Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/629538
30 FEBRUARY 1, 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Avoiding mistakes T he right rootstock is really the root of a grower's success, and growers can achieve far greater success if they avoid a few com- mon mistakes. Here are three com- mon mistakes to avoid when selecting rootstock: 1. Failing to plan early Everyone wants to be first in line, but there's a waiting list for many of the newer rootstock cultivars. Planning early makes it more likely growers will get what they want — and need — when they want it. Planning should include setting expectations for the orchard. If getting the trees grown and ready to produce is your No. 1 priority, then you want to go with rootstocks that have more horsepower. At the same time, growers need to determine how they want to manage their orchard, including trellis type, whether they will be installing shade cloth or netting and how they plan to irrigate. Early planning can save money and aggravation later. 2. Lack of knowledge about soil Some folks roll their eyes when you tell them to look at their soil, but soil types in an orchard can change dra- matically in just a few feet, changing irrigation needs and potentially affect- ing rootstock choices. With additional planning, grow- ers can do a better job of managing rootstock selection and water appli- cation technologies to build an easi- er-to-manage orchard than growers have been satisfied with in the past. For instance, the biggest challenge with drip irrigation is matching the length of the set with the soil type, but many growers don't realize where they have sand and where they have clay. In a 600-foot row, I plan to plant three different rootstocks just because the soil texture changes so much. We have good dirt, bad dirt and OK dirt in the same row, but by reading the trees that are there currently, I can tell my needs in each spot. Malling 27: M.27 is another rootstock that doesn't have large volumes of commercial availability, and it hasn't been used much in Washington. It's less advantageous for commercial production and more likely to be utilized for very special uses, Fazio said, such as a pedestrian orchard or containerized trees. Geneva 41: G.41 tends to be associated with very large-caliper finished trees — it's one of the high-performing Geneva rootstocks — but half-inch trees seem to have fewer problems than 5/8-inch or larger. Why? Because G.41 has had challenges with union breakage and needs to be handled with care, more so than other cultivars. Fazio said G.41 has this problem only with certain varieties, but researchers are working to improve graft-union development. "The smaller you graft or bud the tree, the better the chance at getting homeostatic communica- tion between the two," he said. Growers can find more success if they avoid some common mistakes when selecting rootstock. by Tom Auvil Continued on page 32 Committed to Dedicated Service & Quality Trees For 78 Years & Counting 800-654-5854 www.davewilson.com www.facebook.com/DaveWilsonNursery Hickman: 19701 Lake Road Hickman, CA 95323 209-874-1821 Reedley: 21200 E. Dinuba Ave. Reedley, CA 93654 559-638-6675