Today, macadamia nuts are recognized for their commercial value in various recipes all over the world. The crop is indigenous to Australia but was first commercialized in the Hawaii islands before its popularity as a cash crop picked. Macadamia nut farms were established in Australia only in the 1960s as the crop was being introduced across north America.
The yields obtained from a macadamia orchard are highly dependent on the average temperature experienced in the respective zones of cultivation. Blossoming will be initiated only if the night temperatures get to fall below 19 degrees Celsius. Frost ridden regions are inappropriate for macadamia cultivation since the low temperatures kill off young trees and developing blossoms on older trees.
The trees are classified as evergreen hardwoods, with an ability to compete with deciduous species in a plantation. The crop will do well in granite soils with good drainage and aeration to support their extensive root system and minimize decline and canker disease. Some agricultural officers also recommend the planting of windbreak trees to avoid breakage and uprooting of newly established plants.
The size of mature trees may give the farmer a hard time during maintenance activities. Digging your holes in a grid across the garden at 30 meters spacing should deal with these problems as your crop continues to establish for maximum productivity. If you cannot bring in a state appointed officer to conduct a soil sample analysis, infiltration rates can be estimated by filling up a hole drilled to the hardpan with water to observe how long it holds.
Stony areas are to be avoided as they are a hindrance to mechanized processes in the orchard. A landscape expert should be called in to aid in marking out the area to be covered by your garden. If you do it on your own, it may bring contention with neighbors during spraying periods or prove inaccessible with heavy farm machinery.
As much as possible, rows should be restricted to the north south direction to maximize interception of sunlight on both sides of the rows. Also important is the selection of the appropriate plant species to cultivate on your farm. While neighboring farmers may offer valuable advice on this, recall that some individuals could give you unsubstantiated opinions.
It may happen that the targeted buyer only accepts nuts of a certain variety. For those who may wish to produce mixed varieties the different species should be laid out during planting so that cross pollination is encouraged during the production period. A farm with mixed varieties may have to sort out nuts before marketing.
While windbreak trees may be a good inclusion in macadamia nut farms, the farmers must weigh the pros and cons of planting them on their property. They have the capacity to compete with the main crop for nutrients and sunshine. Planting the wrong species may also result in alternative habitats for rodents that are a nuisance to the farmer. Moreover, windbreaks are only necessary during the initial four years, after which removing them may come with a range of demerits especially if they are grown within the orchard.
The yields obtained from a macadamia orchard are highly dependent on the average temperature experienced in the respective zones of cultivation. Blossoming will be initiated only if the night temperatures get to fall below 19 degrees Celsius. Frost ridden regions are inappropriate for macadamia cultivation since the low temperatures kill off young trees and developing blossoms on older trees.
The trees are classified as evergreen hardwoods, with an ability to compete with deciduous species in a plantation. The crop will do well in granite soils with good drainage and aeration to support their extensive root system and minimize decline and canker disease. Some agricultural officers also recommend the planting of windbreak trees to avoid breakage and uprooting of newly established plants.
The size of mature trees may give the farmer a hard time during maintenance activities. Digging your holes in a grid across the garden at 30 meters spacing should deal with these problems as your crop continues to establish for maximum productivity. If you cannot bring in a state appointed officer to conduct a soil sample analysis, infiltration rates can be estimated by filling up a hole drilled to the hardpan with water to observe how long it holds.
Stony areas are to be avoided as they are a hindrance to mechanized processes in the orchard. A landscape expert should be called in to aid in marking out the area to be covered by your garden. If you do it on your own, it may bring contention with neighbors during spraying periods or prove inaccessible with heavy farm machinery.
As much as possible, rows should be restricted to the north south direction to maximize interception of sunlight on both sides of the rows. Also important is the selection of the appropriate plant species to cultivate on your farm. While neighboring farmers may offer valuable advice on this, recall that some individuals could give you unsubstantiated opinions.
It may happen that the targeted buyer only accepts nuts of a certain variety. For those who may wish to produce mixed varieties the different species should be laid out during planting so that cross pollination is encouraged during the production period. A farm with mixed varieties may have to sort out nuts before marketing.
While windbreak trees may be a good inclusion in macadamia nut farms, the farmers must weigh the pros and cons of planting them on their property. They have the capacity to compete with the main crop for nutrients and sunshine. Planting the wrong species may also result in alternative habitats for rodents that are a nuisance to the farmer. Moreover, windbreaks are only necessary during the initial four years, after which removing them may come with a range of demerits especially if they are grown within the orchard.
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