Post-winter gardening activities are probably the most labour-intensive and time-consuming activities of the year. However, this season’s activities have a considerable bearing on how resilient and productive the orchard will be from now to the end of the rainy season. The orchard schedule includes pest control, increased watering, soil amendments, mulching, fruit thinning, transplanting, seed collection, tree pruning and plant propagation.
Pest Control
Ideally, pest prevention and control should be ongoing. Whether one is practicing organic farming or not, pest control is necessary. The only difference is the methods and compounds used in pest control. Uncontrolled pests will flourish in the rainy season and as plants become more stressed in the dry summer.
More Frequent Watering
The plants’ water requirements have increased as the higher temperatures increase transpiration. As metabolism increases, temperate trees have much higher water and nutrient requirements. Inadequate watering during this period may result in fruit and leaf drop. The surviving fruits are more likely to crack when the rains start. Gray water can sustain a small kitchen garden and a few fruit trees.
Soil Amendments and Mulching
The new plant growth, flowering, and fruiting phase require adequate nutrients. The options include fertilizers, manure and compost. The methods that increase the soil organic matter are advantageous because of increased water retention. Rich soils may require once or twice weekly watering, which reduces the cost of irrigation. Mulching provides an additional layer to retain soil moisture. Mulching may include live ground cover, leaves or grass cuttings.
Soil amendment may be repeated in three or four months, but mulching should be done more frequently whenever possible. This small activity will preserve the soil structure and improve plant survival during droughts or delayed rainy seasons. In addition, live mulch helps reduce soil leaching after heavy rains.