Nursery tree specifications and tree types

June 2007 | APFIP | Future Orchards® Orchard Walk notes

The performance of a new orchard begins with the quality and consistency of the trees delivered from the nursery. These Future Orchards® notes outline nursery-tree specifications and the tree types growers may encounter when planning new plantings.

A useful nursery specification goes beyond variety and rootstock. Tree height, trunk diameter, root system, feather number and placement, bud quality and freedom from damage or disease all influence how uniformly a block establishes after planting.

The resource encourages growers to agree specifications early and to match the nursery product to the intended training system. A tree that is acceptable for one orchard design may require significant corrective work in another, increasing labour and delaying canopy development.

For orchard redevelopment, the notes provide a practical basis for conversations with nurseries and for inspecting trees before planting so that poor-quality or highly variable material does not become a long-term production constraint.