Future Orchards winter walks

August 2014 | Angus Crawford, APAL | Australian Fruitgrower / Future Orchards® article

This Future Orchards® winter-walk article summarises pruning and orchard-management themes discussed with growers during the 2014 winter program. The emphasis is on using pruning to build a productive, well-lit canopy rather than treating the job simply as branch removal.

The winter period is a key opportunity to correct canopy structure, remove unproductive or overly vigorous wood and set up the distribution of fruiting sites for the following season. The article reinforces the value of simple, repeatable rules that pruning crews can apply consistently.

Attention to crop targets and future canopy development is important, particularly in blocks where vigour, branch dominance or shading have reduced fruit quality. Pruning decisions should therefore be made with yield, fruit size and packout objectives in mind.

The article also reflects the Future Orchards® extension model: orchard walks were used to compare systems in commercial blocks and turn observations into practical actions growers could apply immediately.