WORK IN THE ORCHARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 150, 27 June 1931, Page 7 (Supplement)

WORK IN THE ORCHARD

LIFTING AND PLANTING OUT The lifting and transplanting of all hardy fruit, shelter and other trees being now in full operation, every advantage should be taken of favourable conditions to hasten forward with the work. If the ground has been thoroughly broken up and worked when the trees are to be planted during the summer or autumn, there will be little difficulty in planting to secure successful growth. The planting, however, should not be done while the soil is iu such a sodden condition as to become puddled about the roots. It is always better to defer the planting until the soil becomes workable, and is in a nice friable condition. There must be a free outlet for surplus moisture as the accumulation of stagnant water is fatal to the growth of most plants. To leave the ground unprepared until the time of planting, and then to simply dig holes for the reception of the trees is often the cause of failure, especially if the soil is of a stiff retentive nature, and has not previously been broken up ami worked. The writer has seen so many failures result ing from careless planting by inexperienced planters that he would again call attention to the fact that to ensure sucees in planting fruit or other trees the soil should be placed in as good condition as for any other crop. Condition of the Soil The amount of preparation necessary will naturally depend in a great measure upon the character of the soil, and the treatment previously given. Soils vary so widely in different localities that no hard-and-fast rule can be applied. In stiff land, as already mentioned, apart from good surface preparation, there must be a free outlet for surplus moisture. In land of a deep, friable nature the soil cannot well be broken up too deeply so long as the best soil is retained for • oxering tin roots. But vhatever the nature of the soil the best possible treatment, should be given to the trees in planting as the main object is to encourage rapid root action, so that, the trees will become well established the first season after planting. If the land has been previously cultivated, cropped ami i manured, the soil may not. require any further manuring at the time of plant ing. In poor land, however, manuring may be essential, but in applying it, the manure should not be placed in immediate contact with th- roots, but should be well incorporated wit.h tin; soil, and should be so placed that as soon as

fresh young roots are made they can derive the greatest benefit from its use. Attention to the Boots. The roots of most trees arc more or less mutilated in lifting, and in such cases any damaged roots require to be cut back. In any case, they remain practically dormant for a few weeks, and are not in a condition to absorb any manorial properties until new rootaction takes place. In the formation of new orchards many things have tn be considered. First, there is the selection of varieties that will best serve the purpose aimed at and then there is tl • soil and situation in which the varieties are most likely to succeed best. Trees, too, vary somewhat in their requirements, for while many, particularly pip fruits, succeed well in soils of a stiff nature and in fairly exposed situations, others succeed best when planted in soils of a lighter nature, and that which is in some measure protected from the cold cutting winds so often experienced when the trees are in blossom, particularly such ns poaches, nectarines, apricots and other tender varieties.