ORCHARD SITE SELECTION

[ Index], [ Slide 1-10], [ Slide 11-20], [ Slide 21-33]

Slide 1		Since fruit tree crops and small fruit are perennial crops which should last for years, selection of the correct site is really the basis on which you should build your management program. Even the best management cannot make up for choosing a site which is subject to freezes or has the wrong soil type, inadequate drainage, or low quality water.
Slide 2		It is important to know the climate of your region, as this helps you to choose the appropriate species and cultivars. However, you should also be aware of the "microclimate" of the potential site. Microclimate can be affected by the surrounding landscape and the slope of the land.
Slide 3		Orchard placement can make the difference between harvesting a crop or losing it. Most frosts involve cooling by radiation. Trees planted at the bottom of a slope are usually exposed to colder temperatures than those planted on the slope.
Slide 4		Trees can act as a windbreak but should not be so close as to shade the orchard or to compete for water and nutrients. Insects and diseases are also affected by adjoining ecosystems.
Slide 5		Try to obtain as much information as possible about the weather history of the potential site. If you have a choice of sites, try to monitor temperatures in several on a potential over a year or more, before making a decision. Use a minimum-maximum thermometer or temperature and rainfall recording devices. Using instruments such as these in your orchard as it grows and produces can also be helpful because you can relate problems with growth or yield to weather conditions.
Slide 6		You should know these things about your soil: texture, structure, fertility, drainage.
Slide 7		Soil texture refers to the size of the soil particles. Gravel, a larger particle, maybe present in some soils. However, most are a mixture of these particles (numbers refer to diameter): Sand particles range from 2.00-0.05 mm Silt particles are from 0.05-0.002 mm Clay particles are less than 0.002 mm
Slide 8		A loam is a mix of these types of soil particles. If one type of particles predominates, the loam may be described by that name: sandy loam, clay loam, etc. Most fruit crops do best in a sandy to sandy loam soil. Sandy soils are often referred to as coarse-textured or light soils, while clay soils are called fine-textured or heavy soils. Sandy soils tend to drain better than clay soils. However, a sandy soil may be underlaid by clay layers, which will affect drainage. In addition to these particles, soils also contain varying amounts of organic matter. It would be preferable to have 2-4% organic matter in our agricultural soils, but most contain less than 1%.
Slide 9		Soil structure refers to how particles stick together. This is important because it can affect infiltration as well as pore space which influences root growth, drainage, and soil aeration. Organic matter can help to improve structure of soil, especially clay soils. However, heavy clay soils are not good orchard sites.
Slide 10		Soil testing is a good starting point for determining soil fertility. Your county agent has the bags and directions for taking soil tests. Be sure to make a composite sample from each area where you want to plant. If you have soil types which appear different (in color, texture, etc.) take a composite sample from each area and have them tested separately. Your local NRCS office has soil maps which will tell you the soil types on your farm and describe their characteristics.
Go to:   [ Index], [ Slide 1-10], [ Slide 11-20], [ Slide 21-33]