Trying Something New
“You have to manage the competition better.” That was the diagnosis from Molly, the orchard consultant I’d hired to look at the trees on the hillside block. They hadn't grown much in a year and were hard to pick out from the weeds around them. I was pleased that at least they hadn't died. Molly thought I should aim higher.
Apple tree root systems are poor fighters. Unlike canada thistle, burdock and lambs quarters they grow slowly and can lose out in the struggle for nutrients and water. Trees that don’t establish in the first couple of years can remain stunted for their lifetime and is one of the reasons for the heavy use of herbicide in orchards. This was my first year attempting to manage the orchard organically which meant no weed spraying. Instead I’d done...nothing. Partially because we had been busy bottling cider, Mostly because I wasn't sure what to do. “Better buy a good weed eater” was the common suggestion. I dislike weed eating. Noisy. Heavy. Takes forever. Strips bark off trees if you’re not careful.
I decided to try large scale mulching with wood chips instead, a technique often used in gardening. “It will never work” said Dave, my neighbour, which reflected the consensus of other conventional growers I’d asked. Undaunted, I called around to a few arborists and asked if they would trade cider for loads of chips rather than taking them to the dump. I borrowed a giant manure spreader trailer and my neighbour’s front end loader to fill it. Despite the raised eyebrows, the plan was to lay a thick layer of wood chips around each tree which would smother any weeds and also fertilize the ground as the chips slowly broke down over time.
My first attempt to drive the spreader up the hillside coincided with a large tour group arriving for a cider tasting. I made it about 20 feet up the hill before getting stuck and jackknifing the trailer into a tree trying to get out. Wood chips are heavy. Then with an audience watching and sweat pouring I ran and got my other, older tractor and attempted to tow the first, getting that one stuck too. “Maybe you should get a 3rd tractor!” one of the onlookers quipped, enjoying the spectacle. I actually have a 3rd tractor and briefly considered that.
In the end I stopped and waited until everyone left, then got some help and eventually got the tractors out and the wood chips all spread. How well did it work? Well, for the first month it was great. Nice neat piles around the trees, no weeds, it looked like a landscaped park. But by mid July things had already started to grow through, and by August you could hardly see the wood chips or the trees again. I admitted defeat and got out the weed eater.
Was it a failure? Not fully. The fertilizing effect of the chips will help but will take time. Adding more organic matter to the soil by any means is worthwhile. The moisture retention of the chips means that I shouldn't need to irrigate as much. In a few places where the chips were thick enough it actually even kept the weeds at bay. What was more important was trying something new despite the commonly held view that it wouldn't work. I've got lots more ideas for next season.
Happy New Year everyone.
Mike
