Orchard Management


Managing light and blossomstrength can be among the key seasonal factors in producing quality apples.


M


ost growers have had their first advance as you read this, and perhaps their second.


The 2011 crop year is turning out to be better than anticipated. Pruning is done – but efforts to put more dollars in your pocket must continue. If the right choices were made on variety, planting density and superior management practices, the returns were good. For example, a super spindle block of Ambrosia on Malling 9 roots planted at three meters by 45 centimetres that I am very familiar with has always produced well, but this last year returned 55 bins per acre and averaged 36 cents per pound culls in. That amounts to about $16,000 gross per acre, which is less than eight years or so ago when prices were much higher but still not too shabby. The grower peaked on 88s. I examined a number of research articles that focused on managing bloom density and strength and light through pruning, pre- and post- bloom thinning, and pre- and post- bloom nutrition. Light management and blossom strength are a result of year-long practices, and it is extremely difficult to separate them as doing one practice is very likely to impact another practice, resulting in a focused result – more bucks! I like to try discussing individual practices and their impact on the bottom line, but in fact that is extremely difficult. Removing heavy upper limbs allows light to penetrate, leaving weaker finer, more productive wood. Thinning cuts, as opposed to heading cuts, tend to let in more light over the season with less production of masses of one-year shoot response. They also remove hanging and drooping branches that are shaded and produce smaller, more poorly coloured fruit. This effort


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By Peter Waterman Optimizing returns is a year-long effort


allows the overall carbohydrate and nutrient supply in shoots, trunks, and roots to be used by fewer blossom clusters. This is the supply of “food” that the tree uses initially as the first leaves


and bloom appear. This whole process is enhanced with pre- and post-bloom nutrition. Tight cluster to pink boron, zinc, magnesium and nitrogen are all aimed at enhancing bloom strength and good fruitlet size prior to the rapid increase in cell number and cell enlargement. This effort, when combined with early-bloom thinning sprays and petal-fall thinning sprays, is aimed at focusing and enhancing nutrient supply by strengthening clusters, and removing blossoms to redirect carbohydrates and nutrients to fewer blooms. The stronger blossoms resist chemical thinning, so the whole process results in fewer stronger blossoms that will develop into larger fruit. (Your tree fruit adviser can talk to you about the latest materials, formulations, and rates to have the maximum impact).


To top it all off there are factors the grower cannot control, such as blossom period temperatures (to some degree, frost can be managed) which influence all the efforts mentioned above. The density and health of pollination hives is a big factor. Placement and management of hives is important. Strong hives used in good pollinating weather can result in a strong fruit set in one or two days. Also: Do not use any pesticides that adversely affect bees while hives are present. Growing fruit in a semi-desert may


be viewed by some as not optional, but I have always felt it can be a bonus. Water becomes a controllable factor. By monitoring water use and making use of scheduling techniques, tree and fruit growth can be


Buy hail / rain split coverage before it’s too late!


…the ideal time is shortly after bloom


It’s a sound business decision to manage your risk.


For more information, contact your nearest Production Insurance office or call toll free:


Kelowna 1-888-332-3352 Oliver 1-888-812-8811 Online: www.al.gov.bc.ca/production_insurance


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2012


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