Fall is the busiest time of year at Fruit Growers Supply’s retail stores. Every autumn, our supply and irrigation centers experience a new rush of growers looking not only for seasonal supplies, but also for advice from our team of sales supervisors.
With the autumnal equinox just days away, most of that advice has been revolving around winter preparedness. Experienced growers know that strategic thinking is key to success in the field. If you want your growing operation to thrive during future seasons, you need to be making smart decisions today. That’s why many of our customers are making purchases now to prepare for the winter up ahead — and the frosts that come with it.
As colder weather arrives, it’s important to protect your trees from frost. Our stores offer precautionary items like tree wraps, tree covers, items for wind machines, and monitors that inform growers of impending frosts. Cooler temperatures also mean it’s time to prune the fruit trees on your property. Your younger citrus trees might need sprouts removed or weak limbs cut, while your mature trees may require you to remove shoots, deadwood, or limbs that crisscross other limbs. Also, if any of your crops are deciduous, you’ll want to prune them to help reduce the weight load on individual branches and refresh the tree. Whether your particular pruning process requires heavy-duty chainsaws or precision loppers, our FGS supply centers have the right tool for the job.
Jerry Cedillo, the warehouse supervisor at FGS’ supply center in Orange Cove, has been with the company for nearly two decades. He knows his customers, and he regularly urges them to plan for the wintertime in advance. “A lot of times, we’ll have a couple of truckloads of a product in advance of cooler weather,” he explains, “but the product won’t move until that first cold night, and suddenly everyone is in here trying to get it. At that point, it can be too late for a farmer. It’s the ones who plan and get what they need in advance who have the greatest success when winter arrives.”
Cedillo is proud of FGS’ customer service and professional tips. “We have exceptional product knowledge,” he says. “We’re always talking to growers and finding out just a little bit more about why they use what they’re using, and when. We’re as knowledgeable as possible on the items that we sell.”
So, while you’re preparing the upcoming winter, consider adding a trip to an FGS supply center to your to-do list.