canopy management mature orchard canopy management – a 20 year grower’s perspective - warren...
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Warren Elvery Victoria Park
Plantation
Manager of Victoria
Park Plantation
Over 330 hectares in production ◦ Over 70,000 trees
◦ Average tree age is 20-25yo
◦ Spacing is 7m x 4m
Started career in macadamia production at age 18
Variety
Region
Enterprise aims and goals ◦ Economics
Have a plan and Start early!
Agronomic aims – ◦ Harvesting light Leaves
◦ Maintain ground cover ◦ Machinery access ◦ Pest management ◦ Nutrient requirements
Harvesting
light
Build
carbohydrate &
reserves
Produce
crop
End tree phenomena
Yield per hectare = maximise
Inputs per hectare = minimise
1. Tree training
2. Pruning for density
Topping
Staghorning
Sacrificial
Phasing out
Young trees - not touching
Trees starting to touch
Begin phasing out middle tree
Remove middle tree
Reworking
Replanting
Maintain alley ways
Looks good
“wall of death”
Remove new fruiting wood
Internal void
Time of year and staged
Positives Negatives
• Maintain access for machinery • Mechanical pruning • Low labour cost
• Wall of death • Internal void • Effective canopy distorted
Shape the structure of the tree
Inter row growing limbs
Active canopy of limb
Opening a window in canopy
Positives Negatives
• Keeps internal canopy productive • Allows increased light penetration • Shapes the tree structure • Remove large unproductive limbs • Chipping limbs back onto orchard floor
• Hard work • Labour requirements • Time consuming • Each tree different
Staggered ◦ 25%
◦ 50%
Individual trees
Whole row
Both
Active Canopy Volume
Large equipment required
Positives Negatives
• More light into canopy and orchard floor
• Capital costs (hire or purchase) •Stumps
1. Topping
2. Stag Horning
3. Replant individual trees after storm damage
4. DO NOTHING
Have a plan
Start early
Phase out trees
Focus on increasing active canopy volume (photosynthesising leaves)
Commit ◦ Making the decision is the hardest part ◦ Make the decision and stick to it ◦ Canopy Management is LONG TERM
Questions?