Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 2.5
Geographic Profile of Good and Poor Orchard Locations
ABOVE:
The exposed hilltop (A) has excellent air and water drainage, but
soil erosion can be a problem, as can winds. The bench area (B) is nearly
level, lies above usual inversion layers, has good air and water drainage,
and is an excellent site for an orchard. The slope (C) is too steep for orch-
ard operations but can be transformed to an orchard site using terraces.
The level valley floor (D) can be a fair orchard site but may suffer from
frosts. Late-blooming crops and varieties might be best here. The low-ly-
ing area (E) is likely a frost pocket where heavy moist air collects, increas-
ing both frost injury and diseases. This area is best not used for orchard
crops.
Low-lying sites are often poorly suited to orchards. Water settles into low-ly-
ing areas, making drainage difficult. Cold air settles into depressions, called
frost pockets, increasing frost damage to blossoms and developing fruits.
Humid air is heavy and settles into the depressions, increasing the incidence
