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More Hedge-Row
Orchards Now
BLACKSBURG-Shortage of labor and increased production costs are leading many orchardmen to plant more spur type and semi-dwarf apple trees as hedge-row orchards. These smaller than standard trees will provide early, heavy production if they receive proper care, said Fred R. Dreiling, Extension fruit tree specialist at Virginia Tech. Smaller trees are also more efficient since they have a minimum of shading and unproductive foliage. Early production is essential, Dreiling said, when the high cost of bringing a young apple orchard into commercial production is considered. Initial consideration of site, soil, pre-planting preparations, varieties, pollination and planting distances are fundamental to produce profitable young orchards, he said.
Dreiling recommends ordering well-grown trees from the nursery. They should be one-year-old trees, four to six feet tall with a trunk diameter of about five-eights of an inch.
Vigor of the tree is a determining factor in early establishment of tree framework and early production. The tree must have sufficient vigor to grow a number qf side branches the first year from which scaffold limbs can be selected. Indications are that in the future heavy production on intensive plantings will be of vital importance. To have early production, maximum bearing surface is necessary. This in turn reflects good tree growth along with the development of a strong framework, Dreiling said.
Tree roots before planting must be kept wet at all times. Many growers soak trees in a pond or pool for two to three days before planting. In many instances watering trees during and following planting have promoted better growth. Maintaining good moisture level in the soil has been
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