When was the last irrigation reading taken on your orchard and what was the soil moisture level? How long has the soil been saturated? Is your sub-surface drainage still flowing?
Understanding the moisture levels in your soil profile will be highly valuable in determining your blocks exposure to stress, and assist in understanding the condition of your blocks prior to chemical thinning.
AgFirst’s soil moisture monitoring service has a considerable database on the soil moisture trends in Hawke’s Bay. Our soil moisture data shows a full point through the profile down to one metre depth (field capacity), and a trigger point to show when further irrigation may be necessary.
These three three soil moisture profile readings below show a comparison between the same profile in 2021, 2022 and 2023. It is important to note that this irrigation tube is on a non-cyclone effected block.
In 2023, the soil moisture content is roughly 10 VSM% above full point from 200mm profile depth right down to a metre.
This particular irrigation tube has been regularly monitored, with all readings since the 1st April showing the soil moisture levels above full point even though the property has subsurface drainage. As expected, September 2021 and 2022 both show the profile to be much drier.
Keeping in mind that Impeded drainage or perched water tables will exacerbate any soil moisture issues. Root systems sitting in waterlogged soils will be suffering from lack of oxygen, and as a result the fine root hairs are likely to be shallow and inactive. When the soil profile does finally start to dry out, managing block irrigation is going to be important to ensure moisture levels are correct within the active rootzone.
Meg Becker
Agfirst Horticultural Consultant
For some the answer is just a maybe, and for others an absolute yes.
There are trees that are no longer in the ground, because of the previous wet season which were then finished off by Gabrielle. Some of those that are still standing, were flooded for an extended period or are still covered by silt. These trees are in recovery mode, which may take a year. There are also blocks that were nearing the end of their productive life that have been tipped over and need replacing.
Spring wake up is delayed – perhaps 10 or more days later than “normal”. In stressed trees bloom levels are low and flower quality is only average. Stone fruit is completely dependent on the quality of the buds’ stored reserves from last season. There are blocks that have not been pruned until we see what the response might be, which goes counter to the advice posed at the last apples recovery field day. We don’t yet have a good understanding of new root growth after having lived in a puddle for so long, and insufficient understanding of root growth potential before the soil dries out.
There are blocks that have flowered, had flower thinning done and are thinking about a touch up hand thin. Others are awaiting the right day for an ATS application. Cherries, like apples, are due for bud break about now, although this looks a little delayed as well.
There are orchardists that are suggesting that they are like the trees they grow, financially and motivationally on the edge. For many there have been three poor return seasons in a row. And yet there are others that are rearing to go with the prospect of a hot dry season in front of us. Fungicide use is way down compared to this time last year and I have had sprinklers going for more hours already than the total of the last growing season.
So, is this a longer-term sustainable crop for Hawkes Bay? I guess that depends on definitions to some degree, so let’s have a crack at a definition. How about ‘being able to grow a financially profitable crop next year and in 10 years’ time, without degradation of the orchard environment’. Regenerative agriculture is still a bit of a buzzy topic in some circles. Fresh Water Farm Plans (FWFP) are on the near horizon for Hawkes Bay (for Central Otago its next year), He Waka Eke Noa (About – He Waka Eke Noa) has been scuttled, and water allocation planning needs careful attention. We seem to have enough pest and fungi controls for now, but bacteria control is lacking. Being able to intensify production is held back by a lack of readily available dwarfing rootstock scion combinations.
My estimation is that permanent tree crops are naturally in a reasonably good place on the regen ag spectrum. We will get through FWFP with help from Hort NZ, the level of carbon credit accounting as was proposed was never going to be a game changer, and with good advocacy and planning we should get through water allocation. We will keep working on bacteria control with trials happening within the A-Lighter-Touch programme. Mulching is standard orchard practice which mitigates burning in all but exceptional circumstances, and fewer tractor passes are possible if we are prepared to have scruffier looking orchards.
If we do the numbers on last season’s local market wholesale prices, and then run that across high yielding blocks there is some pretty good orchard gate returns per hectare that can be made. Stitching a few seasons of this nature together is high up on the wish list.
Now we need two or three fine, dry years in a row, with reasonable returns for the fruit that will help build back the bank account. Good quality fruit that consumers want to buy repeatedly seems possible under El Nino conditions. Rivers that stay where they are put would be a bonus as would banks that extend seasonal finance to get us to harvest. For those with healthy trees this could be the year, the rest of us need to hang in there anticipating having healthy trees for 2024-25.
Now that this coming Summerfruit season is solved, it’s time to figure out why the broad beans are growing and flowering but not setting. Any tips?
Richard Mills
Summerfruit Technical Advisor
021 632559
The resource management space, like so many other things, has been dominated by cyclone related work over the last 6 months. We have endeavoured to provide clarity for you around regulatory requirements related to the cyclone, and worked really hard to get an Order in Council through Central Government that allowed the burning of intertwined, inseparable mixed waste piles that were left behind after the cyclone. Although it took some time, we did achieve that, and burning of such piles can occur until 1 November this year (2023). Anything further that the we can do to assist you in your cyclone recovery in the regulation/resource management space, please reach out and let us know and we will do our best to assist. We recognise it is a very long road to recovery and providing technical expertise in the planning/regulation space is one thing we can do to help.
Last year, we noted that work had recently commenced on the Kotahi Plan Change. This whole of region plan change has been paused because of the cyclone, and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is now reviewing how it goes about doing this work. The timeframe within which a new freshwater plan must been notified has been pushed out until December 2027 (because of resourcing challenges created by the cyclone), but it is expected that later this year/early next year the council explain how they are planning to undertake that work, and, of particular interest, how stakeholders like the Association can be involved in that process.
Decisions on the TANK Plan Change were notified on 9 September 2022. The decision was ok – it is almost impossible for decision makers to make a decision that satisfies everyone given the multiple views they are seeking to balance. Parts of the decision aren’t particularly workable from a fruitgrowers and wider horticulture perspective, and those points are the subject of an appeal by HortNZ. Fifteen other appeals were lodged (16 in total). A timetable for mediation is being worked on, and it is expected to start in the next couple of months. Any matters that cannot be resolved at mediation will proceed to an Environment Court hearing.
Notwithstanding that the TANK decision remains subject to appeals, all of the new rules had legal effect from the time the plan was notified (May 2020). This means that the regional council is applying the new test of ‘actual and reasonable’ water use when assessing replacement water permits. Water use between 2010 and 2020 will be looked at, and if your water use is very low, or you didn’t take water at all, your will need to provide the regional council with information/evidence to explain why water was not used. This is a change in approach, but one that is directed by the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and occurring across the country in areas where water resources are considered to be over-allocated. The council needs to reduce the volume of water allocated as current levels are not sustainable, and they are seeking to do this in the first instance by reducing allocations of water that has not been well utilised over the last decade or so.
A National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity came into force at the start of August (2023). This had been in development for many years. It relates to indigenous biodiversity in the terrestrial environment and seeks to maintain (or improve) current levels of indigenous biodiversity. If they haven’t already, district/city councils have to identify areas of significant indigenous vegetation or habitat of indigenous fauna on all land within boundaries. Development within those significant natural areas is restricted. Restoration is also promoted as is increasing indigenous vegetation cover.
We continue to wait for a decision from the Environment Court on the proposed Water Conservation Order (WCO) for the Ngaruroro River.
If you have questions about planning or council processes, please get in touch– 027 3225595 or Charlotte.Drury@hortnz.co.nz
Dr Charlotte Drury
Growers are reminded that any mixed waste created by Cyclone Gabrielle must be burnt by 1 November 2023.
Given the drying conditions we encourage you to burn your mixed waste as soon as – you can check here Can I light a fire? | Fire and Emergency New Zealand (checkitsalright.nz)
You need to separate as much prohibited waste as possible before you burn, and a Fire Management Plan must be completed at least 2 days before a fire is lit – do that here HBRC Fire Management Plan: Plan Contents – Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (datacomsphere.co.nz)
If we move into a restricted fire season, fire permits will be required from Fire and Emergency NZ to burn mixed waste (ie. the OIC does not override the need to comply with FENZ requirements) so best to get required burning done conditions are suitable and burning best practice can be followed
Further information can be found on the HBRC website Orders in Council – Burning | Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (hbrc.govt.nz) or contact Charlotte Drury on 027 3225595 or Charlotte.Drury@hortnz.co.nz
New Zealand Apples and Pears are very pleased to welcome Karen Morrish their new CEO. Karen has 20 years of experience in the horticulture industry across both growing and exporting. She has been an independent consultant to the industry and was the Group Health and Safety, Compliance and Sustainability Manager at Scales Corporation and Mr Apple.
Karen has significant governance experience and currently sits on the international GlobalG.A.P. advisory board and various local boards and was a New Zealand Apples and Pears board member from 2019 – 2020.
Karen commenced her role on Monday 28 August, for a fixed one-year term, and is based at the New Zealand Apples and Pears office in Hastings.
Kia ora koutou,
What a change it is to see the sun for a few days, here’s hoping for more of the same.
EIT classes are progressing well. Level 4 students have just started the fifth of their 6 courses for the year, looking at fruit management from dormancy through to December. For the practical part of this assessment we expect them to be involved with supervising a thinning crew as well as understanding the management of bees, the use of thinning sprays etc. They have set up a plant growth regulator experiment on some beans at EIT and will be reporting back to you how this experiment goes.
Our two cohorts of Level 3 students have recently completed propagation and irrigation as part of the block development course. Please give them opportunities to be involved with tree planting, practice their fruit support skills as well as do some irrigation maintenance. These large groups are moving along really well, and Steven and I are optimistic the majority will manage to complete this big course this year.
Our chainsaw courses were really well subscribed, and if you have specific training requirements please let us know, we are always open to suggestions to meet industry needs.
We still wait for direction from Te Pukenga about fees next year, but will let everyone know once we do.
Noho ora mai,
Clare
Are you looking to engage professional services to assist you in developing a recovery plan and/or access finance?
The horticulture industry has obtained funding through the North Island Weather Events Fund (NIWE) to pay third-party advisors to support your financial recovery.
This may mean helping you to prepare business plans for your bank, or to support your application to the Kānoa Primary Producer Finance Scheme and/or The Treasury Loan Guarantee Scheme.
The funding is limited and will be allocated based on the number of qualifying applications submitted. At the conclusion of the EOI process, successful applicants will be issued with confirmation to redeem the support payment with their nominated advisor.
We encourage all growers materially impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle and/or Cyclone Hale to submit an EOI by completing the following simple online form before Friday, 22 September 2023.
The only parties with access to the information you supply in your EOI will be those directly involved in the administration of this funding. These parties are bound by the Privacy Act.
If you have any questions about submitting an EOI or this funding, please email contact Dean from HBFA on 0272 33 99 00 or manager@hbfa.co.nz
The Hawke’s Bay Horticulture Advisory Group (HBHAG), has prepared a summary document with information about various funding and support available to Cyclone Impacted Growers. To download this form please see HAG info sheet V4 05 Sep (1)
Congratulations to Jan Buter from T&G, winner of the 2023 Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower of the Year. Congrats also to Danielle Sammons from Johnny Appleseed (2nd), William Horsefield from Rockit Apple Global (3rd) and the other finalists for a fantastic level of competition. Our industry is in good hands.
Congratulations to Graham Hope, the 2023 recipient of the Joe Bell Trophy for outstanding service to the industry.
Graham’s career spans over an impressive 5 decades, after leaving school early to begin working on his father’s orchard in Twyford to becoming the owner/operator of Trust Fruit and in 2007 transitioned to managing the Crasborn Group orchards, which is now known as Kiwi Crunch. Orcharding runs in his blood, his father Norman Hope was an early pioneer of horticulture in Hawke’s Bay and the ‘Hope’ name became synonymous within the Pip fruit and Stone fruit Industries.
Graham Hope – we salute you.
