Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/291333
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER APRIL 15, 2014 39 moved toward dwarfing rootstocks that reduce tree vigor and change flowering habit. Secondly, he said, the New York work is focused on labor reduction, and less on fruit size and accumulation of soluble solids. Summer prun- ing is being done to curtail dormant, detailed pruning, changing it from an every-year process to a once-every-three-years process. In the New York research in 2012 and 2013, pruning cost and time using the hedger was only 5 percent as much as would be required for manual summer pruning, Marini said. Thirdly, "Weak shoots seem to respond differently than vigorous shoots to the summer shearing process," he said. They may produce fewer vegetative shoots below the heading cuts, less regrowth in the summer and less shoot growth the following year, and better flower bud initiation. Depending on the timing, summer shearing cut off only 22 to 38 per- cent of the growing points on the tree, Marini said, reviewing the New York findings. Sidewall shearing in June, July, or August removed 4 to 6 percent of the fruits in the New York tests and resulted in a regrowth response of 4 to 6 inches, where most of the short regrowth shoots resulted in a terminal flower bud. There was very little change in yield, fruit quality, or crop value in the New York trials. "This may not work if trees are vigorous," Marini said. While he advised Mid-Atlantic growers to "keep an eye on the New York research," he advised them against trying it on vigorous trees—and to keep in mind the risk of fireblight in making cuts on shoots outside of the dormant pruning season. • VAPOR GARD ® FOR CHERRIES SEE LABEL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS N o G e n e r ic S u b s t i t u t e ! A CONSISTENT PERFORMER CONFIDENCE Comes from 40 years and over 150,000 acres treated with VAPOR GARD. That's why many Growers, Consultants, Pest Control Advisors and Packing Houses understand VAPOR GARD's BENEFITS and VALUE on CHERRIES. MILLER CHEMICAL & FERTILIZER CORP. 800-233-2040 ➤INCREASED SIZE & YIELD ➤REDUCED SPLITTING ➤INCREASED SHELF LIFE Using VAPOR GARD on cherries offers growers these benefits: ➤INCREASED SIZE & YIELD ➤REDUCED SPLITTING (with early application) (from untimely rain) ➤INCREASED SHELF LIFE (greener stems) Ed Hanks- SP Farms – Toppenish, WA 9:-591:"7/38:$781:32:+.988495:998,:,978:46:(75:299191:%38:+87+42*:/89926432':# -591:46:9%389:8742:721:46:599)91:6.9,:14126:5/046:75:71':91:238)700,:-591:46:7:+3- /09:64)95:7:,978'::#:(75:70(7,5:.7//,:(46.:"7/38:$781'::#:(3-0126:*83(:+.988495:(46.3-6 46' Ed Sherman - Sherman Orchard Inc. – Quincy, WA #:.79:-591:"7/38:$781:%38:,9785:%38:8742:/8369+6432:(46.:*8976 895-065'::3:5.4//42*:895684+64325:721:*899298:569)5:789:7:*8976 /0-5'::#:599:6.76:),:+.988495:567,:8)98:032*98:(46.:"7/38:$781' "7/38:$781:.75:)389:92965:6.72:-56:8742:/8369+6432' PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBERTO DORIGONI PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN LAGASSE Mechanical pruning of fruiting walls.