Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Opinions on tree size and spacing

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Joe Hecksel" <jhecksel@voyager.net>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Opinions on tree size and spacing
  • Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 14:24:01 -0400


> A local commercial orchard has M26 trees spaced about 9x18 and they
look
> too crowded - not enough space to drive through, although that's only
270
> trees per acre.

I have mostly Liberty on MARK (similar in size to M26) on 12'x 12'
(4m x 4m) centers. Orchard was a horse corral 12 years ago. Soil is
clay. It is a hand equipment kind of orchard. Serious pruning every
three or four years has kept it under control.

On the subject of pruning: There is a training method call "pillar"
that is not discussed very much. I don't think it is necessary to
slavishly follow the "rules" to gain use from the concept.

The pillar system uses a single central leader. One year old wood that
sprouts off the central leader is thinned out to leave between 30 and 40
one year whips per tree. An effort is made to have them evenly
distributed along the 12' (4m) height of the leader. All two year old
wood has the previous summer's extention removed (the portion that
remains should look spurry). All three year old wood is cut back to a
2" long stub that will serve as a source for next year's vigorous one
whips.

Advantages to the system are *simplicity* of execution, reduced vigor,
good light penetration, seldom having to cut wood more than 1"
(25mm)thick. Disadvantages are vigorous first year shoots can get
fireblight, central leader is poorly shaded and therefore susceptible to
sun scald and the orchard requires a maintenance pruning every year.

I am moving toward the pillar system but will have some scaffold limbs
(3 or 4/tree)in addition to the central leader.

Best regards from Eaton Rapids

--
Joe Hecksel
Personal Webpage http://my.voyager.net/~jhecksel





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page