Winter Wet and Management Considerations
After a dry start to Autumn on the back of El Nino, this last week of June has brought a significant rain maker to bed in the wet season. Traditionally Hawke’s Bay receives most of its rainfall through June, July, and August and with soils now water logged, heavier soils are expected to remain water logged through to spring. The wet season can’t be avoided; however taking a look at what measures are possible to set up for the best possible spring start should form part of the winter programme.
- Check your surface drains, sumps, pumps, and tiles to make sure all are in working order and undertake any necessary maintenance activities. Clearing and cleaning drains is simple and effective insurance for the next season – Wet feet can contribute to low fruit set, small fruit size, and sensitivity to disease alongside impacting nutrient availability so its integral to keep everything functioning well;
- Plan your winter works for both operational (i.e. pruning) and development (i.e. new planting) actions to make sure everything required is completed to set up for spring. Soil condition is an important consideration, remembering:
- Soil fumigation against specific apple replant disease (SARD) is ineffective when soil is cold and saturated. Sil temperature and condition needs to be factored against timelines for when you want new plants in the ground and what timeframes are required to achieve all required tasks;
- Augmentations such pan breaking should have already been completed when soils were dry. Wet soil means it will be ineffective, and unlikely to achieve its full potential so consideration should be given to what timelines should be followed;
- Soil needs to be properly prepared to ensure good contact with new planting’s roots, but keep an eye on the weather conditions as heavy machinery can cause soil compaction issues that are difficult to remedy and if too wet, cultivators and power harrows wont achieve the desired result;
- Don’t forget about soil testing! Ideally, soil tests should be taken at the same time each year so scheduling these in for winter avoids any spring rush;
While growing is often at the mercy of weather conditions, careful planning across the winter season to balance each of the operational and development tasks leads to successful execution and builds a strong foundation for a successful season.
