1. Selecting Fruit Crops for Small Acreage
Ryan Atwood,
Lake County Extension

2. Introduction A wide variety of fruit can be grown in Central Florida
Need to be aware of limitations
Varieties
Diseases
Insects
Climate
Soil

3. Things to consider before planting
How much time do you want to devote?
What type of marketing opportunities exist?
Start up cost.
Production cost-Agricultural Inputs.
Agricultural outputs.
Tax exemption requirements.

4. Agricultural Inputs Pesticides Irrigation Fertilizer Tree training
Pruning
Fruit thinning
Farm equipment and machinery

5. Agricultural Outputs Yield Fruit Quality Amount of labor required
Gross and Net Profit

6. Small acreage opportunities
Organic-growing at % 20 a year.
Road side sales
U-Pick operation
Farmers market

7. Some fruits that can be grown successfully in Central Florida
Citrus
Blueberries
Stone Fruits- Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines
Muscadine Grapes
Pecans
Persimmons
Blackberries

8. Citrus Industry 600,000 acres in citrus
On tree crop worth 1 billion dollars
90% of crop is for orange juice
Grown from Ocala to Homestead
Florida leading producer of citrus in U.S.

9. Pros for Citrus Long successful history in Florida.
No need for chilling hours.
Large market place, easy to sell fruit.
Relatively easy to grow.

10. Pros for Citrus Adapted to a wide variety of soils Stores on the tree
Has been profitable
High level of expertise in the area.

11. Cons for Citrus Sensitive to cold weather.
In the past low fruit prices.
Current problems getting trees from the nurserymen.
Citrus Greening potential devastating disease.

12. Varieties Navel Orange Season: Oct. – Jan. Seeds per fruit: seedless
Average diameter: inches
Gift fruit
Use: fresh

13. Hamlin Orange Season: Oct.-Jan. Seeds per fruit: 0-6
Average diameter: inches
Peel texture: somewhat smooth
Use: fresh and processing

14. Valencia Orange Season: Mar.- June Seeds per fruit: 0-6
Average diameter: inches
Most widely planted citrus variety in FL
Use: fresh and processing

15. Red Grapefruit Selections

16. Tangerines Murcott (Honey Tangerine)
Season: Jan. - March
Seeds:
Size: 2.75 inches in diameter
Use: fresh
Comments: use Cleopatra mandarin as rootstock, susceptible to scab and Alternaria brown spot

17. Tangerines - Fallglo Season: Oct. – Nov. Seeds: 20-40
Size: 2.75 – 3.25 inches in diameter
Use: fresh
Comment: does not store well on tree, does not require cross-pollination

18. Tangerines Season: Nov. – Dec. Seeds: 1-20
Size: 2.5 – 3 inches in diameter
Use: Fresh
Comments: self-incompatible and must be cross pollinated, green internal seed color

19. Specialty varieties
In near future new varieties will present new opportunities for niche markets.

20. Citrus Nursery Business
Short supply coupled with high demand
Good tree prices
New regulations has everyone is on learning curve

21. Things to consider
5 acres to qualify for tax exemption in Brevard County
Strongest industry in Florida
No fruit for the first 3 years (no income)
Cold protection.
Indian River marketing

22. Deciduous Fruits
Require chilling hours-number of hours under 45 degrees.
Only cultivars that have been developed for Florida’s mild winters should be used.
Still can have cold weather problems with deciduous fruit trees
Cold damage to young trees
Frost damage to bloom and young fruit

23. Chilling Requirement Hours of 32-45 deg. F during dormant period

24. Blueberries
Florida is a major producer of early season blueberries April 1st thru May 15th
Fifth in commercial acreage for blueberry producing states
Production has more than doubled since 1990.

25. Blueberry Industry Florida statistics a. 1,600 Acres 2002
b. $25 Million in 2004
Fresh Market (Early) 80%
U-Pick 20%

26. Pros for Blueberries
High market value-last decade blueberry prices averaged roughly $4 lb before May 25th
Wide consumer acceptance
Health benefits
Available marketing channels

27. Cons for Blueberries Freeze hazard to flowering.
Exact cultural requirements to maintain good plant health.
Expensive start up costs ~$15,000 acre
Perishable commodity.

28. Blueberry Cultivars
Southern Highbush- Emerald, Jewel, Sapphire

29. Blueberries Soil chemistry
Well drained (including air) -Pine bark often used as growing media.
a. pH 4.0 – 5.5
b. Organic matter 3-4%
Fruit should be removed during 1st growing season.

30. Nutrition Nutrition Young plants first year:
- 1 oz every 3 wks. 3/15-11/1
- 1 oz every 6 wks. 11/1-3/15
Age 2 2 oz 4 times a year April, June, August, & October
Age 3+ 3 oz
Foliar feeding & micronutrients “blueberry special”
Tissue analysis

31. Blueberry Pests
Diseases- Phytophtora, Leafspot, flower blight, stem die back.
Insects- Flower thrips, Cranberry fruit worm, Bud mites, Blueberry gall midge
Weeds
Birds- Cedar waxwing

32. Things to consider Lots of new plantings, future price of fruit?
Very successful breeding program, new varieties released often.
Agricultural tax exemption for 2 acres or more for specialty crops in Brevard County.
Cold protection important.

33. Muscadine Grapes
Muscadine grapes are native to Florida and are the most adapted for our climate.
Bunch grape planting were killed off by Pierce’s disease.
Bronze grape cultivar-Fry
Purple grape cultivars-Alachua, Nobel, and Southern Home

34. Muscadine Grapes
Grapes require pruning every year
Easy to grow
Harvested in September and October
Grapes require 1.5lb of for each year with a maximum of 5lbs applied in February.

35. Things to consider Value added potential-make your own wine.
Potentially grow for a winery.
Small profit margin
Need to trellis

36. Persimmions
Consumer demand relatively high. Good for local marketing efforts.
Fungal diseases are problematic.
Insect pests such as borers and psylla require chemical control.

37. Persimmon Cultivars -Izu (early) -Matsumoto Wase Fuyu (mid)
-Fuyu (late)
Culture
-Plant in well drained site Dec-Feb. 20 ft.
-Fairly drought tollerant

38. Persimmon Culture cont. -Fertilize March, June & late August
-Prune mid winter first 3 years
-Pollinator variety required
-Scale insects

39. Blackberries Easy to grow and widely adapted.
Thornless varieties grown in Central Florida should have trellising.
Pollinators required.

40. Blackberries
Floragrand, Okalawaha, and Brazo cultivars are recommended.
After you harvest can mow them to the ground.
Harvest mid-March thru May

41. Pecans Central Florida pecans varieties- Moreland, Curtis, Desirable
Tend to be alternate bearing one good year one bad year.
Tendency for nuts to be poorly filled in good years.

42. Pecans Requires good fertilization program.
Scab can be a major problem.
Pruning not required.
Mature from October to January

43. Fertilization Recommendations for Pecans
Pecans require 1 lb in May of 1st season.
After the first season apply fertilizer in February at the rate of 2 lbs for each year of the tree.
The maximum rate is 50 lbs per tree, which is achieved at 25 years of age.

44. Pros of Stone Fruit
Florida is early season for fruit production should translate into $.
New varieties.
In my opinion under developed market.
Potential to direct market to local produce stores??

45. Cons Stone Fruits
Require frequent use of insecticides and fungicides for production.
Fruit fly damage can be problematic.
Nursery stock is limited.

46. Stone Fruits
Make sure you have a variety adapt for Florida (low chill).
Thinning of fruit for proper sizing.
Irrigation important as stone fruits have shallow root systems. 2 inches of water every days.

47. Stone Fruits
Use a “nemaguard” or “flordaguard” rootstock. These are rootknot-nematode-resistance rootstocks.
Pruning required. Open center is typical.
Protection of flowers from frost.

48. Peaches and Nectarines Varieties
Plums
Gulf ruby
Gulf blaze
Gulf gold
Peaches
Florida prince
Floridaglo
Tropic sweet
Rayon
Nectarines
Sunracer
Sunmist

49. Peach Crop-Pest Phenology
Russ Mizell, UF-IFAS, Quincy
Peach Crop-Pest Phenology
Dormant Period: November-Feb. 15
Scales
Bloom – Harvest
Caribfly
Plum curculio
Stink and plant bugs
Mites
Post harvest
Borers
Miscellaneous
June bugs, Weevils, Grasshoppers

50. Pruning and/or Training Benefits
Aid in the establishment of newly planted trees
Promote development of a strong framework
Enhance early productivity
Aid in the development and maintenance of desirable tree size and shape

51. Pruning and/or Training Benefits Continued
Increase fruit size and enhance fruit quality
Promote flower bud development throughout the tree canopy
Increase tree vigor and promote development of new fruiting wood needed to maintain productivity
Reduce the tendency for biennial bearing

52. Pruning and/or Training Benefits Continued
Reduce incidence and spread of certain diseases
Facilitate other horticultural practices, such as spraying, thinning and harvesting

53. When to prune Generally during the dormant period
Late winter or early spring past chance of freezing temperatures
Summer pruning usually minor

54. Training Systems
Modified Central Leader

55. Training Systems
Open-Center (Vase)

56. Properly Planting Your Trees

57. General Considerations for Good Plantings
Space for growth -depends on type of tree
Irrigation -important for proper establishment and growth
Soil drainage
Tree Quality-Bigger not necessarily better

58. Site Selection
Performance of fruit and nut trees in best in full sunlight and well drained soils
Avoid low lying areas which are prone to colder temperatures causing frost damage in the spring.

59. Planting Preparation
Have irrigation system in place and ready to be used.
Layout trees in their proper locations.
Remove all weeds and debris.

60. Planting Site Preparation
If planting in site where old tree was located, remove all old roots
Dig hole wide and deep
enough to accommodate
root system
Inspect roots for pot binding or J rooting

61. Planting your tree Water your tree before and after planting
Make sure to keep bud union above soil line
Remove air pockets

62. Heading Nursery Trees At Planting
When planting typically some of the roots are cut off or disturbed.
Some removal of foliage is necessary to help correct the root/shoot ratio.
Training the plant at this time is appropriate.
Try to leave 3 to 4 branches in a whirled pattern to promote proper canopy development.

63. Conclusion Many types of fruit can be grown in Central Florida
Select crops that will fruit
Utilize recommended varieties
Be aware of climatic limitations
Be aware of site requirements

64. Thank You
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