orchard

 

generally an area on which fruit or nut trees are planted and cultivated. The words grove and plantation are often used when the fruits are tropical, e.g., a “citrus grove” or a “banana plantation.” The distinction among the three terms arises from common usage rather than definition. The orchard of ancient times was a pleasure garden of formal design, often adorned with fountains and statuary. Today orchards are more commonly commercial ventures, sometimes covering many acres. Machinery is now often used for cultivating, spraying, picking, and packing. The ground beneath the trees may be kept clear, or cover crops may be grown, or the two practices may alternate. In young orchards it is usually possible to grow vegetables and berry fruits as cover crops in the rows between the trees, thus helping maintenance costs until the trees begin to bear.

An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs maintained for food production. Most orchards comprise either fruit or nut-producing trees (see fruit trees), for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive purpose.^[1]

Most temperate-zone orchards are laid out in a regular grid, with a grazed or mown grass or bare soil base that makes maintenance and fruit gathering easy.

Orchards are often concentrated near bodies of water, where climatic extremes are moderated and blossom time is retarded until frost danger is past.

The forest garden is a food production system that is closely related to the orchard. A move towards more ecologically-friendly coffee production has led to forest-garden production of coffee. Brazil Nuts and rubber are being produced in such a method in some areas.

Often, mixed orchards are planted. In Europe Quince is sometimes planted along with apples.

Crops

Tropical areas

• Banana
• Coconut
• Cacao
• Coffee
• Guava
• Mango
• Papaya
• Tea

Subtropical areas

• Date Palm
• Citrus (Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, Orange, etc.)
• Lychee

Temperate areas

• Apple
• Cherry
• Hazel
• Peach
• Pear
• Pecan
• Walnut
• Plum
• Apricots
• Persimmon

Orchards by region

The most extensive orchards in the United States are apple and orange orchards, although citrus orchards are more commonly called groves. The most extensive apple orchard area is in eastern Washington state, while there are extensive orange orchards in Florida and southern California. A particular advantage of growing apples on the high plateau areas of Washington state is that it is possible to grow high-quality organic apples. In eastern North America many orchards are along the shores of Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.

Murcia is a major orchard area in Europe, with citrus crops. New Zealand, China, Argentina, and Chile also have extensive apple orchards.

Towns associated with Orchards

Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire has been called The Town in the Orchard since the 19th century because it was surrounded by extensive orchards. Today this heritage is celebrated through an annual Applefest - see http://www.applefest.org.uk

See also

• Berries
• Citrus
• Forest garden
• Fruit
• Fruit trees
• Fruit tree forms
• Fruit tree pollination
• Fruit tree propagation
• Pruning fruit trees

References

1. ^ Luther Burbank. Practical Orchard Plans and Methods: How to Begin and Carry on the Work. The Minerva Group. ISBN 1414701411. 

External links

• Home Orchard Society
• North American Fruit Explorers
• Orchards pathway on England In Particular

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