Cold hardy citrus are a treat for north Florida gardeners. Credit: Tyler Jones, UF/IFAS
Growing citrus in the backyard is definitely a gardening perk for those living in north Florida. However, our frequent cold snaps are also a source of anxiety for many backyard citrus growers. With weather forecasters excited to highlight dips in temperature, many folks call their local extension office, or head to social media, fretting over what they should do with their citrus. This article is intended to walk you through what to consider when deciding how cold it needs to get before worrying.
First of all, you can really help yourself out by selecting and planting varieties that are known to be cold hardy. In addition to Myer lemon, calamondins, kumquats, grapefruit, and pummelo, other cold hardy citrus varieties include:
mandarins – satsuma, shiranui, Sugar Belle, Tango and Bingo
oranges – navel, Hamlin, Minneola Honeybell, and Valencia
Again, the above varieties are known to be hardy, as trees, down to at least temperatures in the mid-20s. Young trees are more susceptible to these temperatures, but once mature, you shouldn’t worry about having to cover them down to the mid-20s. Remember, when covering plants for cold protection, you want the material – whether it be fancy frost cloth or just a simple blanket – to completely cover the tree and drape on the ground. It is the heat leaving the soil that you are trying to capture to keep the tree protected.
When it comes to the fruit, temperatures reaching 26 to 28 degrees for more than two hours may begin to freeze and cause damage. Satsumas, navels, and Meyer lemon fruit have thinner skins compared to grapefruit and so are more likely to freeze. Ripe citrus fruit is more cold-tolerant than unripe fruit due to their sugar content. Unfortunately, if you have unripe fruit, remember that citrus does not ripen off the tree. If you notice frozen fruit after a freeze, salvage any fruit as soon as possible, mostly for juicing, or dispose of in the compost pile.
Citrus fruit showing damage after a freeze. Credit: Mongi Zekri, UF/IFAS
Now, back to the forecasters. They seem to get excited every time we begin to reach anywhere near 32 degrees and begin issuing frost and/or freeze warnings. These are important to consider, but as we now know, just because we’re getting frost or freeze temperatures, it doesn’t mean we’ll lose our citrus. According to the National Weather Service, here’s what all of these advisories mean:
Frost Advisory – minimum temperature is forecast to be 33 to 36 degrees on clear and calm nights during the growing season
Freeze Watch – issued when there is a potential for significant, widespread freezing temperatures (32 degrees and below) within the next 24-36 hours.
Freeze Warning – issued when significant, widespread freezing temperatures (32 degrees and below) are expected.
So, if you hear there is a frost advisory, not much need to worry. If we get all the way to a freeze warning, now we need to pay attention to what the minimum low temperature is forecasted to be. If it’s 28 or below, now we begin to worry about any fruit on the tree. It does have to hold at these low temperatures for several hours before damage occurs, so maybe we’ll be okay. Once we get to the lower 20s, we should probably go ahead pick all of the ripe fruit and hope for the best on any unripe fruit. At these sub-freezing temperatures, we also need to start implementing measures to protect the tree, especially the graft union where the top of the tree has been united with the rootstock, typically indicated by a thickened or swollen like area at the base of the tree. This includes tree covers and soil banking – mounding soil over the graft union through the sub-freezing temperatures.
When covering a tree for cold protection, be sure to drape the cover all the way to the ground. Credit: Jonathan Burns.
Persimmons are an increasingly popular fruit crop in North Florida that are prized for their rich flavor, vibrant color, and adaptability to the state’s climate. With varieties ranging from astringent to non-astringent, persimmons offer growers and consumers a diverse and delicious harvest. Persimmons thrive in well-drained soils and require minimal pest management, making them an attractive crop for both commercial and backyard growers.
Persimmons. Photo by Tyler Jones, UF IFAS
To help growers, home gardeners, landowners, and enthusiasts learn more about persimmons, UF/IFAS Extension is hosting the 2025 Persimmon Field Day on Thursday, October 23rd from 8:45AM to 11:30AM EST at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), located at 155 Research Road, Quincy, FL.
Attendees will:
Tour the NFREC’s persimmon grove to learn about tree care, maintenance, and harvesting techniques
Sample a variety of persimmon cultivars
Connect with experts and fellow growers
Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited, so please register using the link below to reserve your spot!
For more information, please contact Muhammad Shahid at 850-875-7150 or via e-mail at mshahid@ufl.edu
The University of Florida is committed to providing universal access to all our events. For disability accommodations such as sign language interpreters and listening devices, please contact Muhammad Shahid, (mshahid@ufl.edu, 850-875-7255) at least 2 weeks in advance. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.
Although not native to Florida, the Loquat or Japanese plum is adapted to North Florida conditions. Unlike its relatives, apple, peach, and pear, the loquat is an evergreen tree providing a tropical look with attractive dark green leaves.
Flowers appear in Fall and are pollinated by many insects. Orange fruits are ready for harvest in spring if temperatures have not been too cold.
Bees will visit loquat flowers in the fall. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County.
Loquat trees can reach 20 to 25 feet in height with a good spread. Seedling trees will produce fruit but improved flavors are available with different cultivars.
One of the loquats in the Escambia County Demonstration garden was damaged by a hard freeze and succumbed to a secondary bark beetle attack the following spring. The 2nd tree is thriving as a key feature in the tropical garden. The downside to the location of our tree is that is surrounded by informal walkways that can get messy from fruit that falls in the spring. This may be a consideration when you install your own loquat tree.
Loquat at Escambia Extension. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
Please join UF/IFAS Extension for the Orchard Crop Diversification Field Day, on Wednesday, October 23rd. This event will be held from 8:30 – 11:30AM Eastern Time, at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research & Education Center (NFREC), located at 155 Research Road, Quincy, Florida.
Muscadine grapes growing on a vine. UF/IFAS Photo.
This is a free event aimed at educating commercial farmers, home gardeners, landowners, and industry representatives about some of the potential crop diversification options for North Florida orchards, such as persimmon, blueberry, finger lime, muscadine, pecan, and citrus. Crop diversification is the practice of growing a variety of crops to enhance sustainability, improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and mitigate risks. While there are potential benefits to crop diversification, there are also potential challenges. The field day aims to present attendees with the potential benefits, challenges, and current research associated with the crop options presented.
Attendees will be able to visit the persimmon, pecan, and blackberry plantings at UF/IFAS North Florida Research & Education Center in Quincy. On the tour, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about production practices as well as sample the different persimmon varieties. Light refreshments and lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so please register using the link below or by calling 850-875-7255 to reserve your spot!
Since 2020, we have delivered timely webinars using Zoom and Facebook Live to reach Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! viewers. In 2024, we are changing things up just a bit. Due to changes in the way Zoom and Facebook interface we will only be transmitting live through Zoom.
What does that mean for our Facebook viewers? We will still post Events about upcoming programs with links to register for the episode and will continue to share videos after they are uploaded to YouTube (usually this is within 24 hours). Thank you for your patience as we make this change
Below is our lineup for 2024 – we hope you will join us!
There are fruit types that grow well in North Florida and that do not require a lot of space. For high yields they do need a spot that gets direct sun for at least half the day. An area only 10 by 10 feet can support a gratifying amount of fruit production.
Some of the best fruit choices for small areas are rabbiteye blueberries, blackberries and muscadine grapes.
The rabbiteye blueberry is native to the Southeastern United States. Blueberries require a soil pH below 5.3. So, it’s advisable to have your soil tested to find out what the pH is before planting. Mixing peat moss into the soil can lower the pH, if needed. There are many rabbiteye blueberry cultivars. Be sure to plant at least two cultivars together for pollination. Here is a link with more information on blueberries for Florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG359
All of the other fruits like a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Garden lime can be used to raise the pH but only if you have the results of a reliable soil test indicating how much lime is needed. Your County Extension Office can help you determine how to have your soil tested.
Blackberries are productive if you select the correct cultivars. Cultivars adapted to Florida produce large, attractive fruit. Some are self-fruitful while others require a pollinator. Some have thorns while others are thornless. Some grow more erect while some have a trailing growth habit, requiring trellising. ‘Brazos’ is a late fruiting cultivar that does well in our area and does not require cross-pollination but it does have thorns. Here is a link with more information on blackberries for Florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/hs104
The muscadine grape was one of the pleasant surprises found by the early colonists in the Southeastern United States. An extensive breeding program has resulted in many improved cultivars. Scuppernong is a variety of muscadine. Other popular varieties include ‘Cowart’, ‘Fry’, ‘Carlos’, ‘Summit’, ‘Higgins’, and ‘Nesbitt’. There are many others. Some are self-fruitful while others require a pollinator. There are cultivars that produce bronze, black, red or purple fruit. Some cultivars produce larger fruit, some have a higher sugar content and are sweeter. Muscadines are ready to harvest in late summer to early fall. Some mature early season, mid-season or late season, based on the cultivar. Here is a link with more information on muscadines for Florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS100
Even though these fruit plants can be grown with limited space, they do require some care, including correct fertilization and pruning. Mid-December to mid-February is the best planting time for these fruit plants.
