Saturday, April 6, 2013
9:00am until 5:00pm
WSU Thurston County Extension
5033 Harrison Ave. NW Olympia, WA 98502
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Western Washington's wet
weather has always gotten a bad rap when it comes to growing healthy
tree fruit like apples, pears, peaches, and cherries. Lucky for those of
us on the "wetside," many years of WSU Extension research into variety
and growing technique improvements are coming to fruition. New, disease
resistant cultivars combined with updated methods of pruning, pest, and
fertility management are helping Westside growers establish healthy
orchards.
WSU Thurston County Extension, Thurston Conservation
District, and the South Sound Fruit Society are pleased to present a
workshop on orchard establishment and care with renowned Washington
fruit expert Gary Moulton. Topics covered will include: selecting your
rootstock and cultivar, laying out your orchard, the basics of soil
fertility management and integrated pest management, setting up an
orchard irrigation system, thinning and pruning techniques, and harvest
methods. Gary will also take workshop participants through a tasting of
cider varietals to demonstrate how a cider apple variety can impact
flavor, mouth-feel, and other characteristics.
Instructor Gary
Moulton started in 1980 with the Fruit Horticulture department at the
WSU Research Station in Mt. Vernon. In 1991, he took over management,
direction, and leadership of the program. When the Western Washington
tree fruit program was eliminated due to budget cuts, Gary continued his
work as a private consultant and workshop speaker. He holds a Master's
degree from WSU in Plant Pathology specializing in fruit diseases, and a
Bachelor's degree in Pomology/Fruit Science from Cal-Poly San Luis
Obispo. He has authored several WSU Extension publications, taught
several workshops at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture, and has been a
guest expert on "Gardening with Ed Hume."
Class size for the
workshop is limited to ensure a quality experience. Registration and
prepayment is required to hold your spot; Gary's workshops often sell
out. Cost for the workshop is $70 per person and includes morning
refreshments and a catered lunch.
