Hello all

This is my first post on the new forum having been a member of the old site for a number of years, albeit a mostly silent member!!

This harvest season is the first time we have used a contract tree shaker to harvest our fruit and I must say that the economics are far more favourable than casual labour using pnuematic rakes. However I am a little concerned at the degree of root disturbance caused by the trunk shaking machine (8year old trees).

Does anyone know if any studies have been carried out on long term tree health if harvesting is done by tree shaking on a regular yearly basis.

Look forward to any comments on this subject.

Michael Pimm
West Australia