Fundamentals of vigour management

Understanding the cause of your vigour in each block is key to establishing the most effective, cost-efficient management tool.

Back in 2018, the late John Wilton was concerned about the level of vigour seen in intensive plantings having a consequence on bud quality and fruit quality (colour and poor carbohydrate partitioning). 8 years on, and we are having the same conversations! In saying that carbohydrate balancing is key and vigour reduction can be taken too far. Ranking blocks in order of severity can help to prioritise areas for investment.

A useful way to think about vigour management is through the Liebig’s Barrel principle. It reminds us that until the most limiting issue is fixed, everything else is just plugging holes. As an example, fighting vigour using regalis does not fix the underlying issue if the growth is a result of excess Nitrogen. Identifying the cause of excess growth can be tricky with many factors influencing plant growth. To go into them all we would need a few more pages, but to list a few of the most common:

Tree structure –Fruit is the cheapest most rewarding form of vigour management. Does the canopy structure provide enough ’framework’ or ‘metres of fruiting wood’ to comfortably hold the target crop load in singles and/or even doubles (on preferred sites).

Wood texture should also be a consideration. As we have moved to more formal precision systems, the ‘fill a wire’ concept has been followed. This has been absolutely essential to fill the canopy and achieve cumulative yields; however a replacement programme must be implemented to ensure the larger, less fruitful, higher vigour units can be rotated out.

Pruning should focus on balancing carbohydrate. managing excess vigour and setting up high-quality wood for next season. Summer pruning is a highly effective tool for vigour management, but timing and execution will determine the response. E.g. for example, flush cutting when minimal regrowth is required, and stubbing when a stronger response is needed. Summer pruning off a weak/settled/terminated dart is counterintuitive to vigour management, and fruit quality.

Irrigation deficit is an ongoing balancing act that no one has truly mastered. Have your ever heard the saying, “treat ‘em mean keep ‘em keen?”. The first sign of plant stress is vegetative termination. If shoots are still growing, they are more than likely getting sufficient water. This comes back to the fundamentals of irrigation management – where is the active root zone and how is soil moisture behaving at each profile depth.

Combatting the vigour war will not happen overnight, but determining each blocks root cause will aid in making effective, cost-efficient decisions, leading to improved productivity and fruit quality.

Meg Becker

EXCEPTIONAL APPLE AND PEAR HARVEST GETS UNDERWAY

New Zealand growers deliver fantastic 2026 crop to global markets

 New Zealand’s apple and pear harvest is underway, with early forecasts pointing to a standout season marked by exceptional fruit quality and high pack‑out rates.

A largely quintessential growing season across key regions has delivered a significant boost to productivity, across both traditional and new IP varieties.

It is a welcome return to form for the industry after several challenging years, that included Covid‑19 disruptions and extreme weather events, says New Zealand Apples and Pears (NZAPI) Acting General Manager Danielle Adsett.

“It’s incredibly heartening to see,” says Adsett. “The fruit looks and, most importantly, tastes fantastic. Growers are reporting excellent quality, early pack-outs are tracking really well and there’s a real sense of optimism across the industry.

“While we are still building toward previous pre-Covid peaks, this year’s improved productivity numbers are the real gamechanger for growers. After an excellent 2025 harvest, this season is also tracking in the right direction.”

A warm, dry spring with good growing degree days and high levels of solar radiation has resulted in large fruit with vibrant colour and delicious eating quality. Apples and pears from all growing regions are expected to store superbly for export markets.

“We’re delighted with the significant uplift in productivity, which can largely be attributed to the maturation of new plantings of IP varieties,” says Adsett. “It is particularly valuable given New Zealand apples and pears are in high demand, due to expansive opportunities across a number of our global markets and the premium quality of fruit.”

Productivity gains are attributed to the strong focus from growers to transitioning their orchards to more highly-productive growing systems, that are more efficient and deliver higher yields.

“The new IP varieties deliver higher yields and attract stronger returns in global markets, however some of these orchards are still relatively young,” says Adsett. “They need time in the ground before they reach full production, which suggests further growth and improved productivity is in the pipeline.”

New Zealand’s apple and pear industry is a major contributor to national export earnings as well as regional economies and supports New Zealand’s reputation as a leading producer of premium, safe and sustainably grown food.

As the 2026 harvest gathers momentum, growers are focused on delivering consistent quality to customers around the world, while continuing to invest for the future.

For further information: Please contact New Zealand Apples and Pears National Communications Manager Jessica Wauchop on jessicaw@applesandpears.nz or 021 254 0923

Just a quick update on a couple of RMA matters:

• The Resource Management (Duration of Consents) Amendment Bill was passed late last year (2025). This reinstated and extended most expired resource consents until 31 December 2027. This is especially good news for those of you who have expired (or expiring) water permits within the TANK Catchments, as it means you now have certainty about how much water you have for the next couple of years. You don’t need to do anything to qualify for this extension – the regional council will do the admin that is needed. The council will likely get in touch to confirm this is what you want to do. If you are unsure, please get in touch and we can talk it through
• Submissions have now closed on the RMA replacement bills (it is proposed to have two acts replace the RMA – the Planning Act and the Natural Environment Act). All of the submissions are now being considered by the Environment Select Committee, who can recommend changes, and/or identify issues that require further consideration. The select committee are expected to report back to parliament by the end of June (2026)

Please get in touch on 027 3225595 or via email at Charlotte.Drury@hortnz.co.nz if there is anything consent/resource management related you would like to discuss.

• Entries & nominations close: 28 February 2026
• Awards Dinner: Thursday 2 April 2026

• Silver Fern Farms Farmer of the Year
• Rural Directions Shepherd of the Year
• Bayleys Primary Sector Innovation
• Unison Professional of the Year
• Pan Pac Farm Forester of the Year
• Gifford Devine Scholarship
• Laurie Dowling Memorial
• Horticentre Horticulturalist of the Year
• Heretaunga Hastings District Council Industry Leader
• Craigs Investment Partners Emerging Leader

HAG (Horticultural Advisory Group)

Fruit growers and other irrigators have reason for optimism following the government’s recent announcements regarding RMA reforms. An extension of all existing consents to late 2027 provides immediate relief for those with expiring consents whilst new policy guiding future resource consents is worked through. The government has promised that the intent of policy reforms is to address constraints that currently constrain growth in the primary sector and provide confidence for investors. Let’s hope we see this come to fruition.
At the local level, multiple work streams continue with steady progress made in recent weeks. The latest HSW members update is very informative, and I encourage all growers to become a member if you are not already. There is no cost to join, and all growers will benefit from the work this group of volunteers is doing to promote sustainable water supply for all water users. HBFA is represented on the HSW operating committee along with representatives from other sector and product groups. The scope of HSW work spans water storage, aquifer recharge studies, globalised consenting and plan change 9 policy submissions. Each of these work streams are critical in the shaping of a governance model that will provide improved water security for the whole community. I won’t dive into any detail here but please refer to technical updates provided by Charlotte Drury on behalf of HortNZ, along with the HSW newsletter. HBFA will continue to advocate strongly for its members by actively participating in pan sector groups including HSW.

Richard Pentreath
Chair of HAG

Some good news in the RMA space – in amongst all the changes announced by central government last week, a bill was passed that automatically extends all existing and expired resource consents until 31 December 2027! This is particularly good news for all of you who have expired/expiring water permits affected by the TANK Plan Change.  You water use will still need to comply with the conditions of the expired/expiring consent, but you now have more certainty about the volume of water that you will have for the next 2 years. You don’t need to do anything to qualify for this extension -it happens automatically.  Over the next month or so you will receive some correspondence from the regional council confirming the new expiry date as being 31 December 2027. It is still really important to ensure that all water used is accurately recorded by a water meter and/or telemetry, so please make sure your equipment is operating correctly.

Just a couple of other things to note – if your consent expires next May (31 May 2026) and you hadn’t quite got around to lodging your replacement application, you don’t need to do that now. And, if for some reason you do want to have your water permit (or any other consent application for that matter) processed through the council can still do that – just get in touch with them and ask them to carry on.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Charlotte Drury on 027 3225595, or via email to Charlotte.Drury@hortnz.co.nz. Otherwise, I hope everyone has a merry and safe Christmas!

Any questions,  please do not hesitate to get in touch with Charlotte Drury on 0273225595 or Charlotte.Drury@hortnz.co.nz

Is there a Smarter Way?

No doubt about it, farming is challenging no matter what you are producing.  Each season brings learnings, obstacles, market shifts and without fail, weather.  Growers love the challenge, the outdoors, and ultimately providing a high-quality product, but it is also easy to get lost in the day to day.

We need to adapt and address challenges, deliver stronger consistent returns, and ultimately build legacies for future generations.  How do we get there?

Routinely taking stock and asking is there a smarter way?  A smarter way may be a small change in management of a block, it might be closing the data loop on a particular action, it could be setting up a small trial to test a burning question or to simply assess the benefits of particular strategies or actions.

A smarter way might be bigger questions – What options are available to improve?  Is my enterprise resilient?  Have I developed appropriate succession pathways?

There are a range of programmes and pathways available to assist growers, one of which is ASB’s Every Hectare Matters.  The programme is about supporting farmers to unlock the full potential of land & pairing with a range of expertise to deliver.  The programme covers a range of topics including optimisation of current systems, diversification, infrastructure improvements (water reticulation, irrigation, solar etc), housing or papakāinga, and succession planning.  If you’re thinking about any of these things, have a look at the programme and see if its right for you.

Carl O’Brien