Simple systems to achieve orchard goals – Part I: Fruiting walls for access

May 2022 | Jason Shields | Future Orchards® video

This first video in the Future Orchards® “Simple systems to achieve orchard goals” series looks at fruiting walls as a way to make the canopy easier to see, reach and manage. Jason Shields focuses on the practical advantages of simplifying canopy structure rather than adding unnecessary complexity.

The fruiting-wall approach is presented around access: workers can more readily reach fruit and shoots, light can be managed across a narrower canopy, and pruning and training decisions can be made against a consistent structural target.

The video is useful for growers considering redevelopment or canopy conversion because it frames orchard-system design around the work that must be completed every year. It can be viewed with the later parts of the series on Tatura Trellis, young quad-stem trees and simplifying older systems.