SweetSong Groves LLC Tropical and subtropical fruit, ecologically grown on Florida's Suncoast
Each spring and fall, SweetSong Groves offers a 3-hour class in fruit tree horticulture. It is a complete introduction, for both beginning and intermediate growers. Topics include:
- the seven basic horticultural concerns
- grafted trees — why you (usually) want one
- fertilization
- how to plant
- how to prune
- how to select a tree
- diseases and insect pests
- fruit tree clubs
The topics are illustrated in a hands-on fashion that include tours of SweetSong’s groves. The emphasis throughout is on non-toxic, ecologically sound methods. Instructions for participants are here: Fruit Tree Paradise Workshop What To Expect .
The current (and ever-evolving) version of the workshop notes is free: Fruit Tree Paradise Notes , along with a spreadsheet of very basic information about the species commonly grown in our region: Basic Fruit Tree Info Spreadsheet .
Workshops are held at our principal location, and pre-registration at Eventbrite is required. The cost to attend the workshop, including all taxes and fees, is $25 per person, or $20 each for two or more people, all donated to Community Harvest SRQ (formerly Transition Sarasota) a local non-profit organization focused on rescuing otherwise-wasted food for the needy in our community.
Students and those in financial need may take the class at no cost. Please use the Contact page to request no-cost participation.
The next Fruit Tree Paradise Workshop will be in the spring of 2025.