Take me to your (central) leader

The new orchard we transplanted this spring is finally starting to leaf out. Transplanting is hard on  a tree - the microscopic root hairs that supply it with nutrients are all lost, and it takes time before they regrow in their new home.  

We pruned the trees back to sticks after planting - this helps with the transition because lots of branches and leaves place too much demand on the weak root systems.  But, the trees need to re-grow some branches and leaves right away or they will not be able to photosynthesize and will die.

Luckily, all the trees have survived, and are shooting out new branches in every direction.  This poses the first job for the orchardist - selecting the leader and the shoots that will form the eventual scaffold branch system of the tree.  We are training the trees to grow on a central leader design, with one “leader”  and several side branches spaced out along the tree.   

I learned the hard way that it is much easier to select your branches when they can be cut with a pair of snips, then in a few years from now when a saw is required and the surgery is much more traumatic. 

This is one of many orchard jobs that are pretty easy when done at the right time, but are twice as hard if you procrastinate. 

Till next week,

Mike