Albany man finds fruit on his grapefruit tree

ALBANY - An Albany man who planted a grapefruit tree as an experiment looked out his window earlier this month only to be pleasantly surprised by fruit growing on its branches. <br> <br> South Georgia is usually too far north for citrus trees, which can&#39;t stand the cold. But five mild winters in a row are being credited with several backyard grapefruit trees producing fruit in south Georgia. <br> <br> Army retiree McKinley Webb didn&#39;t know what to expect when he planted a seedling in his Albany backyard five years ago. <br> <br> ``I just set it out to see what would happen,&#39;&#39; said Webb, 76, who grew up on a Calhoun County farm in the 1930s. ``They just can&#39;t believe it: a grapefruit tree in Albany, Ga.,&#39;&#39; he said. <br> <br> Webb fertilizes his yard twice a year and keeps it watered, but did nothing special to protect the seedling as it grew into a bushy 25-foot tall tree. The fruit is ``sweet and white inside, just like the ones they sell at the store,&#39;&#39; Webb said. <br> <br> A state horticulturist said a few trees in Tifton are also producing the fruit this month. <br> <br> Gerard Krewer, a University of Georgia Extension Service fruit specialist in Tifton, said a series of mild winters could account for a crop that usually suffers in temperatures below 20 degrees. <br> <br> ``I am a little surprised to hear about grapefruit fruiting,&#39;&#39; he said. ``Normally they are considered to be hearty down to the mid-20s and slightly below. We&#39;ve had temperatures (in recent years) as low as 18.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Webb&#39;s tree may benefit from a ``micro-climate&#39;&#39; created by warmth from his nearby home. The towering pine trees in his backyard probably keep the temperature up to 4 degrees warmer on a cold, clear night, Krewer said. <br> <br> The grapefruit tree&#39;s dark green leaves are generally damaged when temperatures dip to the mid-20s, and the tree cannot survive single-digit weather. <br> <br> With temperatures expected to reach the low 20s Friday night, Webb may want to pick the last two citrus melons hanging in his backyard. <br> <br> Otherwise, Krewer warned, ``They are going to turn into ice balls.&#39;&#39;