High Density Home Orchard Culture

Transcription

1 High Density Home Orchard Culture by Angela Chandler Why we don t t grow more of our own fruit? Lack of space Difficult to choose between varieties when faced with a small yard Worried about number of trees required for pollination Homeowners often avoid trees that require a pollinator when they have limited space It s s Just Tradition As families moved to the city with industrialization, traditional farm orchard culture moved with them Goals differ Conditions differ Lifestyles differ Farm Fruit Culture Large parcels of land Maximum tree size Maximum fruit yield Need to harvest all at once Truck access during harvesting Tractor cultivation & maintenance Home Fruit Culture Solution The suburban homeowner: Does not need maximum yield of any one fruit Would like to have a wider selection of fruits & their varieties Would like an extended harvest period Does not want to climb trees to prune, thin & harvest The solution to each of the concerns of homeowners is... The High Density Home Orchard Management System

2 What is HDHO? A method of growing trees with: Closer spacing Managed height and width Competition reduces tree vigor This is a tool for managing tree size Works best when rootstocks are same or have similar vigor Can improve pollination Close Planting 2, 3, or 4 trees in one hole & Belgian Fence Hedgerow Compact Orchards Specimen trees within perennial borders Containers with Single Cordon trees A Four-Tree Group Belgian Fence Hedgerows

3 Compact Orchards Specimens Containers with Single Cordon Containers can be a HDHO Because size will be restricted, large containers are suitable for some types of fruit trees This practice is not new European formal gardens Orangeries Grape vines in terra cotta 8 x 9 9 (2) trees in one hole; 18 apart 9 x 10 (3) trees in one hole; 18 apart

4 10 x 10 (4) trees in one hole; 18 apart 10 x 20 Two sets of (4) trees in one hole; 18 apart 15 x 20 Two sets of (4) trees in one hole; 18 apart & (2) espaliered trees 8 x 36 (12) trees in a hedgerow; 36 apart, or three sets of (4) trees in one hole 15 x 36 (12) trees in a hedgerow; 36 apart, or three sets of (4) trees in one hole; plus (3) espaliered trees 10 x 15 Informal (6) trees in one hole; freeform shape

5 Informal Groups Relax HDHO Culture is different erent,, but not difficult icult Planting & pruning are easy once you change your mind-set A Different Approach Change your mind set Traditional orchard culture does not apply Planning for: Pollinating partners Successive ripening Budget for more trees initially Control tree size Understand the reasons for pruning Learn to do early training and summer pruning Before Planting Decide what varieties you would like to plant Groups can be: Same fruit, different varieties Early, Mid-Season, Late Pollinating partners Completely different fruits Best effect if they are in the same family Before Planting Select trees with low- growing, well-spaced scaffold branches Do a drainage test at the planting site If drainage test fails, build a raised bed A 4 4 x 4, 4, 12 deep bed will hold up to 4 trees Planting Dig a good hole Same depth as root ball or container depth Twice as wide as root ball or container for single specimens At least one foot wider than tree spacing for group planting If If tree spacing is 18 apart, dig hole at least 30 wide

6 Planting Set the trees in the hole and backfill with native soil to about ½ hole depth Tamp, but do not pack hard Fill hole with water and allow to drain completely Backfill with remaining soil and tamp Water again, filling & draining hole several times 4 layer of mulch from center of single trees, centerline of hedgerow, or from center of 2, 3, or 4 tree groups Planting Planting 2, 3, or 4 trees in one hole 18 to 24 apart in all directions Cut all to same height Plant each group of 2, 3, or 4 trees 12 to 15 apart Hedgerows & Compact Orchards Plant trees 3 or more feet apart, allow for good light exposure and air circulation Follow First Year Training Tree Size is at Your Command Shorter trees are more manageable Spray Prune Thin Net against predators Protect from frost Harvest How tall is tall enough? Height you can reach to thin & harvest standing flat on the ground or on a short step-stool stool Choose a height, and keep the tree to that height for its lifetime Tree Height Freeze & Hail Protection Almost impossible with a traditional fruit tree So easy with HDHO

7 Bird or Deer Protection HDHO trees can easily be caged against browsing deer and marauding pests How to Manage Height Pruning Dormant Pruning Summer Pruning Sufficient water, but do not over- water Sufficient nitrogen fertilizer, but do not over-fertilize The Truth About Rootstocks Some trees on dwarfing & semi- dwarfing stock grow much faster & larger than you would expect More important to select rootstocks for: Adaptability to soil & climate (hardiness) Pest & disease resistance Precocity & longevity How much fruit can I expect? Scaffold branches should start at about knee height Yields about 5 5 to 6 6 of fruiting canopy if tree is 6 6 to 7 7 tall Most fruit trees will yield pieces of fruit at this size Pruning Throw away what you know about WHEN to prune fruit trees Keep what you know about HOW to prune fruit trees You will prune more often the first three years You will prune vigorous growth more severely each year Know the Reasons We Prune Remove damaged or diseased wood Stimulate fruiting wood Space fruiting wood Allow sunlight to penetrate the canopy Promote good air circulation

8 Early Training Start early in the trees life First 3 years are the most important to HDHO culture It is easier to keep a tree small than it is to make a large tree smaller Pruning at Planting Top the tree As low as 15 As high as 4 4 Depends on: Spacing and location of side limbs Desired tree form Cut all side limbs back by 2/3 to promote vigorous new growth Summer Pruning Summer pruning is major size control factor Reducing the canopy reduces photosynthesis (food manufacture) Reduces amount of energy stored in roots in late summer & fall This is the energy used for early spring growth First Year After the first spring flush of growth, cut new growth back by ½ In late summer (late August, early September) cut all subsequent growth by ½ Size control & development of low growing fruit wood begins this year Second Year Same as the first year After the first spring flush of growth, cut new growth back by ½ In late summer (late August, early September) cut all subsequent growth by ½ Three prunings may be required for very vigorous varieties Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer Second Year Thin to open center form Single trees Prune Prune to open vase shape Group plantings Thin center to allow sunlight exposure Treat group as one tree for overall shape Be careful not to remove all of one variety! Hedgerows Treat Treat each specimen as a single tree

9 Choose final height; cut back all shoots above this height In late spring or early summer, cut new growth back by ½ at least Third Year Tree height can be set at any convenient height Note that this is a single specimen, pruned in the HDHO method; low and wide Third Year Third Year Smaller one, two, and three-year year-old fruit-bearing branches should have at least six inches of free space all around Where two branches begin close together and grow in the same direction, one should be removed When limbs cross one another, one should be cut back or removed Maintenance Pruning Maintain selected height Dormant pruning will be very similar to that of traditional fruit tree culture except for height Continue summer pruning to restrict vigor (summer pruning has a dwarfing affect) Especially vigorous varieties may require three prunings a year A Well Pruned Four-Tree Group Timing Tip Prune at the same time as thinning Fruiting wood is apparent so better pruning decisions can be made One-year wood in peach trees Spurs Spurs in apples and pears

10 Learn by doing Raised Beds Don't let pruning decisions inhibit you or slow you down There are always multiple acceptable decisions - no two people will prune a tree in the same way You learn to prune by pruning! Raised Beds Raised Beds Raised beds don t always have structured sides Raised Beds Group Planting Four 3-gallon 3 trees, ready to plant

11 Group Planting Group Planting

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13 Belgian Fence Belgian Fence Belgian Fence Hedgerows

14 Hedgerows Hedgerow Informal Groups Containers Containers Containers

15 Containers Containers Containers Containers Compact Orchards Compact Orchards

16 Compact Orchards Compact Orchards Specimens Specimens Empowering Solutions Empowering Solutions

17 Thank-you! Have more questions? Please feel free to Angela: Thank-you to Dave Wilson Nurseries for images and additional resources