I had the pleasure last week to meet Jerry Adams, a satsuma farmer from near Bainbridge GA. Melissa Griffin, the Assistant State Climatologist for Florida, was with me. Satsumas are one of the most cold-hardy varieties of citrus, and one of several new crops that are being tried in Georgia, including olives.
Jerry showed me his new orchard and the fruit that is developing on his trees. He noted that the satsuma trees generally did not have too much frost damage but set quite a bit less fruit than in previous years. He thought that was due to the cold November conditions that occurred this past year. Some of the other varieties of citrus that he has been experimenting with did not do so well and showed more frost damage due to the cold conditions this winter.
