flowers, which prevented the growth of fruit and often led to a destroyed crop.

Flowing water helped minimise frost damage, he explained.

When water from sprinklers turns to ice, the heat released protected the plant from injury.

As long as a thin layer of water is present, on the bloom or on the ice, the blossom is protected.

It’s not the layer of ice that provides the protection, Mr Schmidt said, but the water constantly freezing that keeps the temperature above the critical point.

Mr Schmidt said mostly they had to grin and bear the effects of the icicles.

“There has been a severe run of frost of late,” he said.

“It was always going to happen considering the start of the year was so mild.”

He said there had been a small percentage of the crop lost.

Mr Schmidt said although it was hard to make predictions, things were looking up.