[-Grower and Marketer, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 19, 2001 197 Pruning, Tree Health Discussed At Twilight Meeting MICHELLE RANCK Lancaster Farming Staff NEFFSVILLE (Lancaster Co.) A fruit growers’ meeting late last week drew more than 70 area producers and experts to both review and exchange ideas about the produce industry. Jim Erb, owner and opera tor of produce market Brook lawn Farms, hosted the event. Dr. Rob Crasswell, Penn State pomologist, began the evening with a review of peach tree training. Experienced horticultural ist Ben Rogers, who prunes Lancaster extension agent Tim Elkner opened the evening with orchard owner Jim Erb, left. Brooklawn trees each year, aided Crasswell in the pres entation. The pair demon strated pruning techniques on trees planted last year. Crasswell pointed out the sig nificance of having an open centered tree. Dr. Jim Travis, Penn State fruit pathologist, said that by removing the suckers and en suring that the tree is bare in the center aids tree health. “If the foliage is too thick, the inside of the tree defoliates. Pruning improves air circula tion and light, so there’s less area for cankor to get started,’’ he said. “To continue to force the branches outward, lightly clip the growing terminals to stunt the growth. That forces the lower branches out hori zontally,” said Crasswell. “That also keeps foliage there for canopy for photo synthesis needed for growth.” Thinning a tree takes ad vantage of the shoots on either side of the trunk. The trees were given “min- Horticulture expert Ben Rogers, who prunes Brooklawn Farms’ trees each year, demonstrates a technique to encourage the limbs to branch out more hori zontally. * ' v ■*'•.♦*««** SUNFLOWER 1-800-414-4705 SUNFLOWER - SIMPLY THE REST! Cut And Condition • Working width from 10’ - 32’ • A proven veteran of millions of acres • Wing units transport at 12’4” • Wing gauge wheels standard WE HAVE A MACHINE TO EXCEED YOUR TILLAGE NEEDS! Plant While Preserving Precious Soil Moistures And Residues • Available in 7’ to 40’ models • No til or conventional • 3 pt./caddy mounted/foldmg units HTITVT PYr 111 ID Cl 1 133 Rothsville Station Rd. BWtH ivs?* *• u-swsass W RkOS INC —t ( 717 > 626-4705 1 -800-414-4705 rn Farm Plan. oX|pr ■■V w ■ F ax 71 7-626-0996 As*»*arFKFM m , imal training” this year be cause of the trees’ slow growth, said Rogers. “There are two philoso phies,” said Crasswell. “One is to let the trees grow, and the other is to intervene and selectively chose branches to get the most growth. As Rogers and I said, there’s not one right way.” However pruning too late, warned Crasswell, will put stress on the trees by taking away the young leaf surface, •SSSSSP which decreases cell division and results in smaller fruit. “Left go, they’ll be a brush pile by fall,” said Rogers. Changing Branch Direction Rogers demonstrated a technique traditionally used in apple trees. By scoring the stiff branches which tend to reach upward, “not hardly a quarter of the way through, one inch apart, you can put “Uplift” And Distribute Valuable Surface Residue I T’ t: mr~" r r' *3 '*< H' <, ■ ■ “?vi .; . ? .. 5000 SERIES CULTIVATORS • High Residue-flow machine • Super duty construction • 18’ - 38’ working widths • 190# point pressure Size And Incorporate • Working widths 9’ - 29' • Heaviest frames in the industry • 1,750# point pressure • Subsoil shanks available • Exceptional residue flow (Turn to Page 5)
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