Our Orchard

When we first purchased EarthWood the soil in the area we wanted the orchard to be consisted of compacted clays and soft stone. It was also the home of several large tree stumps and full sized trees.

We had an excavator clear unwanted trees and stumps and the ground ripped to a depth of 900mm. The orchard area is now capable of absorbing rainfall and the roots from the trees can penetrate the rather poor soil with relevant ease.

As dry conditions are the norm here the trees are planted in a swale (depression) about 150mm deep. The swales are about 1.8 metres in diameter. The trees are mulched with a variety of organic materials, including shredded paper, stable manure, straw and nesting materials from the hen house. Mulching is necessary here to help save moisture and maintain an even soil temperature. Mulching also creates an environment where worms, native frogs and other beneficial greebies can find suitable shelter and feed.

Irrigation is by drippers, two to a tree, one about 400mm each side of the trunk. The swales keep the water close to the trees root zone and under the mulch where it is able to benfit the trees. The 19mm dripper lines are fed from a 25mm header line connected to the 40mm main that is fed by the 22,500 litre concrete tank on the highest point of the property. Normally the trees are irrigated about twice a week depending on the weather and at what stage the crop is. All of the water used for irrigation in the orchard areas is gravity fed.

The rows of fruit trees in the main part of the orchard are five metres wide. This allows us to grow asparagus, thornless blackberries and loganberries between the rows of trees. By growing the asparagus and brambles between the rows of trees it makes full use of the area and means that the area under irrigation is better utilised. The trees are three metres apart in the rows allowing plenty of room for them to grow.

When we first set up the orchard areas we contemplated how we were going to manage the ground between the trees to stop weeds and grasses becoming a problem. Many of the ideas we came up with sounded like hard work and were labour intensive with no actual return on cost and effort. We solved the problem in a way that suits us and also some of the poultry. In the winter months after the trees have shed their leaves we put ducks and hens into the main orchard area to clean up any grasses and weeds that have grown. The trees, brambles and asparagus are mulched when the poultry comes in but this is soon scattered far and wide by the hens. The ducks follow the hens to get the leftovers. Hens and ducks will eat the young shoots off trees so it is wise to keep them out of the orchard in the growing period. It is our intention when the trees become established to get a varety of poultry that will be able to stay in the orchard areas all year round to help break the life cycle of the codlin moth and any other pests we have.

Kangaroos and wallabies became a problem the first year the orchard was established as they would jump the fence and strip leaves from the young trees and tear some of the branches off. Individual tree guards, a higher fence and scare devices were considered but cost and practicality saw those ideas discarded.

Dogs are the best means of protection here for the vegetable gardens and orchard areas. We have two of them that roam about in the house block and even though they bark regularly during the day and night they do not disturb us as we know they are doing their job.