Orchard:
- An orchard is one where different fruit crops have been planted in an orderly manner and are managed for production of successive yield for economic return.
- Depending upon the purpose for which, they are maintained, orchards are of different types, namely.
I. Commercial orchard:
- Those orchards maintained by fruit growers mainly for commercial purpose i.e. selling the produce for making money.
- Commercial orchards may be of different types such as low density orchard, high density orchard, dry orchard etc.
1. Low density orchard:
- Plants on this type of orchard are raised on standard rootstocks, which are vigorous and therefore require more spacing.
- The number of trees per unit is less and thus named as low density orchard.
2. High density orchard:
- High density orcharding with dwarfing rootstock is another innovation. Greater number of plants is planted per unit area in certain fruit crops like mango, apple, citrus, pear, walnut and others.
- These plants are dwarfened by adopting different horticultural techniques like use of dwarfing rootstocks, genetically dwarf scion varieties, by adopting special systems of training and pruning, use of plant growth retardants, and other such other practices.
- These dwarf trees are more productive, easily to handled and the income of the growers can be maintained steady.
- This system has a few disadvantages like high initial investment, short life span of trees and the adverse effect of rootstock on fruit quality if proper selection has not been done.
3. Dry Orchard.
- Dry orcharding is a technology where hardy type of fruit crops like mango, pear, sapota, ber, bael, guava, custard apple, cashew, jamun and others may be planted by adopting some moisture conservation methods like contour (Fig. 13.1) or terrace planting (Fig. 13.2), crescent bunding (Plate 15.1), mulching etc.
- These methods facilitate in the initial establishment of the transplant and also water needs of bearing orchards under rain-fed conditions.
II. Progeny orchard:
- Orchards maintained by nurserymen mainly for maintaining the superior types of fruit trees with all the desirable characters mainly for the purpose of propagation.
- The plants maintained in these orchards are known as mother plants.
- The disadvantages of this type of orchard are; difficulty involved in the management of fruit crops which differ in their cultural requirements, spacing, fertilizer and water mix; the whole of the orchard may not come to harvest at one time and it may be difficult to meet the cultural need of different varieties.
- The plants maintained in these orchards are known as mother plants.
III. Home orchard:
- Orchards maintained at the backyard of a residential area to meet the fruit needs of the family.
- These are maintained mostly in rural and sub-urban homes.
- Selection of fruit plants will be according to convenience and one’s own taste.
IV. Experimental orchard:
- Orchards maintained in colleges and research institutions with the main aim of conducting different experimental trails for the benefit of the fruit growers /farmers in scientifically in very systematic manner (Plate 1.1).
 Plate 1.1: Experimental orchard of apricot at Fruit Research Station, Kandaghat, Solan.
- A good management should aim at knowing the basic needs considering all the resources and providing them all basic inputs in optimum level in order to get more returns with maximum efficiency.
- Any good orchard management should have proper planning right from the beginning i.e., these methods facilitate easy establishment of the transplants in the orchard.
- Orchard floor management refers to the management of the orchard soil in such a manner that the fruit trees give higher yield of quality fruits in successive years for sustainable economic returns (Plate 1.2 & 1.3).
- The decision about how the orchard will be managed should always be taken before an orchard is planted. Management practices for orchard management should be executed in a timely manner during the lifetime of the orchard.
- Several systems of managing the orchard are available, each with advantages and disadvantages to consider before choosing a particular programme for an orchard.
- An efficient orchard management program always ensures higher return to the grower.
- However, no single management practice can be recommended for all orchards. A particular program is followed depending on factors like climate, location of orchard, topography, tree spacing, planting system/ orchard design etc.
- However, it should be combined with pruning, nutrient and water management, provision for pollination, fruit thinning and disease and pest management in order to obtain desirable tree growth and vigour with the aim to promote precocity with high productivity.
 Plate 1.2: Peach plantation under grass mulch with clean alleys.
Objectives:
1. To provide optimum soil moisture during the critical plant growth stages.
2. Prevent or reduce soil erosion.
3. Increase or at least maintain organic matter in soil.
4. Increase nutrients status of soil
5. Control weeds in the orchard.
6. Improve soil structure and loosen it for good aeration and water percolation.
7. To ensure additional income from the interspaces of the orchard, especially during the pre-bearing stage.
8. Enhance bio- control and improve microbial activity
 Plate 1.3. An example of good ground cover
Important soil management practices usually followed are:
1) clean cultivation,
2) sod culture
3) sod mulch,
4) use of herbicides
5) mulching,)
6) inter-cropping,
7) cover crops
8) clean strips.
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