What Makes Winter Sweetz So Special?
The Texas grapefruit season may be over, but juicy red grapefruit will be available again in the fall. Still, you may be wondering: what makes Texas red grapefruit so special? Simply put, Texas red grapefruit are worth the hype because of their taste, but what makes them taste so good? It’s in the name, Winter Sweetz.
Winter Sweetz grapefruit are ripened during the winter to ensure they have the perfect sweetness. To learn more about why Texas grows some of the most delicious grapefruits in the country and how Winter Sweetz came to be, you can check out the information below.
The History of Citrus in the Lone Star State
Grapefruits were first brought to Texas in the 1800s, most likely by Spanish missionaries. These grapefruit were white and pink like those grown anywhere else in the country.
The citrus industry in Texas really got going with the investment of John H. Shary. In 1914, Shary purchased a 16,000-acre plot in Mission, Texas, and decided to start a grapefruit enterprise. Little did he know he would soon come to be known as the “Father of the Citrus Industry”.
At the start, the grapefruits grown by Shary and others in Texas were as sour as those grown in any other state. Then, in 1929, something special happened: a grapefruit was discovered growing in a McAllen orchard that was ruby-red and juicy. Soon, these red grapefruit were popping up in orchards across the state. Accidentally, citrus farmers in Texas had discovered a whole new type of grapefruit.
By 1962, major freezes had killed all of the white and pink Texas grapefruits. The Texas red grapefruit had proven itself and is now the primary type grown in the state. These red grapefruits are known as one of the sweetest grapefruits available. Texas has become a grapefruit growing hotspot, recognized far and wide as one of the best places to grow.
Winter Makes Winter Sweetz Sweet
But what made that first red grapefruit so red? Texas red grapefruits, including WInter Sweetz, are grown in the state’s notoriously humid, tropical heat. This environment is perfect for growing sweet, plump, and juicy grapefruit. The soil in the Rio Grande Valley is also just right for keeping grapefruit growing strong and healthy.
The key to growing delicious Texas red grapefruit, however, is when we grow. While tart white grapefruit from California and Florida are being sold in the summer, our Texas reds are growing in the sun, getting sweeter and juicier by the day. By the time the dog days of summer have just passed, our grapefruits are perfect and ready to enjoy.
Winter Sweetz: the Ideal Grapefruit
We at Winter Sweetz would like to take this time to thank our clients for their continued support and trust in us and our juicy red grapefruits. We hope that, during this difficult time, you and yours are safe, healthy, and happy. While our season may be over, we’ll be back in the fall just as delicious as ever.