Fruit Set Good, but 'We’ve Got a Long Way to Go'

john roy gough

Hardee County citrus grower John Roy Gough says he’s pleased with his fruit set so far this spring, “if I can just hold them. That’s the key to it, is holding them (fruit) on there … Of course you can’t count your chickens until they hatch, and we’ve got a long way to go.”

Gough says he has experienced very little postbloom fruit drop (PFD) this spring. PFD has caused heavy crop loss for Florida growers in recent years.

Regarding other growers and their tree and crop condition, Gough says, “There’s every kind of condition out there in the world, it looks like.”

Gough was one of about 30 who attended a grower roundtable meeting recently in Wauchula. The meeting was hosted by Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association Executive Director Steve Smith and multi-county citrus Extension agent Steve Futch.