Planting is done in spring time, as from the moment that the ground temperature is high enough and the field can be reached by agricultural machines:
- 1. The field is prepared to plant
- 2. The plant material is supplied in the field
- 3. The trees are planted regularly in the trench
- 4. The trees are planted in straight lines
- 5. The ground is pressed and slightly tossed up against the rootstock
- 6. In the row the ground is leveled
Grafting is done in wintertime. English grafts or splicing is applied mostly.
- 1. Graft and rootstock are slanted and split
- 2. Graft and rootstock are telescoped. In order to get an excellent concrescence it is important that the graft and the rootstock are perfectly joined together. In general the rootstocks and grafts have the same thickness. If the rootstock is much thicker than the graft, other grafting methods can be used. The most popular method is the triangular grafting method.
- 3. The graft is cut to 2-3 eyes.
- 4. The place of grafting is sealed with a plastic ribbon from the top down (like roofing tiles) in order to avoid the inflow of water.
- 5. The top is dipped in grafting wax in order not to dry out.
- 6. The grafts are put in boxes and are put in our cool store until the planting season arrives.
- 7. The grafts are planted in April-May (the time of planting is depending on the temperature).
- 8. After a complete concrescence, the plastic ribbon is removed. This usually happens in June or July. If biological ribbon (medifilm) is used, it disappears automatically.
The word budding comes the Latin word ocules, which means eye. The period of budding is half of July - half of September. In this period the cambium activity is at its highest in the plant. A high rate of cambium activity is necessary for a good concrescence. Cambium has cells with a high division activity. In the first phase of the concrescence callus (wound tissue) will be formed, afterwards the cells will differentiate.
Important points of special interest while budding:
- Budding only when dry weather
- The buds of the grafts must be in rest
- The rootstock must be active
- The bark must come off easily
- The height of the eye in general between 10 and 20 cm. The higher it is budded, the lower the vegetative force to be expected.
Steps:
- 1) In the bark of the rootstock, a T-cut is made
- 2) Then the T-cut is opened
- 3) The eye is cut
- 4) The eye is put in the cut under the bark
- 5) The eye is placed in such a way that the cambium comes in optimal contact with the eye and that the wound stays well-closed.
- 6) The wound is tied up
- 7) The parts fasciate and the binding material will waste away.
This method is also known as "eye grafting". The most important advantage of this system is the higher succeeding percentage.
Steps:
- 1 Eye is cut
- 2 An incision of approximately 3 cm is made in the rootstock
- 3 Below this incision, they cut more obliquely and deeper
- 4 The piece of bark with the wood can be removed.
- 5 The eye is slit in the wound (the eye can never be bigger than the wound)
- 6 Sealing with tape
- 7 After the concrescence they cut just above the chip and the tape is removed
For supporting the trees we changed from bamboo sticks to steel bars.
The main advantages:
- Bars last 5 times longer than bamboo sticks
- All bars are identical
- Easier to put in the ground and easier to remove.
- More grip
- Bars are more solid in the ground. They are less subject to the wind.
- The bars are able to bend in extreme circumstances.
- After the storm, the bars pull themselves straight again.
Placing the steel bars is done after planting. When the bars are placed, the bars are oriented SW. In this way, you have the least scouring damage! The plants are tied up to the bars various times using Maxtang. Before lifting the trees, the bars are removed.
For placing and removing the steel bars, a transport band has been developed which is able to treat 16 row simultaneously.
In our nursery we use two portal sprayers. The machines are mainly used for:
- Weed killing
- Sideways treatment of the fruit trees against parasites and diseases like leaf fleas, red spider mite, mildew, etc... ;
- Covering wounds purposefully against fungus like cancer. After each cleaning or every other operation during which wounds are made on the tree, a covering takes place.
The important assets of this machine:
- The plants are not damaged
- Concerning weed killing, 4 rows are sprayed at once. Concerning sideway treatment, 8 rows are sprayed simultaneously.
- Great stability of the tree that needs to be sprayed.
- Minimum ground pressure, despite a large quantity spray fluid.
- Ideal spray view
- Better ergonomics for our employees (drivers)
- Thanks to carbon filters, the air in the cabin is pure.
In order to get great branching, the apical dominance of the end button has to be interrupted. In the nursery, this is done in two ways:
- Spraying with the hormones Auxine and Gibbereline;
- Manual topping: the leafs are cut just above the point of growth.
As soon as the leafs fall, the trees can be lifted. Normally this starts in November. In February the last trees are lifted.
The lifted trees are stored under optimal condition in our cool store. We own a modern cool store of 6000m² or 45000m³. Thanks to the large volume and the optimal store conditions, the plants can be delivered from November until June. Before loading, the plants are treated preventively against fungus and infections.
