Protecting citrus trees in a non-traditional growing area.

G & M Vraca own three orchard blocks close to Toolamba, in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria growing stonefruit and citrus.

Carmelo Vraca is the third generation in the business with his father and grandfather originally growing tomatoes.

Citrus can provide good returns, but Carmelo explains the area around Murchison and Toolamba is not a traditional citrus growing area.

Carmello says that “lemons and limes are very sensitive to frost, and during winter it just gets too cold here so you need frost fans to be able to grow fruit”.

The move into citrus growing came around ten years ago and the trees have been protected by FrostBoss® fans since coming into production. Carmelo prefers fans over using water for frost protection because sprinkler lines can freeze.

Whilst stonefruit requires winter chilling hours to prolong dormancy, spring frosts cause damage to flowers and fruitlets and can severely reduce yields. Stonefruit at the small green fruit stage are more susceptible to frost damage than the blossoms.

Carmelo recalls the days when they used to burn hay – but that was expensive, proved to have no real effect, and you can’t do that nowadays due to the pollution it created.