DPI Home | Contact Us | About Us | Search:
Department of Primary Industries    

Agriculture home Printer Friendly Version

Conserve Soil Moisture - Control Weeds

Henry Schneider, DPI Cobram

Above average July rainfall and warm weather has promoted rapid weed growth in orchards. Weeds need to be controlled to conserve soil moisture.

Although it has been wet during July, the previous months were extremely dry. This means there are still low soil moisture reserves, especially deeper than 40mm into the root zone.

The chance of substantial spring rains is unpredictable; so it is important to spray out tree lines and slash or mulch tree rows to reduce the draw of moisture out of the soil by rapidly growing weeds. Not having to irrigate to replenish soil moisture early this season would be a bonus. Conserving this soil moisture will decrease or delay the need for early irrigations this spring.

Orchard with no weeds
An orchard with no weeds

If orchard soils do have low moisture - especially in the first 35 to 45 mm of soil - it will limit initial root expansion, lead to poorer fruit set and can reduce the capacity of the tree to eventually size the crop closer to harvest.

As fruit trees approach flowering, it will be important to check soil moisture and irrigate if needed. The variability of district rainfall, soil infiltration rates plus weed cover means digging a few holes or checking soil moisture probes will be essential as trees approach bud burst.

Another reason to control vigorous weed growth is it also creates an increased frost risk as it prevents heat being stored in the soil.

For more information on how to manage orchards with low water allocations visit the fruitcheque page on DPI's website.


Page Top