APAL’s Future Orchards Winter Series wraps up with valuable insights and strategies for orchard performance
Last week saw the conclusion of APAL’s 2023 Future Orchards® Winter Series walks. The orchard walks took place in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Southern Victoria, Stanthorpe, Orange, Batlow and Shepparton, with the aim of providing growers with valuable insights and strategies to improve their orchard’s performance. Led by industry experts, the discussions centred around maximising young tree growth, addressing blind wood for increased fruiting wood in the canopy, and enhancing potential yield by focusing on weak trees.
The topics covered during the Future Orchards Winter Series were diverse and comprehensive. Participants learned about setting targets for young trees, strategies to maximise their growth, and the economic considerations when planting a new block and determining the time required to see a return on investment. Pruning strategies and planning for the next crop season were also discussed, along with techniques for overhauling underperforming blocks. The presentations were designed to provide growers with practical takeaways they can implement on their own orchards.
The discussions on the southern loop were expertly led by Jonathan Brookes and Paul Vogelaar. Jonathan, a highly experienced Horticulture Consultant, shared his expertise in optimising orchard establishment, while Paul, an Orchard Manager with Kiwi Crunch in New Zealand, provided valuable insights from his practical experience. On the northern loop, Noel Mason, Orchard Manager from AG & HC Mason, and Ulf Kerer, R&D Manager at AgFirst, took charge of hosting the sessions, ensuring a wealth of knowledge was shared with attendees. Nic Finger stepped in to cover Noel’s presentation on two occasions while Noel was unwell.
The Future Orchards Winter Series has proven to be an invaluable platform for apple growers, allowing them to connect with industry experts, learn from their peers, and discover innovative techniques for improving orchard performance. The series emphasised the importance of continuous learning and staying updated with the latest developments in the field. By implementing the insights gained from these orchard walks, growers have the opportunity to enhance their orchards’ productivity and profitability.
As the series closes, APAL encourages all apple growers to take advantage of future orchard walks and join the community of forward-thinking growers who are dedicated to improving their orchard practices.
Thank you to all of our attendees for coming, and to our orchard hosts for opening your orchards for us all to learn from!
