AGRICULTURE
ASIT GHOSH RON RINCONES
When mango season arrives, Asit Ghosh has an abundance of luscious varieties,
such as the Neelum, left, a hardy variety that fruits in August and continues
producing until October some years. The fruit of the Loquat, right, is rich in fiber,
vitamin A and antioxidants.
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LIMIT WATERING
Love for sprinkler systems can hurt more than help.
“The saltiness in deep-well water causes leaves to
wrinkle and turn brown,” he said. “The answer is to cut
back on sprinkling if that happens.”
Then there is the vermin. Dealing with that issue can
be time-consuming. Ghosh plants enough mangoes so
the squirrels that descend upon the new fruit will only
make a dent in the crop. Rincones, on the other hand,
spends considerable effort getting a bead, literally, on
the raccoons that threaten his crops.
“I have a vigorous program to eliminate pests, which I
will leave to your imagination,” he said.
That’s not counting the bugs, which Rincones counters
with biological insecticide Spinosad, plus Organocide,
Neem Oil and a soap solution of six drops per quart of
Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap.
Yet, despite all the hassle, growers keep on growing, as
the thriving membership of the Brevard Tropical Fruit
Tree Club attests.
The club was established by local fruit lovers who wanted
to share their experiences. Hunt, who has been growing
tropical trees since 1977, was one of the first to join.
After all these years, Hunt feels membership remains
beneficial. The club, part of a national alliance of
tropical and rare fruit councils, hosts monthly meetings
and seminars that feature speakers who have a plethora
of tree-growing topics. Perhaps more importantly,
members love to share their bounty with each other.
Club members exchange seeds, cuttings, grafts and
young trees to make fruit trees readily available and to
encourage everyone to grow edible landscaping plants.
Many of the members are specialists in specific varieties
of fruit trees. Hunt, for example, will prepare for a
meeting by digging out plants he can spare to give to
other club members.
Annual fees of $15 for individuals and $25 for families
make the club a bargain, since it also hosts free bus
trips to Florida gardening hot spots and members
receive discounts and first dibs on the yearly fruit tree
sale, an event that on the fourth Saturday in April
features more than 3,000 tropical trees for sale at
Melbourne Auditorium.
Even with 700 trees, Hunt finds it difficult to say no to
falling for at least one of the trees in the sale.
“I love them all and want all of them,” he said.
Visit brevardtropicalfruitclub.com for more information.
DARLEEN HUNT
Jerry Hunt tends to approximately 700 fruit trees at his North Merritt Island
homestead, but there is always room for one more.
ASIT GHOSH
Valencia Pride mangoes, which can be found in Asit Ghosh’s Rockledge yard,
originated in Miami. The popular quick-growing mango earns fans with its
abundant production of excellent fruit.
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