On Salt Spring Island, Canada, a greenhouse hosts an unexpected crop: a citrus grove. Initiated by Jane Squier, the project emerged from concerns over pesticide use and industry challenges. Aiming to grow her own citrus fruits, Squier embarked on cultivating oranges, lemons, limes, and passionfruit on British Columbia's west coast.
Squier's goal was to maintain a minimal energy and nutrient footprint. She now cultivates 35 citrus varieties within a 6,000-square-foot greenhouse. Despite temperatures often reaching 1°C and soil temperatures dropping to 6°C, the fruit quality remains viable. Squier notes, "I'm blown away they are productive under these conditions."
Her energy-efficient heating system utilizes a wood-fueled furnace to heat water circulated through insulated pools, with fans distributing the warm air. Squier states, "My power bill for the whole farm is just about as much as a single-family home."
Eschewing fertilizers and pesticides, Squier relies on compost, mulch, and regenerative soil techniques. She emphasizes, "There is biology in the soil that is actually functioning and actually is creating a bit of heat in there." Workshops are conducted by Squier to share her methods with others.
Bob Duncan, on Vancouver Island, employs a different strategy for growing tree fruits like oranges and lemons. Using basic incandescent Christmas lights for heating, Duncan claims, "The heating cost for the entire winter is two to three dollars." He uses a special cloth to retain heat, advocating for home growers to leverage mild West Coast winters.
With potential U.S. tariffs, Duncan believes Canadians should explore self-sufficiency in fruit production. He argues for governmental incentives to support home growers, asserting that his methods are low-cost and low-tech. "It's virtually unheated production of citrus," he explains, highlighting minimal energy use and no carbon footprint.
Duncan envisions a future where subtropical and Mediterranean crops could be scaled up in British Columbia, suggesting, "In the future, maybe British Columbia will be the California of Canada."
Source: CTV News