Macadamia Orchard Industry
The macadamia orchard industry is an important sector of the agricultural industry in Australia, with the country being the largest producer of macadamias in the world. The industry is made up of both large-scale commercial plantations and small-scale family-run farms. The macadamia industry in Australia is a vibrant and growing sector of the country’s agricultural industry, with a strong focus on quality, sustainability, and innovation.
As demand for macadamias continues to grow around the world, the industry is poised for continued growth. Given the capital costs in establishing an orchard enterprise, and the time delays experienced waiting for trees to reach productive maturity, farm owners need to efficiently manage their land for financial return.
One example of efficient land management is slashing the row widths with a Woods side throw slasher, and discharging that mulch under the macadamia trees.
“I’VE REDUCED MY SLASHING TIME IN HALF FORM 30 HOURS TO 15 HOURS A WEEK. EVEN WHEN SLASHING IN HEAVY MATERIAL NOTHING IS LEFT BEHIND, GIVING MY ORCHARD A MOWER FINISH AND NICELY DISCHARGING MATERIAL UNDER MY TREES. WOODS ARE WELL BUILT MACHINES.”
Mark Taylor – Orchardist and Woods Owner
Mulching under macadamia trees can provide several benefits, including:
- Weed suppression: mulching can help to suppress weeds by covering the soil and blocking sunlight, reducing weed germination and growth. This reduces competition for water and nutrients among the orchard trees, helping them grow more efficiently and reducing the need for chemical use to manage weeds.
- Moisture retention: Mulch can help to retain moisture in the soil, reducing the need for irrigation and conserving water.
- Soil improvement: As organic mulch decomposes, it can improve soil fertility and structure, promoting healthy root growth and nutrient uptake by the macadamia trees.
- Temperature regulation: Mulch can help to regulate soil temperature, keeping it cooler in hot weather and warmer in cool weather, which can help to prevent stress to the macadamia trees and improve overall growth and productivity.
- Erosion control: Mulching can help to reduce erosion by protecting the soil from wind and rain, which can be especially important in sloped orchards
Woods Side Throw Series Slashers
The Woods Side Throw Series are built in Australia and are the only side throw used in Australian paddocks that is proven to work reliably. The Side Throw Series discharges all grass out to the side without blocking up and choking. The discharge is controllable to ensure product is distributed where it is needed, such as mulching under trees in an orchard. The Side Throw Series covers all Woods slasher widths from 5ft to 20ft and can throw out the left side, right side or out both sides.
Woods slashers are designed and manufactured from American steel in the United States of America. Their design and features are industry leading, with maximum operator safety in mind allowing slasher blades that can be changed from above the machine with light hand tools in a couple of minutes to the 38mm blade pin which is four times stronger than the standard 19mm blade bolt on other slashers. Woods slashers are the only slasher that has a greaseable blade pin ensuring greater longevity out of a set of blades.
Woods slashers are built on a complete subframe and come with a stump jumping disc to protect the gearbox. Importantly, Woods slashers do not leave a windrow allowing you to manage your pasture efficiently to increase your production capacity. Woods slashers are built to last, all coming with a six-year gearbox warranty.
So if you are a macadamia orchard owner or manager looking for more efficient land management practices by slashing your row widths and discharging that mulch under the macadamia trees, look no further than a Woods side throw series slasher.
