Good Fruit Grower

May 15

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HOW TO ADJUST CROP LOAD by pruning C ornell University horticulturist Steve Hoying suggests the following steps for adjusting crop load by pruning: 1 Determine what size fruit you want to produce. That will depend on past experience and anticipation for the new crop year. This year, for example, eastern growers are producing in well-rested orchards that, unless thinned well, will produce lots of small apples, while Washington growers are coming off a bumper crop. What size apples should a grower shoot for? Select 15 uniform trees of the variety, strain, and rootstock combination to be pruned. Count and record the entire number of fruit buds on each of the selected trees. Figuring one apple per bud and knowing number of trees per acre, you can estimate how many apples the orchard will produce without any further action. Determine the number of apples needed on each tree to produce the size of fruit you are aiming for. You 2 3 4 5 6 can determine that, to some degree, by measuring trunk size, at least on younger trees or those pruned to the tall spindle design. Cornell University horticulturist Dr. Terence Robinson suggests shooting for eight to ten apples on most varieties, and four to five apples on Honeycrisp, for each square centimeter of trunk cross sectional area measured about a foot above ground. The Equilifruit disc is a simple tool that makes measurement easy and tells how many apples to leave on a tree depending on the size of the trunk. For larger trees with scaffold limbs, the tool can be used on limbs rather than the trunk. Valent BioSciences is making the tool available to growers who contact local Valent representatives and ask for one. Prune to remove excess buds. The excess is the difference between number of buds on the tree and number of fruits desired. Assess the risk. Leave additional buds in case you've miscounted or The Equilifruit disc should fit tightly around the selected limb, about an inch away from the trunk. The F-values on the disk show the recommended number of fruit for limbs of certain diameters. have cold weather that kills additional buds or prevents pollination and puts you below the target flower and fruit number needed to achieve the target crop load. The number of additional buds required to provide insurance depends on the variety. Early-blooming varieties may be more at risk for frost damage and you may want to keep more buds than on late-blooming varieties that have a lower risk of fruit loss. Remember, the more insurance buds you leave, the more you will 7 8 have to remove by chemical or hand thinning later. Prune to remove excess buds. Pruning should be selective, removing first those buds that are of poor quality, are poorly positioned, are excessively crowded, or are on pendant wood. After removing inferior buds, remove additional buds until the target level is reached. After pruning several trees, recount bud numbers to assess success of pruning. —R. Lehnert Customer Focused. Quality Driven. from RDO Equipment Co. Fit, Form, and Function: The 5EN Series The John Deere 83 – 101 horsepower 5EN Series Narrow Tractors: proof that you don't have to compromise between fit and function. If you need a high-powered, no-compromise tractor that can snake through narrow rows or other cramped spaces, look to the John Deere 5E Narrow Series. Available in both cab and open-station configurations, and with either 2WD or MFWD, the 5EN Series was designed for vineyard, orchard, and nursery producers who need a tractor that can pull heavy carts, handle fully loaded sprayers, or lift heavy disks and tillers … all while offering a full complement of premium features and available options. The engine horsepower information is provided by the engine manufacturer to be used for comparison purposes only. Actual operating horsepower will be less. John Deere's green and yellow color scheme, the leaping deer symbol and JOHN DEERE are trademarks of Deere & Company. Ask about our custom cut downs for high density orchard applications. See your local RDO Equipment Co. store for details. WASHINGTON OREGON www.rdoequipment.com 34 May 15, 2013 GOOD FRUIT GROWER HERMISTON 78200 S Hwy 207 541-567-8327 800-357-7925 PENDLETON 5401 NW Rieth Rd 541-276-6341 800-422-5598 WASCO 95421 Hwy 206 541-442-5400 800-989-7351 PASCO 1707 E James 509-547-0541 800-735-1142 SUNNYSIDE 140 Midvale Rd 509-839-5131 800-745-4027 www.goodfruit.com

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