Michigan is a top producer of tart cherries in the United States, with 75% of the nation’s tart cherry acreage. Traditional tart cherry orchards are typically the Montmorency variety grown on Mahaleb rootstock, planted 19 feet by 21 feet. These traditional orchards result in very large trees that can remain productive up to 28 years, and they are harvested using a tree-shaking harvest method. Unfortunately, the traditional method of harvest using shakers requires that trees be 7 to 8 years old before they can be harvested, requiring significant financial investment prior to generating any revenue from new plantings. Mechanical shakers also have the potential to damage tree trunks and reduce orchard longevity. Damaged trunks can attract trunk-boring insects, such as the American plum borer, or peach tree borers, which can further contribute to tree decline or death.
The long-standing need for improvements to this traditional tart cherry system has led one group of highly innovative growers to seek new strategies. Oxley Farms, led by Ed, Chris and Rick Oxley, grows 250 acres of tart cherry in Lawton, Michigan. In 2010 when a hailstorm destroyed a 50-acre block of 1-year-old tart cherry trees, the Oxleys reached out to Michigan State University Extension for guidance since MSU horticulturists had been experimenting with alternative high-density plantings and over the row (OTR) harvesting techniques. With input from MSU horticulturist Ron Perry (now retired), the Oxleys decided to cut the damaged trees off just above the graft union to invigorate new growth. They also planted two new trees between each surviving tree to establish a high-density cherry planting. The idea was to see if the higher tree density would reduce tree size through competition among the root zones of each young tree.
Source: msu.edu
Photo Credit: pixabay-couleur
Categories: Michigan, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables