Young Tree Growth Project

2016-2017 | Future Orchards® Focus Orchard trial, Adelaide Hills, South Australia | Young tree growth project

This Future Orchards® trial examined how different establishment and pruning strategies affected the early growth of young Aztec Fuji apple trees in the Adelaide Hills. The work was carried out at Otherwood, the South Australian Focus Orchard, with the aim of getting newly planted trees to fill their allotted canopy space quickly and build the structure needed for profitable early production.

The trial compared six establishment strategies. Some trees were stripped back to a whip while retaining the full leader, while others were both whipped and headed at planting. Growth, yield and canopy development were monitored over successive seasons. The strongest early pattern was that trees which were whipped but not headed at planting, and then managed again to maintain leader dominance, developed the most useful extension growth.

The project also highlighted the cost of allowing strong basal branches to develop too early. These branches competed with the leader, created choke points and slowed the development of a tall, uniform canopy. The trial reinforced the importance of prioritising canopy establishment before chasing early crop, particularly on young Fuji trees that can be difficult to push to full height under South Australian conditions.