Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Use a soil test to guide you in adjusting soil pH and nutrients (see page
second or third year. Regularly make visual observations of your tree growth
annually to monitor fruit crop nutrition and make adjustments before prob-
lems develop. Strive for moderate levels of fertility and vigor.
Keep the canopy open.
Be vigilant in your pruning and training. Of all of the
cultural practices that we have discussed, maintaining an open canopy fol-
lows only choosing the right crops and varieties and maintaining good soil
drainage in its importance to disease management. An open canopy greatly
increases air movement throughout the trees and bushes, reducing humidity
and keeping the foliage and fruit as dry as possible.
Many bacterial and fungal diseases require moisture for their spores to
germinate and infect plants. The longer the plant tissues are wet, the greater
the chance of infection. The situation becomes even more critical as temper-
atures rise. Open canopies allow more sunlight to penetrate, which helps the
branches, foliage, and fruit to dry, and also dramatically increases the form-
ation of flower buds on the interior of the trees.
When maintaining an open canopy, avoid the temptation to prune too of-
ten and too heavily. Excessive pruning, like excessive nitrogen fertilization,
results in lush, upright, disease-susceptible growth and poor fruit crops. As
ing practices. Branches can be tied to trellis wires, spread with wooden sticks,
or weighed down with water bottles to develop wide angles. Spreading the
branches shifts the plant's resources from vegetative growth to reproduction
and greatly increases the formation of fruit buds and spurs. Maintaining a
sustainable fruit crop is the best means of managing vegetative growth.
