The ridiculous ways in which we grow fruit trees today just baffles me. We use dwarf apple trees for example, to maximize yields (which doesn't work), we till the soil to remove weeds, and as a result the organic matter in the ground is reduced. So you get weak trees, that attract pest and diseases. As a result, there's like 3 dozen treatments every year on apple trees, not to mention all this complex netting... Farmers who've been fed up with this and simply realized "hey I'm making my soil poor, maybe it would work better if it was rich ?" simply have gotten rid of most pests and diseases. The solution is quite simple : let the wild plants grow, and cut it once a year for harvest, leaving the green cover residues on the ground (otherwise you still lose organic matter). I saw one guy who did this except he sold the cut grass/flower as hay, and he still had to use fertilizers coz he was losing or plateauing organic matter. The same exact thing applies to grapevines... I think the worst way to grow any fruit tree on the planet is what almond farmers do in California. This is pathetic. The soil is naked, it's like a desert, they have to drill metal pipes in the ground so the water actually gets to the roots ! And where do they get that water ? They keep drilling deeper and deeper untill it's all gone. How can people be so dumb ?

Thanks Dr DeJong for exlaining some first prinicples of biphysics. With knowledge of basic prinicples I feel less dependent on experts and more confident to make decisions in our orchard :D Thanks John for organising this. Cheers from Australia

Perfect timing! Im currently battling the squirrels to leave the unripen fruits on my trees. From my visual observations over the years, I’m hesitant to do any pruning in the summer here in the Northeast. We have an abundance of predatory insects varieties right now feasting and mating. With the long days of sunlight and very hot and humid temperatures, I suspect susceptibility to disease. But, as stated in this video, I have limb breakage from heavy thunderstorms, birds, and other wildlife. I really like the idea of removing water suckers early in the spring, but I feel you should keep a select few, especially if you tree is already at an age of fruit production. I have water suckers from last year housing some nice fruit at the top of my trees. It makes sense to remove flowers in early spring as a thinning mechanism. My peaches, Asian pears, and cherries were absolutely loaded with flowers this year. The tree will naturally thin, but you are still going to have too much fruit development and smaller fruit size. I’ve always known the importance of water. We as humans have the exact same relationship to water, sunlight, and magnetism within the mitochondria of our cells. Trees grow in forests.. They need heavy mulching. To keep their feet wet during hot summer days. I’m not a proponent of fertilizing unless it’s in a raw material. I apply my own deep litter chicken compost in the fall and spring, but I think after listening, I could use another top dressing late spring as well. The trees are so nutrient dependent during the prime growing seasons (spring and summer here).

Awesome I just started reading his “Concepts for understanding fruit trees”

Would anyone know how he is measuring photosynthesis? The only way i know to do this in field is with consistent leaf brix. Is he suggesting there are false reads? That we think the photosynthesis is increasing when its not? Is he suggesting its mostly constant?

Early in this Podcast, DeJong's assertion that (his professor taught that) "Photosynthesis Happens" and we can only assist in utilizing it more efficiently".... is incorrect by at least a factor of 3X. Photosynthetic Efficiency is very much a function of Nutritional Optimization.

Curious about ladybugs, and anyone’s input? So heathy trees fight off aphids naturally, so if i see ladybugs which previously I thought is a good thing and maybe still kinda is, but as I understand it now that means my fruit trees not as healthy as I thought. So I’m not sure this is so much a question but rather curious about anyone’s input on that.

If any future guests see this comment I implore you to sit back, relax and allow John to showcase your work. This interview is an example of not knowing your host.