From the Grove: April Showers and Spring Cleaning
We’re ecstatic to report we finally got some rain! Both our groves and our irrigation systems were thankful for this turn of events in April after an uncharacteristically dry start to the year. This much needed rainfall means a nice boost to our soil health since April is typically dry before we head into the rainy summer months.
While we were out doing a rain dance waiting for the drops to fall, that didn’t mean we were expecting hail! Fortunately, our groves didn’t experience any damaging effects from the hail, but the Clermont area did experience a significant hailstorm with some photos showing balls of ice as big as clementines and kumquats. Our citrus trees are strong and resilient, and we’re pleased to say Mother Nature didn’t adversely affect our crops.
Aside from the unexpected hailstorm, April was business as usual in our groves. Back in March when we were still begging for rain, we didn’t have much need for weed control as weeds weren’t yet pervasive. Now that we’re getting more rainfall, the weeds are encroaching and it’s time to address them. Our organic approach to weed control involves mowing down the weeds so that we maintain our groves’ complex root systems in the soil. We find weeds to be beneficial to the health of our trees, so we don’t spray any non-organic approved chemicals to eliminate them. This month, we took an active approach to ‘spring cleaning’ with some much-needed weed trimming in order to prepare for our next nutritional applications.
With the groves all cleaned up, we turned to our next step: spreading organic compost. We take this nutritional approach to soil health because organic compost doesn’t contain any prohibitive substances or toxic chemicals. It’s a natural, calcium-rich method for nourishing the soil which in turn nutritionally supports the citrus trees. Although we are still considered to be in a drought, the rain that we did see in April was extremely beneficial for activating the nutrients in the compost for our citrus trees. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of composting and how you can make your own compost at home, check out Uncle Matt’s Green Tip: The Power of Compost.
In April we applied 2.5 tons of organic compost per acre in our organic grove from trunk to trunk.
Our next application was the second in our series of liquid fish and nutritional sprays that we first applied in March. This organic spray helps provide micronutrients and yeast extracts to the soil and foliage. We also applied neem oil, which is a botanical spray that helps deter the Asian Citrus Psyllid (the carrier of Citrus Greening Disease) as well as citrus rust and spider mites. These mites are known to flare up in April, and if the groves are left untreated, these mites can cause damage to the leaves and fruit.
Now that we’ve irrigated the groves, cleaned up the weeds, and spread compost and other organic nutritional sprays, our groves are on track for optimal growth through spring and summer. Looking ahead to May and beyond, we’re developing a plan to continue to combat Citrus Greening Disease in the hopes of a fruitful harvest when season comes. Stay tuned to our blog for more updates as the season progresses. Happy farming!
