Soil management for peach tree growth

Abstract

Abstract The growth of peach trees planted in unridged and ridged beds on a Wakanui silt loam was compared over a 4-year period at Lincoln University, New Zealand. Unridged beds had 20 cm of topsoil above a clay subsoil, and the 3 m wide ridged beds had 40 cm of topsoil in the centre. Grafted trees planted in a single row at 1.5 m spacing were trained to a centre leader. Measurements in the third winter showed root mass and rooting depth were greater (P = 0.03) under ridged beds, and 65% of roots on ridged trees were above the original soil surface and possible waterlogging effects. Trees on ridged beds grew faster—trunk cross-sectional area in the fourth winter was 23% greater (P < 0.01) than trees grown on unridged beds. Ridged trees were significantly taller (P ≤ 0.01) and had a canopy volume that was 19% larger (P = 0.04) than unridged trees. Fruit yield from trees on ridged beds was 12% higher than that from trees on unridged beds in the two harvests, although the difference was not significant. In the second harvest, the number of fruit picked from ridged trees was 17% higher (P = 0.04) than from unridged trees. Orchardists with soils that have a physical impediment to root growth or are subject to waterlogging can take advantage of the larger root system and faster growth rate that occurs with peach trees when this ridging technique is used.