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Hedgerow Almonds

Yields in Hedgerow Almonds

John Edstrom
UCCE Farm Advisor

Stan Cutter
Nickels Soils Lab

Jim Yeager
UC Davis

Unpruned
Unpruned

The long term evaluation of various tree spacing, training and pruning techniques continued into the 21st year. Since 1979 four training concepts have been monitored for there affect on yield of nonpareil; Price 1:1 hedgerow planting (7'x22') at the Nickels Soils Lab in Arbuckle. The following treatments began at the first dormant pruning:

1)

Temporary Hedge - trained to three scaffolds, standard pruning for permanent trees, with alternate trees gradually whisked back and then removed after their 8th year (1986), leaving a 14'x22' spacing.

2)

Permanent Hedge - trained to three scaffolds, standard pruned and maintained at 7'x22'.

3)

Two Scaffold Hedge - a 7'x22' hedge trained with two primary limbs growing out into the row middles and standard pruned.

4)

Unpruned Hedge - a 7'x22' hedge trained to three scaffolds and then essentially unpruned since.

 

Good commercial yield continues to be maintained in this trial despite crowded tree conditions. Nonpareil production this season was 2483 lbs/ac for the 2 scaffold plots, 2307 lbs. for the unpruned, 2136 lbs. for the permanent hedge and 1662 lbs. for the temporary hedge plots.

The decline in yield reported last year for the unpruned areas did not continue this year, yields returned to more typical levels. The temporary hedge areas where alternate trees were removed in 1986 continued to lag far behind and again failed to regain productivity. Accumulated yields continue to favor the three tightly spaced hedgerow treatments.

Noteworthy this season, is the observation that overall vigor appears to be declining in the entire plot and that the heavily shaded conditions are diminishing throughout the three tightly hedged treatments. More light is apparent on the orchard floor than in past years even beneath the unpruned trees.

 

 

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Copyright © 1999 Colusa County Cooperative Extension, Univ. of California
Last modified: September 01, 2000