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The Tart Cherry Industry - continued
Orchard Management
The floors of tart cherry orchards almost universally are planted
with a sod cover. Because of the benefits of superior air drainage,
cherry orchards frequently are planted on sloping sites where soil
erosion can occur in clean-cultivated orchards. Sod ground covers
reduce erosion and also help check weed growth.
Like other orchard trees, cherries perform best with moderate, but
not excessive, fertility. High fertility may promote excessive shoot
growth and reduce fruit bud formation. Growers use a combination of
experienced observation, soil testing, and leaf analysis to determine
the nutritional needs of their trees.
Cherry orchards in the western desert areas (in Washington, Utah, and
Colorado) must be irrigated because of inadequate natural rainfall to
sustain the trees through the summer. A number of growers in the
Great Lakes states also supplement natural rainfall with irrigation.
Inadequate rainfall in these states during part of the growing season
reduces fruit size and retards tree growth. The lack of adequate
moisture can be particularly stressful on one- and two-year old
trees, causing stunted growth that requires a number of years for
full recovery.
Young tart cherry trees are pruned to obtain a desirable size and
shape. Mature trees, however, require little pruning beyond the
removal of weak branches in the interiors of the trees.
Tart cherries are susceptible to a number of insect and disease
pests. Most potentially damaging insects and diseases, however, are
controllable with available management practices. The exceptions are
brown rot and cherry leaf spot, which can get "out of hand" during
extended periods of wet weather.
Growers rely heavily on pesticide sprays for controlling insects and
diseases. A typical spray program consists of 8-12 applications
during a season, depending on the area of the country and on the
orchard's particular pest problems.
Harvesting
Tart cherry harvesting begins in early July in most areas and extends
into August. The most active harvest period lasts about
two weeks.
Virtually all tart cherries are mechanically harvested. The cherries
are shaken from the tree onto portable catching frames positioned
beneath the tree. From the catching frames, the cherries roll onto
conveyor belts which carry them into palleted tanks of cold water.
The cherries remain in these water tanks until they reach the
processing plant.
A minuscule amount of tart cherries are hand harvested. Growers with
too few trees to justify the heavy investment in harvesting equipment
may hand pick their fruit.
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