Orchard-system configurations increase efficiency, improve profits in peaches and nectarines

Since the inception of the freshshipping tree fruit industry shortly after the California Gold Rush (during the 1860s and 1870s) the state’s dominant orchard system has been the open vase, with trees trained into a wide “cone” tree shape at relatively ample spacings within the orchard. Originally, trees were planted on wide, 22-to-25-foot spacings (70 to 90 trees per acre) in both directions to allow for easy access by horses, mules and the primitive mechanized equipment that was then available. However, such wide-spaced systems came into Kevin R. Day Theodore M. DeJong R. Scott Johnson