Brevard Tropical Fruit Club

Brevard Tropical Fruit Club Brevard Tropical Fruit Club
Central Florida fruit growers network
Hands on education and one of the area’s largest tree sales 🌴 History of BTFC….

The club was originally formed as the Brevard Rare Fruit Council in 1982 by a group of local fruit lovers who wanted to share their experiences of growing sub tropical and tropical fruit trees here in Brevard County. Since our county is just above the sub-tropic zone growing these fruits can present some challenges but as we have shown for many, many years you CAN enjoy the fruits of your labor!!

The name of the organization was changed in 2012 to better reflect what we do. We also offer scholarships each year to students who are pursuing a higher education in agriculture/horticulture. Who we are...

The Brevard Tropical Fruit Club is a 501c non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the introduction, propagation and distribution of new species, improved varieties and mutations of fruit plants. Through our monthly meetings, seminars and field trips, we collect and share information regarding propagation techniques, growth characteristics, cold and salt tolerances, and other environmental requirements. Brevard Tropical Fruit Club is part of an alliance of Tropical & Rare Fruit Councils from Florida to California and Hawaii. What we do...

Club members exchange seeds, cuttings, grafts and young trees at club meetings or among themselves. You could say that there's a bit of "Johnny Appleseed" in all of us, since our goal is to make fruit trees readily available and to encourage everyone to grow edible landscaping plants. Many of the members are specialists in specific varieties of fruit trees, and are eager to share this knowledge with others. How strong we are...

The Brevard Tropical Fruit Club over 300 active members from across the United States. Currently we have members from as far away as California, Indiana, New York, and New Jersey. Membership has increased steadily over the past years. Typical increases of 10 to 15 percent per year have been realized. Don't miss out - join today!

Guest Speaker: Victoria BenjaminPlant Inspector, FDACSVictoria has five years of experience with the Florida Department ...
05/22/2026

Guest Speaker: Victoria Benjamin
Plant Inspector, FDACS

Victoria has five years of experience with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She will discuss common pests and diseases affecting tropical fruit plants in our area, how FDACS helps reduce pest risks, and emerging pests Florida growers should be watching for.

Low chill plums can grow and fruit here in Florida.This plum tree came from our BTFC tree sale a few years ago, and the ...
05/17/2026

Low chill plums can grow and fruit here in Florida.

This plum tree came from our BTFC tree sale a few years ago, and the fruit is sweet, juicy, and better than store bought. Apparently the birds agree, because they pecked right through the mesh fruit bags and got most of the crop before I did.

Lesson learned:
Mesh bags may help with some pests, but they are not enough for determined birds. Next season I’ll try pruning the tree smaller and using full bird netting over the canopy.

Growing fruit is always an experiment and every season teaches something.

What has worked best for you when protecting fruit from birds?

Happy Mother’s Day from Brevard Tropical Fruit Club.Today we celebrate the mothers, grandmothers, aunties, mentors, and ...
05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day from Brevard Tropical Fruit Club.

Today we celebrate the mothers, grandmothers, aunties, mentors, and nurturing women who plant seeds in more ways than one.

Many of us learned our love of fruit trees, gardens, cooking, sharing, and caring from the women who raised us and guided us.

May your day be filled with love, rest, good food, and maybe even something growing in the garden.

From our BTFC family to yours, Happy Mother’s Day.

Happy 100th Birthday to our beloved lifetime member, Bernice!This week we celebrate a very special lady who has been par...
05/08/2026

Happy 100th Birthday to our beloved lifetime member, Bernice!

This week we celebrate a very special lady who has been part of the Brevard Tropical Fruit Club family for over 25 years.

For many years, Bernice gave so much of herself to the club. She helped set up our monthly tasting table and picnic tables, and she worked behind the scenes to help make our events welcoming and successful. Members like Bernice are part of the heart and history of BTFC.

This week, she was honored by her community with a small birthday parade, including a fire truck, neighbors, friends, and family. She also received a special birthday letter from the President in recognition of her 100th birthday.

From all of us at the Brevard Tropical Fruit Club, we wish Bernice a beautiful and joyful 100th birthday. Thank you for the years of service, kindness, and love you have shared with our club.

Happy Birthday, Bernice! 🎉🌿🎂

Florida is turning the heat on.Even your garden helpers are feeling it.Make sure your trees are ready:• Water deeply ear...
04/30/2026

Florida is turning the heat on.

Even your garden helpers are feeling it.

Make sure your trees are ready:

• Water deeply early in the morning
• Do not water midday
• Young trees need shade protection
• Mulch helps hold moisture and protect roots
• For container trees, use a tray or saucer to slow water loss (do not let it stay waterlogged)

Heat stress shows up fast, especially on newly planted trees.

Pay attention now, or you’ll see it later.

~ Brevard Tropical Fruit Club

04/30/2026

Some people chase the newer mango varieties.

But a well-grown Glenn is still hard to beat.

When grown in the right conditions, Glenn produces a smooth, sweet, reliable fruit that has stood the test of time.

There’s a reason it’s considered a classic.

This year’s sale was our busiest yet, with a very strong rush right after opening.On checkout: our sales data shows one ...
04/28/2026

This year’s sale was our busiest yet, with a very strong rush right after opening.

On checkout: our sales data shows one of the highest transaction spikes between 8–10am, which is our peak window. At 9am alone, over 200 transactions were processed. When that level of volume hits within a short time, checkout wait times are expected, even with multiple registers running.

Handling that demand in such a short window requires significantly more checkout capacity than a one-day event typically operates with.

Wait times are longest during the early rush and improve as the day goes on, with checkout moving much faster later.

Stop. Don’t touch that tree yet.Most people don’t lose their trees at the sale.They lose them the first week at home.If ...
04/28/2026

Stop. Don’t touch that tree yet.

Most people don’t lose their trees at the sale.
They lose them the first week at home.

If you just bought a fruit tree, slow down.

• Do not repot immediately
• Do not put it straight into full sun
• Do not fertilize right away
• Do not keep the soil constantly wet

Let the tree adjust first.

Transplant shock is real, and most damage happens from overhandling, not neglect.

Give it a few days in shade, water deeply once, then observe.

Follow Brevard Tropical Fruit Club for more practical growing guidance.

From a field full of trees to almost empty by end of day. That says it all!Thank you to everyone who came out to support...
04/26/2026

From a field full of trees to almost empty by end of day. That says it all!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support the BTFC Tree Sale. And a huge thank you to our volunteers and growers who made this possible, from the planning that started back in January all the way to today.
This community never disappoints. See you next year!
🌿🌴🍋

Just got a new tree? Start it right. 🌱Proper planting makes the difference between a tree that struggles and one that th...
04/26/2026

Just got a new tree? Start it right. 🌱
Proper planting makes the difference between a tree that struggles and one that thrives.

✔️ Dig wide, not deep
✔️ Keep the root ball level with the ground (don’t bury the trunk)
✔️ Water deeply after planting
✔️ Mulch to protect roots (but keep it off the trunk)

Full step-by-step guide here:

https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/f76a7fbf-caaa-4ef4-8b23-bc229ca25494/downloads/Planting%20Your%20Tree%20-%202023.pdf?ver=1769370207481

A little done right at the start saves you years of problems.

Address

2205 Front Street
Melbourne, FL
32901

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