This Summerfruit NZ- A Lighter Touch project established understory planting in summerfruit orchards to enhance orchard biodiversity, increase beneficial insect populations, and examine whether associated co-benefits from these plantings could be realised. These benefits included weed management, leading to fewer herbicide applications, and improved disease control by planting and covering bare ground. Improvement to soil health was also expected, through the rootzone activity of understory plantings and the incorporation of additional organic matter back into the soil.

The project ran for three seasons on Central Otago planar cherry, and central leader cherry and apricot orchards. Monitoring of the planted understory was carried out by Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI), recording plant species establishment and presence of beneficial insects in both the understory trial area and a control block in each orchard.

Project learnings showed less mowing and spraying was needed in the understory area, and beneficial insects were 2 to 4 times higher in the understory block. Some orchards also identified improved soil health through an increased worm count.

An executive summary of the final project report is available, and the full report can be requested from ALT, or ALT programme partners.

The video below shares the grower experience from the project, with commentary from Summerfruit NZ Research Manager Sally Anderson, and four orchardists involved in the project; Jered Tate from Fairview Orchard, Craig and Georgie Affleck from Affleck Orchard and Euan White from Electric Cherries.

A number of resources have been produced from the summerfruit understory project. These include a plant species guide, which provides a quick identification guide to the plant species used in the understory mix, and two soil testing guides. One focuses on how to interpret a soil test, while the other discusses how to carry out a Visual Soil Assessment.

Download these guides here:

• Summerfruit understory plant species guide
• How to interpret a soil test guide
• How to carry out a Visual Soil Assessment

Following the final season of the project monitoring,  the growers involved shared their experiences and impressions in case study resources, including photo diaries of the establishment of the understory planting, and visual soil assessments from their orchards.

Download the case studies below:

• Case study: Summerfruit Understory Planting – Affleck Orchard
• Case study: Summerfruit Understory Planting – Fairview Orchard
• Case study: Summerfruit Understory Planting – Electric Cherries