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…
Five factors affecting fruit set
Expert advice on getting the best out of your Japanese plums. By Anna Mouton. The past season was remarkable for the disastrous set in certain Japanese plum cultivars in some areas, most notably the Breede River Valley and Klein Karoo…
Hot and bothered
The reasons behind the poor Japanese plum harvest. By Anna Mouton. Add the Japanese plum harvest to the list of disappointments for this year. At least fifteen percent fewer cartons were exported than anticipated given the potential production. Several factors…
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…
Get a handle on new trees
It’s not just up to the nurseryman. By Grethe Bestbier. Much can go wrong between the lifting of nursery trees and their establishment in the orchard. Fresh Quarterly spoke to three horticulturists for tips on how careful handling of trees…
A strong start
The physical and physiological characteristics of nursery trees. By Grethe Bestbier. How you start something often affects how you finish it, and the importance of a strong start cannot be overstated. In the same way, the physical and physiological characteristics…