Expert advice on growing tropical fruits trees will be available from professional growers, County Extension Master Gardeners and local experts. Growers at the sale will range from commercial operations to families who love to grow a particular fruit. Tree selection varies every year, but the sale is likely to include several varieties of mango, banana star fruit, guava, macadamia nut and papaya trees.
“Fall is really an excellent time to buy fruit trees,” says Ted Curry, SFNS president. “You nurture them through the winter in their containers and move them indoors to protect them from frost. You’ll have plenty of time to select and prepare a great spot to plant them in the spring. If you do plant them this fall, you’ll want to protect them from freezing in their first tender year.”
The Sarasota Fruit & Nut Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to introducing, propagating and distributing the many rare tropical and sub-tropical fruits grown throughout the world. It offers education in these areas and encouragement to cultivate food-producing trees.
The group, which has been meeting for over 25 years, is comprised of over 100 members who enjoy growing fruiting plants and sharing information with others interested in edible landscaping. Meetings on the second Wednesday of every month are held at 7 p.m. in the Phillippi Estate Park mansion and feature speakers who are experts in Florida horticulture. The gatherings, which include a raffle of member-donated plants, begin at 6:30 p.m. with a tasting table and socializing. SFNS also sponsors field trips to fruit farms, gardens, and other horticultural sites.
For more information, visit www.sfns.net or contact Ted Curry at 941.484.9229 or tedcurry@verizon.net.
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Co-sponsored by Sarasota County Parks and Recreation – Phillippi Estate.
