Best Nursery Practices

Some examples of best nursery practices carried out by Mt William Advanced Tree Nursery are:

  • True to Type

Trees supplied are true to type and individual trees and batches are clearly labelled.

  • Health and Vigour

All trees at time of delivery are healthy with foliage size, texture and colour consistent and typical of a healthy specimen, with extension of new growth consistent with a healthy specimen.

  • Free from pest and disease

Trees at the time of delivery will be free of pests and disease except for the case of some trees and in particular eucalypts, there maybe some limited signs of previous attacks by insects.

  • Free of any mechanical damage and any other form of injury

Trees that have not had stakes removed at the appropriate time can cause damage to trunks and or equipment damage in the nursery. Trees that have blown over in the nursery can suffer sunburn causing cambium damage. At Mt William all trees are inspected before despatch.

  • Good Stem Taper and self supporting

All stock grown in the nursery are well spaced and any staking done still allows physical movement of the trunk which is vital for the development of good stem taper and producing trees that are self supporting. The calliper (stem taper) at any given point on the stem must be greater than the calliper at any higher point on the stem.

  • Formative Pruning

Formative pruning is done in the nursery on a regular basis several times each year. This is done to protect the structural integrity and health of the tree. This is regularly done so stress on the tree is reduced and wound closure on pruning cuts occurs quickly.

Formative pruning helps maintain apical dominance, crown symmetry and good central stem structure in young trees.

Another important function of the regular formative pruning carried out at Mt William Advanced Tree Nursery is to prune out included bark crotches, which can cause structural weakness with some species if left.

  • Re potting, trunk position and compatibility of graft unions

At all stages of production root pruning is carried out and this coupled with The Rocket Pot being used as our prominent container helps eliminate the development of any root deformities.

At all times great care is taken to position the trunk in the middle of the container to allow the root system to develop symmetrically around the main stem.

We take great care that the graft union is sound and that the scion and rootstock are compatible, this ensures the rootstock and scion grow at comparable rates.