The freeze event that hit Florida at the end of January and the beginning of February has left the agriculture industry reeling, including the citrus industry. While many growers may be chomping at the bit to jump into recovery mode, the official word from the experts at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is for citrus growers to wait. While the numbers being circulating say that 8 to 10 percent of the state’s citrus may be destroyed or severely damaged, UF/IFAS is asking Florida citrus growers and those in other sectors of the agricultural industry to take the ‘Post-Disaster Assessment of the Agricultural Impacts of Winter Freeze Events (2026)’ survey to get more accurate data.
Why Wait?
While it may seem like the sooner we get to recovery actions for citrus trees, the better they will fare, the reality is that the process is not so cut and dry. In a virtual question-and-answer session hosted by the UF/IFAS Statewide Citrus Team before the storm, assistant professor Flavia Zambon, who works at the Indian River Research and Education Center, shared that there is too much of winter left to go to attempt recovery efforts for citrus trees.
Zambon maintained that attempting recovery efforts now would place too much strain on citrus trees as they try to push out new flush. Then, if another cold snap hits, all of that new flush would be very vulnerable to the cold temperatures. Citrus trees would likely sustain even more damage and stress as the energy used to produce the new flush would be wasted.
What Should Growers Do?
Zambon advised that Florida citrus growers should not water trees immediately after a freeze due to the stress created; consequently, growers should wait “until there is a little bit of warm weather and then resume regular irrigation.”
If citrus growers notice that they are losing canopy after resuming irrigation, then they should consider reducing fertilization, Zambon added. Resuming fertilization should wait until the conditions include sustained warmer weather, Zambon advised, saying that it likely won’t be until late February or early March that sustained warmer weather arrives in Florida.
Additional recommendations from UF/IFAS for citrus tree recovery after a freeze event include:
- Fertilizers should not be applied until new growth is seen in the spring. Then, applying small, frequent doses is recommended.
- Micronutrients can help citrus trees recover and regain strength; foliar and root applications of silicon (monosilicic acid) at 150 to 200 parts per million have been shown in research to aid citrus trees in recovering both root and shoot growth after freeze damage.
- Protect citrus trees from pests and diseases.
- Wait until spring or summer to prune.
- Plan to up your weed-control program.