Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/675334
12 MAY 15, 2016 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com everywhere in the orchard. At a Washington Fruit and Produce Co. orchard in Mattawa, Washington, trees were planted on a four- wire trellis, super slender axe V system, with the spacing between trees under each arm of the trellis at 3 feet for the large trees (Gisela 6, Krymsk 5), 18 inches for the dwarfs (Clare, Cass, Lake) and 2 feet for the intermediate vigor trees (Clinton, Gisela 5), with 12 feet between rows. For spacing down the row, the equivalent would be: 1.5 feet, 9 inches and 1 foot. Key to this site is the soil, which is very sandy, but Iezzoni noted the trees' growth. "It's wonderful to see them growing with such vigor; and once again, with the girdling, they're getting all these breaks," she said. "The challenge in Mattawa is to keep that break growing in the light soils." In the 2009 Prosser Bing trial, Clare had fewer flow- ers per cluster than Gisela 5 or 6. The flower clusters on Kyrmsk 5 and 6, Lake, Clare and Cass had better distribu- tion and less bunching than the Gisela rootstocks. The Dalles Tim Dahle's orchard in The Dalles, Oregon, features a central leader system for Regina and a KGB system for Early Robin and Sweetheart, with 16 feet between rows and 8 feet between trees, at about 340 trees per acre. The trees are irrigated by microsprinklers. Lynn Long, Oregon State University Extension educa- tor, said he plans to prune a second time in this second year. The MSU rootstocks will have to be pruned to balance crop load, and all need support by staking or trellis. The dwarf stocks should be planted in a footprint of 12 feet by 6 feet (72 square feet) or less, and Clinton could have a footprint up to 14 feet by 7 feet (100 square feet), as a larger tree will overcrop and not support the crop on a larger canopy, Auvil said. Overall, the early results show that the target tree type can be achieved, Iezzoni said. "We just don't know yet, genetically, what's the right match." Future sites More growers are getting on board with the rootstock research this year — a move that aids Iezzoni's efforts to breed rootstocks suited to the soils, climate and pro- duction systems in the region. In Washington, Zirkle Fruit Co. and Stemilt Growers also are planting trials near Mattawa, as are Orchard View Farms in Dallesport, Washington, and Mike Omeg in The Dalles. Stemilt is focusing on planting Clinton, Class, Clare and Lake rootstocks with Skeena, which is a later vari- ety — an unusual choice for a region that ripens early, acknowledged Robin Graham, the company's manager for the Mattawa/Othello, Washington, area. But Graham said the variety fills a gap in the company's market and harvest season. And while sunburn may be common in that part of central Washington, the company could con- sider covers if it becomes a problem, he said. For Omeg, the trials offer an opportunity to broaden the knowledge around production systems for cher- ries — both for himself and for others. "In cherries, no one has figured out the rootstock issue like they have in apples. I'm doing this to learn," he said. Omeg is replacing a Bing block that struggles to grow big fruit, but he said he figures he has until August to decide which scion to graft onto them. • PhoToS by Shannon dininny/Good FruiT Grower Workers plant dwarfing rootstocks at Mike Omeg's cherry orchard in The Dalles, Oregon, in April, as part of a trial of Michigan State University rootstocks. Below, a closeup view of a rootstock planting. Better Performance, Fewer Applications, Better Cherries. THE RAIN IS COMING. BE PREPARED! Parka is a food grade, transparent and tasteless cuticle supplement. Adding Parka to your program has demonstrated to substantially reduce rain splitting and improve quality at harvest and beyond. The unique elasticity of Parka allows a simple 2 application program starting at straw color while avoiding reactive sprays closer to harvest. Save time, money and headaches. Visit cultivaipm.com to find out more. 888.638.1955 www.cultivaipm.com sales@cultivaipm.com Parka can be purchased at your local retailer, contact us for more details. Parka is a trademark of Cultiva, LLC. SureSeal is a trademark of Oregon State University. Always read and follow label directions. ©2016 Cultiva, LLC.