Intro
Using on-farm trials we plan to evaluate the combined use of biochar, trichoderma, and mycorrhizae (AMF) in newly established apple orchards, with the objective of reducing the time to full production, improving tree resilience, and contributing to the long-term sustainability and carbon footprint reduction of commercial apple production in England.
Newly planted apple orchards typically require four years to reach full production and at the end of an orchards life the trees are typically grubbed and burnt, releasing the carbon they have sequestered throughout their lifetime. Scientific advances suggest that the use of charged biochar, which could be made from grubbed apple trees, trichoderma, and mycorrhizae, either individually or in synergy, may speed up time to full production and provide an end of life use for the trees. However, these solutions remain untested in commercial orchards. This project seeks to address this knowledge gap through practical, on-farm trials.
The Farmers Involved
Tom Hulme is the managing director of ACH Farming Ltd. They are mixed farmers based in East Kent in the Garden of England. They farm 4,000 acres in a triangle between Canterbury, Folkstone and Sandwich growing a diverse range of crops and produce. The business covers fruit, cattle, arable, asparagus and grapes. They are a top 5 UK tree and stone fruit grower-packer. The business is one of the most progressive and successful tree fruit growers in the country and farms 500 acres of modern high intensity orchards growing apples, pears, cherries, plums and apricots. The orchard business is complemented by on-site cold storage, grading, packing, marketing and distribution operations at Haoden Court, Ash.
Nick and Ian Overy are 5th and 6th generation farmers at Mascalls Court Farm, Paddock Wood. Burrs Hill Farm in Brenchley was purchased in 1983 and is the centre of their fruit production.
