Orchard walk: Donnybrook, January 2007

29 January 2007 | Perivale Orchards, Upper Capel Road WA | Notes by Alan Hill

The first 2007 Western Australian Future Orchards walk was held at Steve and Quentin Dilley’s Perivale Orchards. Steve Spark of AgFirst presented on marketable yield and optimising quality, with a focus on fruit quality, maturity testing and Royal Gala harvest management. Dr Simon Middleton discussed farming light in apple orchards, including tree structure, row orientation and light distribution.

Growers then examined Royal Gala on MM106, discussing tree shape, tying down and pruning responses. The report records practical demonstrations, including removal of upright regrowth following branch training, and notes strong grower interest in hands-on approaches that could be trialled under Western Australian conditions.