County Extension Service for advice concerning the suita- 

 bility of a site for orchards. 



Orchard Soils 



A good orchard soil is characterized as being deep, well 

 drained and yet retentive of moisture. To put it another 

 way, the soil should not be too wet nor too dry during the 

 growing season. Soils which have heavy subsoils composed 

 of fine soil particles have such small spaces between the par- 

 ticles that water does not drain out of the soil quickly fol- 

 lowing heavy rains. Oxygen, which is so necessary for root 

 development and growth, is excluded from heavy, wet soils. 

 Tree growth and fruit production is very poor on such soils. 

 Tree roots can stand some submergence during the dormant 

 season providing water drains away by the time growth starts 

 in the spring. 



An examination of the subsoil, by use of a back hoe or 

 auger, at depths of 4 to 6 feet, will help determine whether 

 or not the land is suitable for growing fruit trees. Subsoils 

 which are mottled in color, with prominent gray streaks or 

 have a compact gray layer close to the surface level, are poor- 

 ly drained and should be avoided. On the other hand, sub- 

 soils which are composed of coarse gravel are too well drained 

 and trees planted on this type of soil will suffer from drought. 



The ideal orchard soil has a topsoil which is deep and well 

 supplied with colloidal and organic matter. The subsoil is 

 relatively light-textured and uniformly light brown in color, 

 extending a depth of 4 to 6 feet. 



Careful observation of the natural vegetation growing on 

 or adjacent to the site selected for the orchard can be helpful 

 in determining the suitability of the soil for fruit trees. Pitch 

 pine and scrub oak indicate gravelly soil which is excessively 

 drained and subject to drought. Swamp maple, alder, and 

 willow indicate a soil which is poorly drained and excessively 

 wet. Sugar maple and white ash do best on a deep fertile, 

 well-drained soil of good water-holding capacity. 



Matching Rootstock and Soil 



Size-control rootstocks, in general, are more demanding than 

 seedling rootstocks in respect to drainage, depth of soil, 

 and water holding capacity. Therefore, when deciding on 

 which rootstock to use, it is even more important than for- 

 merly to know the soil typels) of the land to be planted. 

 The proper match between rootstock and soil may be the 

 difference between the success or failure of the planting. 



The first step in matching the rootstocks and soil is to 

 determine the soil type(s) for the land to be planted by re- 

 ferring to the soil map of your farm. If no soil map is avail- 

 able or if it is dated earlier than 1967, contact the Soil Con- 

 servation Office for the information. (Your local Agricultural 

 Extension Service can tell you the location and telephone 

 number of the Soil Conservation Service in your area.) 



Once the soil type(s) is (are) known, determine which of 

 six soil suitability groups given below include your soil(s). 

 (The suitability groupings are based on soil characteristics 

 and qualities. Site and air drainage are not considered. There- 



fore, some soils placed in the six groups may not be suitable 

 for apple orchards because of the topographic positions they 

 normally occupy.) 



Lastly, refer to the guide for rootstock/soil agreement in 

 Table 8 to determine which rootstock(s) are most suitable 

 for your soil(s). 



Nothing takes the place of an on-site inspection by a soil 

 scientist from the Soil Conservation Service because localized 

 wet or droughty areas can exist within fields that have good, 

 deep soils with good drainage. At best, the guide in Table 8 

 may prevent you from making some of the more obvious 

 errors. 



Group l-Light, gravelly or sandy soils with a tendency to 

 drought. 

 Copake fine sandy loam 

 Enfield very fine sandy loam 

 Gloucester loamy sand 

 Hartford gravelly fine sandy loam 

 Haven very fine sandy loam 

 Merrimack fine sandy loam, sandy loam 

 Riverhead sandy loam 

 Warwick gravelly loam 



Group II — Light, gravelly or sandy soils, without the tendency 

 to drought. 

 Agawam fine sandy loam 

 Canton fine sandy loam 

 Gloucester fine sandy loam, sandy loam 

 Gloucester-Narragansett very fine sandy loams 

 Katama sandy loam 

 Narragansett very fine sandy loam 

 Ondawa fine sandy loam, high bottom 



Group Ill-Good deep soils with average to good drainage 

 and a good waterholding capacity. 

 Berkshire loam, fine sandy loam 

 Berkshire fine sandy loam, dark subsoil 

 Brookfield fine sandy loam 

 Charlton fine sandy loam 

 Cheshire fine sandy loam 

 Colrain fine sandy loam 

 Dutchess silt loam 

 Hadley silt loam, high bottom 

 Hadley very fine sandy loam, high bottom 

 Hartland silt loam, very fine sandy loam 

 Lenox loam 



Newport silt loam, loam 

 Pittsfield fine sandy loam 



Group IV-Good, but shallow soils, with hardpans that 

 prevent deep rooting. 

 Amenia silt loam, fine sandy loam 



^The authors are indebted to John R. Mott, Ass't State Soil 

 Scientist, USDA Soil Conservation Service, 29 Cottage St., 

 Amherst, Mass. 01002, for preparing these groupings. 



