TFREC / CSANR

Organic & Integrated Fruit Production

• Organic Fertilizer Calculator
• CSANR Organic web site

• Organic & Integrated Home
• Introduction
• Sustainability & Fruit Production
• Organic fruit production
• Apple replant disease
• Marketing
• Orchard Floor Management
• Soil Management
• Pest Management
• Organic Statistics page

Orchard Floor Management

Integrated Multiple Mulch trial progress report. 2006. Discusses the first and second year results of a new organic apple orchard planting comparing bare ground, tillage, wood chip mulch, living mulches, and Sandwich system for understory management in the tree row. Includes data on tree growth, weeds, cover crop performance, and vole populations.

Effectiveness of Weed Management Strategies for Organic Orchards in Central Washington - 2005. Final report on a field trial comparing various weed control strategies for organic orchards, including control (mowed weeds), wood chip mulch, a commonly used mechanical cultivator, and a new mechanical cultivator. I

Soil Management in Organic Orchards. A powerpoint presentation from February 2007 discussing soil organic matter, organic amendments, nitrogen release, and soil quality.

Orchard Floor Management Options. A powerpoint presentation from November 2006 discussing recent and on-going trials on tillage, cover crops, and mulches in Wenatchee.

Integrated Multiple Mulch trial progress report. 2005. Discusses the first year results of a new organic apple orchard planting comparing bare ground, tillage, wood chip mulch, living mulches, and Sandwich system for understory management in the tree row. Includes data on tree growth, weeds, cover crop performance, and vole populations.

Effectiveness of Weed Management Strategies for Organic Orchards in Central Washington - 2005. by D. Granatstein , E. Kirby, E. Hogue , and K. Mullinix. Year 2 report on a field trial comparing various weed control strategies for organic orchards, including control (mowed weeds), wood chip mulch, a commonly used mechanical cultivator, and a new mechanical cultivator.

Vole populations, tree fruit orchards, and living mulches. 2006. Literataure review by T. Sullivan on living mulches in orchards and the potential to cause a vole problem.

Understory management in organic orchards. 2005 progress report powerpoint presentation as a PDF file. D. Granatstein, K. Mullinix, M. Brockington, E. Kirby.

Effectiveness of Weed Management Strategies for Organic Orchards in Central Washington - 2004. by D. Granatstein , E. Kirby, E. Hogue , and K. Mullinix. The first report on a new field trial comparing various weed control strategies for organic orchards, including control (mowed weeds), wood chip mulch, a commonly used mechanical cultivator, and a new mechanical cultivator.

Screening Annual and Perennial Ground Covers as In-Row Living Mulch for Central Washington Orchards - 2004. by D. Granatstein , E. Kirby, E. Hogue, and K. Mullinix. The first report on a new field trial examining potential candidates as living mulches for use in the tree row of orchards.

Using Mulches to Improve Efficacy and Persistence of Insect Specific Nematodes for Control of Overwintering Codling Moth. by L.A. Lacey, D. Granatstein, H.L. Headrick, R. Fritts Jr., and S. Arthurs. 2004. A poster summarizing the 2004 results of using entomopathogenic nematodes in conjunction with mulch to enhance mortality of codling moth larvae.

Improving crop yield and soil quality with mulches and cover crops. by E.J. Hogue. A poster of research results on various mulches, including spray-on paper mulch, and cover crops for in-row weed management, tree performance, and soil improvement.

Sprayable Paper Mulch for Organic Row Crop Production. by D. Granatstein, A. McErlich, and E. Hogue. A poster summarizing the results of field and greenhouse studies testing the use of a sprayable paper mulch for weed control in organic crops.

Availability of Mulch Material for Orchards in Central Washington - 2002 by D. Granatstein, E. Kirby, and L. VanWechel. A general survey on availability and cost of potential mulching materials including mint slugs, hop waste, straw, wood chips, sawdust and paper. A PDF document.

Mulching Systems for Weed Control, Water Conservation,
and Nitrogen Management in Organic Apple Orchards, by
D. Granatstein, K. Mullinix, and E. Hogue. A handout version of a poster presented at the Northwest Symposium on Organic and Biologically Intensive Farming, Nov. 8, 2002, Yakima, WA. Summarizes the past 3 years of orchard mulching trials in Wenatchee.

Orchard Floor Management, by David Granatstein. A Powerpoint presentation given to the Horticulture 421 class.

Biointensive Management of the Orchard Understory, by David Granatstein. A PDF manuscript.

Orchard Mulching Field Day Report. August 2001. by David Granatstein. A summary of the mulching and cover crop trials underway in Wenatchee, WA. A PDF manuscript.

Orchard Mulching and Cover Crop Trials. by David Granatstein and Gene Hogue. A Powerpoint presentation with data and photos. A PDF document.