How To Start A Pick Your Own Fruit Orchard

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

By Sharlene Fleming


Orchards do not only contribute to the beautification of properties but are also very good business investments. Starting orchards, especially those that offer promos as pick your own fruit ohio, will certainly require research, planning and preparation for smooth operations. Having some experience in growing fruits will really be helpful in going through with the venture. Those without experience, however, have the option to seek the assistance from professional orchardists for the job.

Before carrying out the planting phase, business owners should first conduct a study on which plants grow best in their area of choice. It may be necessary to consider factors such as the use, methods for storing, harvest season, color, taste and size of the plants for this. In addition, owners may also have to put some consideration on consumer demand.

Spend time trying to draft layouts of how you want the orchard to look like. Other than the visual aspect though, make sure that you also take into account the spacing of plants and the sunlight they get. Take note that trees will need sunlight exposure approximately 5 hours every single day. The spacing will be depending on what type of plants and trees you have planted though.

There are several different types of systems for watering plants. Owners will also have to acquire knowledge pertaining to what these are and what will be best for the orchard they are planning to establish. One of the most popular though, is drip irrigation. Not only does this work well and have easy installation process, it is also known to be very cost-efficient.

Take into consideration the different agricultural laws that might affect your business. For instance, if you are planning to employ the constant use of pesticides or any other agrochemical, check with EPA on what brand or type is the safest to use. Nonetheless, the market trend of today has shown that a lot of consumers have started preferring produces which have not been treated chemically. Hence, it might do you better to consider going for organic operations.

Running orchards will also involve taking care of the plants. For this, it might be essential to conduct some soil testing. The process will mainly be conducted to guarantee the health of the soil which is the primary source of plant nutrients. This can be carried out by owners themselves or by professional services.

Mandatory in all orchards is caring for every plant and tree as well. There are several approaches that may be seen through for this. Pruning is one which involves cutting back the old branches, especially those measuring beyond 18 inches. By doing so, the central parts of trees will be exposed more to sunlight. Fertilizing unhealthy soil is another approach that can be considered for the plants to progressively grow.

Managing pests and diseases is another essential part of running orchards. Common pests that may attack fruit trees are moth, aphids and maggots. Common diseases, on the other hand, are scabs, frogeye lead spots, mildew, and black rots. Insecticides are what most usually resort to, to prevent these from taking place.

Know the perfect harvest period for each fruit tree you are growing if you wish to offer a pick your own fruit ohio tour. Harvest periods vary between tree and plant types. Hence, this will certainly require you to do some further research and studying.




About the Author: