Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/240622
tree training systems—some successful and some not. In the early 1990s, the company hired Bas van den Ende from Australia as its horticultural consultant for seven years. "We had 200 experiments going on then and did a lot of planting and different things in the orchards," said Laura. "We were looking for that magical dwarfing rootstock and orchard system that brought pears into earlier production." Remnants of van den Ende's handiwork still stand—a Tatura trellis block of pears, double rows of pears, and an orchard with 16 feet between trees, 12 feet between rows that started as an 8 by 12-feet spacing. The Tatura trellis is effective in providing light penetration, said Mike. "But we have issues that make the system more difficult to manage. They don't have fireblight in Australia, but we do. When you have to cut out a strike on a limb that's attached to wires, it doesn't work so good." They also tried double rows of Bosc and green and red d'Anjou as a way to increase yields. "Bosc is a vigorous variety and needs plenty of light penetration," he said. "Fruit began growing only in the tops of the trees. We wouldn't do double rows again." Then there's the experiment using tightly spaced trees and later removing some. "That worked once we got to the point of removing the trees," Mike said. "The 8 by 12 www.goodfruit.com Mike Naumes of Medford, Oregon's Naumes, spacing works fine in our Comice, but in Bosc, because of Inc., says the area is a great place to grow its vigorous growth, we had too much shade." pears but that its remote location can be a In their newer orchards, Bosc and Comice are planted problem. PHOTO BY T.J. MULLINAX together as pollinizers for each other, with two rows of Bosc and eight rows of Comice. Most of their orchards are planted to a single leader to allow closer spacings of trees. In recent years, they've standardized their tree spacings, putting Comice 8 by 12 feet apart on the semidwarfing Provence quince rootstock and Bosc, a more vigorous cultivar, at 17 by 12 feet. Provence quince is widely used for Comice in Medford, but the rootstock is not winter hardy in other parts of the Northwest and it's not compatible with some varieties. Other quince and Old Home by Farmingdale rootstocks are used on pear cultivars —Mike Naumes besides Comice. Through the years, the Naumes company has spread its risk by expanding into new regions, new crops like cherries, and staying on top of technology. Now, as the company returns to its Medford roots, it can remain focused on its core product while exploring a new crop and industry with wine grapes. "We decided to pull back to Medford. I'm getting to the age of wanting to slow down." • GOOD FRUIT GROWER JANUARY 15, 2014 25