Sweet Orchard

11/11/2025

One great method for protecting young fruit trees from the cold… watch until the end. How do you protect your trees?

08/29/2025

https://youtube.com/shorts/9FSc0iNUr7I?si=YQZNPp57vHRZyv8f

Ever seen a plant that squeezes out natural shampoo? 🌱 Meet Shampoo Ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) — the tropical plant whose red cones ooze a silky liquid used...

04/01/2025

The white mulberries are are amazing this time of year! I’ll be taking cuttings in the next few weeks to root more of them.

03/28/2025

Fig planted 2 years ago at our Clients house… from a 3 gallon plant. Amazing growth from our soil and berm style planting! 8-10’ tall now!

03/09/2025

Blueberry season is upon us! What a magical color transformation the foliage and fruit undergoes throughout the ripening period. Evening lighting captures this perfectly

02/09/2025

Leaf Brix Experiment and Conclusions:
Chuluota,FL
*Brix numbers are % Leaf Brix (% sugar)
*Kept concise for FB
*All plants have received no synthetic fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, fungicide etc. - Only compost last year in 2024
*limited experiment, subsequent testing to follow)

Hypothesis: Plants are more guarded against pests/diseases, the higher the sugars in their leaf (Leaf Brix)

2 plants tested - Olive ‘Arbequina’ / Passion Fruit ‘Possum Purple’
Both plants are 15 feet away from each other (very close in proximity and similar soil)

In ground plants
Olive - 7am 8.0 Brix / 2pm 16.75 Brix
Zero insect/diseases damage on plant, healthy look, new growth healthy - plant healthy and guarded

Passion Fruit - 7am 6.5 Brix / 2pm 9.5 Brix
Moderate insect damage (caterpillar), leaf discoloration, leaf curl observed - plant stressed and susceptible to insects/disease

Conclusions
Leaf Brix numbers are lower in morning than afternoon
- indicating it may be easier for insects to feed in early morning hours
Plants with Leaf Brix of 9.5 and lower are not highly guarded against insect damage and likely stressed. Potential nutrient deficiency as observed by leaf discoloration.

Plants above 16 Leaf Brix are highly guarded against insects and likely not very deficient in nutrients, as observed with very little leaf discoloration.

Since both plants are growing in close proximity, it’s indicated: either Olives are able to extract more nutrients from the ground, or have made more fungal/bacterial relationships thus receiving more water/nutrients. Also indicated Passion fruit may need higher nutrient supplementation in Central Florida soils, as compared to Olives.

01/25/2025

Really racking up the chill hours this winter! The following fruit trees in your yard, or ones you’re looking to buy this year, will benefit from the extra cold time:

1. Apples
2. Peaches
3. Pears
4. Plums
5. Figs
6. Persimmons
7. Blueberries
8. Blackberries
9. Strawberries
10. Grapes
11. Kiwi
12. Loquat (mild benefit)
13. Mulberry
14. Pomegranate
15. Citrus
16. Olives
17. Pecans

Let me know if I missed any. Happy Gardening