Intensive Management of Grove Leads to Production Turnaround

Citrus grower Paul Fabry discusses grove practices that led to a huge increase in production in a newly acquired Basinger grove in just a few seasons. The grove has approximately 750 net acres.

“Two years ago when we first got the grove, it was in a shape that needed some renovation and I was advised by several prominent industry leaders that I should just push the grove (remove the trees) and that it would be wasteful to spend another dime in it,” Fabry says.

Despite the well-intentioned advice, Fabry did not push the grove. “What we ended up doing was intensive management of our fertilizer inputs and our herbicides and pesticides in such a way that we were able to bring the grove back,” he reports. “The first year was 200 boxes to the acre, then 300, and this year we’re expecting 400 boxes to the acre. So it’s been a big success; the grove looks terrific and we’re very proud of it.”

The grove participates in a Citrus Health Management Area (CHMA), in which area growers coordinate sprays for HLB-spreading psyllids. In this report, Fabry details the number of psyllid sprays applied to the grove, as well as the type, rate and frequency of fertilizer applications.