What should I check about an orchard’s trellis system and pruning practices?
Walk the rows and look at posts, wires, anchors and tree structure. Ask how each block is trained and pruned, who does the work, and how that has affected fruit quality and yield. A trellis that is failing is a repair bill, and poor pruning shows up in the trees.
Start with the structure. Walk several blocks, including the oldest. Look for leaning posts, slack or rusted wire, broken anchors and rows where the system has been patched. Ask what has been replaced, what is due and how repairs are scheduled. Compare the blocks, because condition often varies across the orchard.
Next, look at the trees. Pruning and training decisions show in the shape of the canopy, the spacing of fruiting wood and the balance of growth. Ask what method the orchard uses and why. Ask for harvest records by block and see whether the better blocks match the better pruning. A knowledgeable grower or advisor can read the trees quickly. Finally, ask about the labour. Pruning takes skill and timing, and the orchard may rely on a specific crew or on the owner. Find out who does it, how they are trained, and whether they would stay. If you plan to continue, ask how the method suits your own plans. Your accountant can help weigh the cost of rebuilding any weak section. Keep in mind that a trellis system is a long commitment. Ask the seller what the replacement plan looks like for the oldest rows, and how the work would be staged so that the orchard does not lose a large share of its crop at once.
Key takeaways
- Walk several blocks, including the oldest, and look at posts, wires and anchors.
- Compare pruning results against harvest records by block.
- Ask who prunes, how they were trained and whether they would stay.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
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