Renovating Old Orchards -...

18
Renovating Old Orchards MICHAEL SMITH DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Transcript of Renovating Old Orchards -...

Page 1: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Renovating Old Orchards MICHAEL SMITH

DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Page 2: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Why Renovate

• REDUCE TREE CROWDING TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION & QUALITY

• ELIMINATE DAMAGED TREES

• REPLACE OLD POOR-PERFORMING VARIETIES

• GAIN DISEASE OR INSECT RESISTANCE?

0

100

200

300

400

500

10 27 34 36 74

Cross-sectional trunk area/acre

lbs./

acre

7-year average

NATIVE PECAN YIELD AT DIFFERENT TREE DENSITIES

Page 3: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Remove Entire Orchard vs. Individual Trees

ENTIRE ORCHARD

Allows greater opportunity to fix drainage problems

No decisions or supervision required during tree removal

Orchard uniformity

Eliminates cash flow for 6 or more years

INDIVIDUAL TREES

Maintains cash flow

Slows growth of new trees

Greater difficulty in managing young and old trees

Page 4: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Selective tree removal with cutter & skidder

Cost $45/acre Removed 3-6 trees/acre

1 part Remedy, 3 parts diesel

Page 5: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Selective tree removal with track hoe

$45 to $50/tree

Page 6: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Tree removal with Stumpster Thinned 30-year-old ‘Pawnee’ ≈ 18” diameter

2 min/tree to cut

Tractor with grapple to remove trees

Machine cost ≈ $5000

Page 7: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Tree Disposal Free firewood and then burn remains

Sell firewood and then burn remains

Sell logs (only significant market for good native timber) and burn remains

Burn everything

Page 8: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Orchard Design Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned as the trees become crowded.

◦ 40’x40’ = 27 trees/a

◦ 56’x56’ = 14 trees/a

◦ 80’x80’ = 7 trees/a

Hedging delays the need for tree removal, but does not eliminate the need to thin trees.

3 1 3 1 3

1 2 1 2 1

3 1 3 1 3

1 2 1 2 1

3 1 3 1 3

1 2 1 2 1

3 1 3 1 3

40’

56’ 80’

Pattern tree removal

Page 9: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Selective tree removal

Make an orchard map - Should indicate

cultivar, health and size of trees

30C7 30 ft diameter canopy

‘Cape Fear’

score of 7 on a 10 point scale

Page 10: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Selective Tree Removal Not selectively thinned Selectively thinned twice

water data

d 5 75 y 3 55 y 1 5 d 6 25 d 7 35 d 7 10 d 7 10 d 5 50tesche nay be topworked to schley, weak tree -cut1 65

s 7 5 d 4 60 y 2 70 s 5 5 d 5 35 d 6 55 y 3 5 d 4 60

d 4 90 y 4 5 d 3 15 d 5 5 d 5 85 y 4 60 s 3 85 s 6 65 y 2 25

s 4 5 d 3 80 s 7 55 s 4 80 y 3 5 d 4 90 y 4 5 d 3 20 d 6 5

s 5 55 d 5 5 d 3 75 y 3 5 d 3 65 s 4 5 d 4 85 s 5 well 55

d 6 5 d 3 85 y 4 5 d 4 25 d 5 5 d 3 75 y 3 5 d 5 45 d 5 55

d 6 90 y 3 10 d 5 20 d 6 90 y 3 5 d 4 65 y 2 65 y 2 5 d 4 60

valve

y 2 5 d 5 60 y 2 85 y 3 20 d 5 65 s 5 25 d 5 70 s 6

d 7 85 s 6 20 d 5 65 y 3 30 d 5 65 y 2 5 d 4 70

d 6 5 d 6 25 d 6 60 s 5 60d (or Alley)4 75 s 4 90 s 7 5 d 3 80 y 3 25

3 15 o 6 95 s 8 15 a 7 90 s 8 5 o 4 50 d 8 5 z 4 90 s 7 45 d 7 85 s 4

+ 15 g 4 + + + +

6 45 u 8 5 u 2 20 g 5 15 g 4 100 s 8 35 o 8 20 z 7 10 o 7 5 u 7 15 o 6

+ 10 o 6 + 15 a 8 + 15 o 6 + + 10 o 4

9 45 d 6 35 u 7 95 s 8 15 a 5 5 o 4 20 u 8 5 z 4 95 s 7 90 s 7 20 u 8

+ + + + +

6 5 u 7 35 d 5 20 a 7 95 s 8 30 u 7 40 o 8 95 s 7 5 o 3 45 u 7 10 o 5

+ + + + + 15 o 6

7 15 o 5 100 s 8 15 a 6 10 a 5 95 s 7 25 u 7 10 o 5 95 s 8 40 d? 6 50 d 7

+ 20 a 7 + + 20 o 6 + +

6 5 u 6 10 o 6 20 a 7 80 s 5 20 u 7 20 o 6 15 z 5 10 o 6 5 u 5 55 d 7

5 + + valve + + +

8 5 o 4 85 s 7 5 a 4 15 a 7 15 o 5 90 s 5 10 o 5 95 s 7 20 o 7 100 s 6

+ + + + 25 o 6 +

5 100 s 6 5 u 3 20 g 3 95 s 6 20 u 7 5 o 4 95 s 7 10 o 5 30 u 6 20 o 8

+ valve + + 15 o 6 + + 10 o 5

5 5 o 4 90 s 6 25 g 1 25 a 7 15 o 6 20 u 7 10 o 5 5 z 3 100 s 8 20 u 7

+ + + + +

5 5 u 6 15 o 7 85 s 5 20 g 3 100 s 8 5 o 4 25 z 8 20 z 6 10 u 5 20 o 7

+ 10 o 7 + + 15 o + 20 o 6 + 20 o 6

6 10 o 6 15 u 7 15 a 7 20 a 7 15 o 6 20 u 7 10 o 4 10 z 6 100 s 8 35 u 7

+ + + + +

Page 11: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Trees Interplanted when Thinning Orchard

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Tre

e d

ia.

(mm

)

Distance to established tree (ft)

Distance to stump

12 ft 48 ft 96 ft

Page 12: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Pollination Requirements

Pecan - pollinators within 150’ of cultivar to be

pollinated.

Prefer 2 protandrous (type 1) and 2 protogynous

(type 2) cultivars.

Self- & cross-pollinated nuts - ‘Western’ female parent

Male parent

Nut

characteristics Western Wichita

Percent

increase

Weight (g) 5.35 6.45 21

Volume (ml) 7.43 8.34 12

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

June July Aug Sept Oct

Percen

t fr

uit

drop

San Saba Imp. Mahan

Self- & cross-pollinated nuts – ‘San Saba Imp.’ female

Page 13: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Shoot & root growth after 2 growing seasons – silty clay loam soil.

1’ 2’ 3’

Tap root

length

(ft)

Cumulative

shoot

growth

(inches)

New

roots/tree

1 149 13

2 102 8

3 113 6

Roots develop from cut surfaces.

New roots, not existing roots, are important for establishment and growth.

Page 14: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Planting Container –

◦ Time to plant ◦ Best: late Sept. & October.

◦ Acceptable: dormant

◦ Least desirable: active growth

◦ Shake most of the media from the roots at planting.

◦ Cut the root where it begins to wrap at the pot bottom.

◦ Plant at the same height or shallower than grown in the pot.

Page 15: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Install Tree Protectors & Mulch

Page 16: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Control Weeds!

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

None Cutleaf

evening

primrose

Palmer

amaranth

CEP + PA

Cu

mu

lati

ve s

hoot

gro

wth

(fe

et)

. .

None CEP + PA

3.5 times more

growth

than CEP + PA

Cumulative shoot growth - (3 growing seasons)

Palmer amaranth

Cutleaf evening

primrose

Page 17: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Size of weed-free circle

Weed-free

diameter

(ft)

Cumulative

yield

age 7-12

(lbs/tree)

0 555

3 1074

6 996

12 1488

24 1545

8th growing

season

Page 18: Renovating Old Orchards - arkpecangrowers.orgarkpecangrowers.org/documents/orchard-renovation.pdf · Pecans are typically planted at a higher density, and then thinned ... San Saba

Questions?