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	« WHY STORING TREES IN A TRENCH ON A FRUIT FARM? »

A tree trench is a space of sand / loose soil located in the shade or at the foot of a north-facing wall so that rain can keep the soil cool.

There are many advantages for a fruit grower to have a ready-to-use trench space on his farm:

•  The trench brings flexibility: it allows the trees to be ready to plant as soon as the soil and weather conditions are met, without waiting for delivery.
•  A trench makes it possible to go through all soil and weather conditions without fear of mortality. In a well-made gauge, the trees can resist temperatures of -15°C.
•  Pear trees grafted on quince are very susceptible to dehydration and the use of a trench allows the trees to be preserved during the time between the delivery and the plantation. It is indeed not desirable for the roots of pear trees not to be protected for more than 2 days and the setting in gauge allows a progressive plantation.
•  For stone fruits, the storage of trees in trench is preferable to the storage in a cold store as it avoids the production of gum on the bark.