Orchard walk: Goulburn Valley, November 2006

November 2006 | Goulburn Valley, Victoria | Notes by Ross Wall

The November 2006 Goulburn Valley walk was shaped by severe water constraints. Henry Schneider of DPI discussed irrigation allocation, regulated deficit irrigation, crop removal, young-tree water management and the need to conserve enough water to carry fruit through the final weeks of growth. The notes emphasise thinning apples hard where water was limiting and protecting young trees from long-term stunting.

John Wilton of AgFirst then covered tree architecture, renewal and long pruning, crop loading, planting preparation, water use and fertiliser. The field walk linked those principles to local Gala and Cripps Pink blocks, while Ross Wilson’s earlier material reinforced targets for early high yields, high packout, simple systems and careful variety and rootstock selection.