See recommendations from UF/IFAS for improving your citrus grove after a hurricane, such as after Hurricane Ian.
Florida citrus growers can take action now to protect their groves from further damage from Hurricane Ian, according to a UF/IFAS blog. The article shares tips for improving your citrus grove after a hurricane. According to the blog, the UF/IFAS CREC faculty “recommend quick attention to prevent further damage to vulnerable root systems and future fruit drop.” See the tips below.
Improving Your Citrus Grove After a Hurricane
The tips for improving your citrus grove after a hurricane focus on mitigating damage to roots and preventing further fruit drop and leaf loss. These tips include:
For Roots
- Watch for phytophthora problems and “evaluate for root damage and treat accordingly” because “Wet conditions, especially flooded groves, increase the possibility of phytophthora infection in groves with historical problems.”
For Fruit Drop and Leaf Loss
- Apply “gibberellic acid in the next few weeks and prior to October 30 to support the tree’s ability to hold on to its fruit.”
- Combat ACP attracted to new growth and “watch for pest flareups associated with intense flushing later in October in those areas that were heavily defoliated by Ian.”
Other Tips
- Report to the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program to aid efforts to “collect and provide information on the impacts of natural disasters on affected agricultural operations.”
- Download and follow the Citrus Producers Guide to Hurricane Preparations a Recover in the Southeastern United States.
- Connect with your citrus Extension agent.
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.
