Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Analyzing the Sample Plan
Slope management. The site slopes upward from south to north. Cherries
and peaches bloom earlier than apples and are more susceptible to spring
frost damage. By locating them as high as possible on the slope, heavy cold
air drains away from the trees, reducing the danger of frost damage to the
blossoms and developing fruit.
Crop row orientation. Crop rows are oriented east-west. The orientation of
fruit tree rows is relatively unimportant for most growers. For rows of very
large trees, a north-south orientation allows somewhat more light to reach
the orchard floor than an east-west orientation, but not much from a practic-
al standpoint. With smaller trees, you should obtain adequate sunlight penet-
ration regardless of the planting direction. In this example, the greater con-
sideration is preventing soil erosion. Running the tree rows north-south on
this site would create serious erosion problems. If the slope is too steep to al-
low vehicles and tractors to move safely across it, one possibility is to create
a pattern of narrow, level terraces along the tree rows that would be wide
enough to handle farm equipment, although terraces will probably not be
needed for this orchard. The alleys are maintained in permanent vegetation,
which will help reduce erosion and improve access in wet weather while sup-
porting beneficial organisms.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search