Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
horizontally, essentially stirring the soil with a series of metal fingers. The
cultivators can be mounted on hinged bars that swing the cultivators into
and out of the tree rows. A sensor bar detects the tree trunks, automatically
swinging the cultivator head away from the trees in time to avoid damaging
the trunks.
These devices have proven useful in larger organic orchards, although
they do have several drawbacks. First, the stirring action can damage shal-
low tree roots. In Washington State trials, trees in test plots where the in-
row cultivators were used leaned significantly more than in other plots,
due to poor anchorage caused by root damage. Adjusting the cultivator for
very shallow cultivation will minimize damage to the roots. Placing metal or
wooden stakes next to the trees helps protect the trees from being struck by
the sensor bar or cultivator. These horizontal rotovators have proven rather
slow and difficult to use in orchard systems.
A different type of in-row cultivator is presently manufactured in Wash-
ington State and appears well suited for organic orchards. This device, called
of angled, rotating cultivator tines and a scraper bar to remove vegetation
within the tree rows. This device mounts to the front of a tractor and can be
used at the same time as a rear mower to manage both the alley crops and
tree rows with a single pass.
Intercropping Food and Nonfood Crops for Harvest
In the past, when orchards were slow to come into fruit production and
all operations in the orchards were performed by hand or with animals, in-
tercropping vegetables and low-growing fruit plants between the trees was
common. Even today, you can find this practice in some parts of the world.
Intercropping is almost nonexistent today in North America, certainly in
commercial orchards where trees quickly come into bearing and tractors and
other equipment are used in the alleys. Trying to manage vegetable or other
cash crops in the alleyways will prove very difficult for most growers and
will probably not be worth the effort. Orchardists are generally better served
