3 minute read
Winter is typically a downtime in the orchard, but at Rockit, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. The crisp colder months are when pruning comes into play – a critical activity that is key to cultivating a new season of crisp delicious apples.
“All the activities in the orchard are important, but pruning is arguably the most important as it sets the foundation for the following year and ensures a crop of deliciously crisp red apples come harvest,” explains Nathan Waites, Rockit Technical Operations Manager.
It starts in April and May when the team reviews the results from the past harvest. Walking the orchard blocks, the horticultural experts pinpoint where the most fruitful trees are, areas with too much shade, and where any past season fruit has grown blemishes. Then they devise different pruning strategies to make sure every corner of the orchard produces top quality fruit.
“They say growing fruit is about harvesting light,” says Nathan. “Wherever you have good light you’re going to have good bud quality and good quality fruit.” Pruning ensures the light can get right through to every part of the tree. The UV promotes growth and higher levels of natural antioxidants in the skin and flesh.
Pruning also means trees don’t get too dense and bushy, which helps minimise the risk of pests and disease, and balances out the fruit volume. “It’s a false economy to have more wood in the trees thinking that you’re going to get more fruit,” says Nathan, who explains that maintaining a balance bud-to-fruit ratio is critical to ensuring a crop of perfectly-sized Rockit™apple year after year. “We want high yield, but we know we need a certain amount of ‘resting buds’, so that the tree doesn’t expend all it’s energy growing this years crop, and then next year the buds won’t produce any fruit.”
Rockit has been an early adopter of 2D and FOPS growing, which means many of the Rockit orchard blocks have tall narrow wall-type canopy. Unlike conventionally planted trees that get a significant structural prune during winter, the blocks planted with the modern 2D and FOPS approach are pruned less intensively, but more frequently, throughout the year.
Regardless of how the block is planted, the pruning is a hands-on job. As the team of highly skilled Rockit pruners cut back the trees they also inspect for quality, identifying any wood that needs to be removed to keep the trees nice and healthy. Alongside this hands-on care, Rockit makes use of some of the latest crop-scanning technology, allowing the team to quickly and accurately access the number of metres of fruitful wood, record bud count, and take action to ensure the optimal crop load.
Nathan explains it’s a bit of an art and a science, something that Rockit is consistently fine-tuning. “The hard work and attention to detail that goes in as we prune during winter is what sets us up for a fruitful bud break – and another bumper crop of apples to harvest.”
Written by,
Emma Hogan
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