Shortening the time to market

March 2017 | Dale Goldy, Stemilt Ag Services | Future Orchards® Southern Loop presentation

This presentation looks at the orchard-development decisions that determine how quickly a new planting can move from establishment to commercial production.

Dale Goldy focuses on reducing non-productive years through strong nursery trees, rapid canopy establishment, appropriate rootstock and system choice, and disciplined early training. The objective is to fill the allotted space quickly without creating excessive vigour or structural problems that must be corrected later.

Early cropping must be balanced with tree growth. Crop load, branch position, irrigation, nutrition and pruning all need to support the target canopy so that early fruit does not compromise the long-term framework of the orchard.

The resource is particularly relevant to growers planning redevelopment, because every year saved in reaching a productive canopy improves the economics of orchard renewal.