Setting Up A Productive Orchard

Developing an orchard is a long term investment and should be
regarded it with extra caution. The waiting period sometimes takes one,
for several years to wait before the plant bears fruit. You should
understand that whatever profitable fruit variety you are going to
plant you should always choose for the right planting materials
although it’s quite expensive compared to the ordinary kind but it’s
worth it in the long run.

To shorten the waiting period for fruit harvest, one should opt for
grafted or marcoted fruit trees instead of the traditional seed
propagation where the waiting period is much longer. Fruit trees are
just like any other crops need care and attention. You need to
adequately nourish them with organic fertilizer and protect them from
pesky vines that usually choked the trees resulting in mortality.

Getting the right planting materials is just one of the
recommendations for successful production of fruit trees. Equally
important is the sustained care by the grower to his plants after
planting them. You need to observe the components of taking care in
growing of your fruit trees. The chosen variety should be adaptable to
the climate where your farm is located. If the place is rainy and
humid, avoid planting a fruit variety that does not suit to this kind
of climate because it will not perform very well.

It will probably grow big but then it will not bear fruit as
compared to the place with well defined wet and dry season. Proper
distancing should always be adhered to in the planting of fruit trees
to avoid overlapping of its branches which will not bear as much fruits
as those with adequate space. If the trees are too close to each other
they tend to grow tall where harvesting can be difficult due to reach
and accessibility aside that air circulation is obstructed and the
crowded condition are favorite breeding grounds of destructive pests.
Organic fertilizer or a handful of ammonium phosphate (16-20-0) maybe
applied in each hole during its planting.

Provisions of adequate moisture should be observed at all times.
They should be provided with enough drainage to avoid water logging or
ponding on the area. Accordingly, drainage canals is to be provided
when the growing area is flat. If the planting area is sloping, one
should see to it that moisture is retained around the root zone. A
flattened portion around the base of the tree is recommended with
organic matter or compost be added to the planting hole to help retain
the moisture.

As an orchard owner, one should closely monitor the young planted
trees and should visit them regularly at least once in a week. If
there’s mortality, they should be replaced immediately and find out the
cause of mortality and try to avoid it. The taking care of fruit trees
includes judicious pruning, remove the weak and unnecessary branches,
especially those inside and below the crown. Those weak and crowded
branches will only make the trees unproductive.

Many fruit trees are sensitive to too much as well as too little
water, especially during summer. They should be given enough moisture
and fertilizer throughout the year. Installing a drip irrigation is one
good alternative, it requires a big investment though it can be
recoverable in due time. Sustained fertilizer is necessary to keep the
plants healthy and be more resistant to disease.You can fertilize your
fruit trees through the soil as well as through the leaves. Applying
vermicompost or processed animal manure and spraying with vermitea is
now becoming popular and the cheap way of fertilizing your orchard.

Hence, if you intend to set up an orchard,make sure that you don’t
leave everything to mother nature. Foremost, fruit trees need your care
and attention all throughout the years so that in return they will
reward you with bountiful and luscious fruits from your orchard.