Sunburn
Why it happens and how to prevent it. By Anna Mouton. Sunburn is the damage caused by too much sun exposure — anyone who spends time outdoors knows this. People tend to find a tan attractive in humans but not…
The fundamentals of fruit set
What does it take to get from blossom to bin? By Anna Mouton. Technical input by Prof. Karen Theron, Chair in Applied Preharvest Deciduous Fruit Research at Stellenbosch University. Fruit set is that hopeful moment when the base of a…
To pot or not
Why grow nursery trees in containers? By Anna Mouton. The traditional way to produce a nursery tree is to grow it in a field and lift it during dormancy. The biggest problem with this approach is transplant shock. Root damage…
Who’s who in chemical thinners?
And what are best practices for use. By Karen Theron, Schalk Reynolds, and Schalk van der Merwe. Most fruit trees set far more fruit than they can support. Trees respond naturally by shedding fruitlets. In apples and some pear cultivars,…