Orchard services, start to finish
Six areas of work that together cover a full horticultural season — available as a complete management arrangement or as individual jobs.
How it works
Take the whole season, or just the part you need
Some owners hand us a block and want it managed. Others have their own system and need a crew for three weeks in autumn. Both are normal, and we quote either way.
Service 01
Orchard management
Full responsibility for a block: what gets done, when, by whom, and to what standard.
We build a season plan around the block's actual condition — vine age, crop history, canopy density, problem rows — then run it. You get regular reporting on what has happened and what is coming up, and one point of contact rather than a list of contractors to chase.
- Season plan set before the work starts, reviewed as conditions change
- Regular block walks with notes on vine health and crop load
- Scheduling and supervision of all on‑orchard jobs
- Coordination with packhouse, spray contractors and suppliers
- Records kept so the season is auditable after the fact
Service 02
Pruning & canopy work
The jobs that decide next season before this one has finished.
Pruning is where a block is either set up or quietly damaged. Our crews work to a defined leader and cane structure rather than cutting to a shape, and we brief them on the variety and the target canopy before they start a row.
- Winter pruning — cane selection, replacement wood, structure
- Tying down and securing new canes
- Summer pruning and bud rubbing to manage light and airflow
- Girdling where it suits the block and the variety
- Shelter and structure maintenance alongside the vine work
Service 03
Pollination & crop set
A short window with an outsized effect on both size and count.
Flowering does not wait. We monitor the block through bud break and into flower so that pollination support is in place at the right density on the right days, then follow through with thinning to steer the crop toward the size profile you are aiming at.
- Flower monitoring and timing of the pollination window
- Coordination of hive placement or artificial pollination
- Male vine management and pollen supply liaison
- Fruit thinning to target size and count
- Removal of rejects, doubles and damaged fruit
Service 04
Harvest & labour
Organised crews for the few weeks of the year when everything happens at once.
Harvest is a logistics exercise wearing gumboots. Crew size has to match the picking rate, bins have to be where the pickers are, and everyone needs to know what fruit is being left on the vine. We handle the organising so the block clears cleanly and on schedule.
- Crew sourcing, briefing and on‑site supervision
- Picking to the maturity and grade standard set for the block
- Health and safety induction before work starts
- Careful handling to limit bruising and rejects
- Additional crews for thinning, tying and seasonal peaks
Service 05
Post‑harvest logistics
Fruit picked well can still be lost between the row and the packhouse.
Once fruit is in the bin the clock is running. We keep bins moving out of the block, staged in shade, and away for grading in the order they were picked — with the paperwork matching what is actually on the truck.
- Bin supply, placement and on‑orchard movement
- Staging out of direct sun to protect fruit condition
- Transport coordination to the packhouse or coolstore
- Bin identification and consignment records
- Post‑harvest block tidy‑up and equipment recovery
Service 06
Development & advisory
For blocks being planted, replanted, converted or bought.
Buying a horticultural property is a long commitment to somebody else's past decisions. We give owners and prospective owners a practical read on what a block is actually carrying, what it will cost to bring up to standard, and what is realistic to expect from it.
- Block assessment for owners and prospective purchasers
- Structure, shelter and trellis work
- Replanting, grafting and variety change programmes
- Practical advice on diversifying into other horticultural crops
- Budgeting the real cost of bringing a block back into condition
The year on a block
What happens, and when
A simplified view of a Bay of Plenty season. Exact timings shift with the variety, the site and the weather.
Winter pruning
Cane selection and structure work while the vine is dormant. The single biggest lever on next season's crop.
Tying down
New canes secured onto the structure and spaced for even light through the canopy.
Bud break & monitoring
The block is walked regularly as growth starts, with problem rows flagged early.
Flowering & pollination
The short, decisive window. Pollination support in place and working at the right density.
Thinning & summer work
Crop numbers steered toward target size; summer pruning keeps light into the fruiting zone.
Harvest
Crews in, fruit off, bins away. Gold blocks generally first, green following.
Common questions
Before you enquire
Yes. Small blocks are often the ones that struggle to get a contractor to show up at the right time of year. Tell us the size, the variety and what you need done and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.
That is a large part of what we do. Pruning, thinning and harvest are all commonly booked on their own. Full management is an option, not a condition.
We are based at Te Puke and work across the Bay of Plenty. For work further afield, get in touch and we will let you know whether we can cover it properly — we would rather decline than over‑commit and turn up late.
As early as you can. Harvest labour across the district is committed well before the fruit is ready, and the blocks that get the best crews are the ones that booked first. Talk to us about autumn work over winter.
It depends on the job, the state of the block and the time of year, so we quote rather than publish a rate card. Send through the block details and what you need and we will come back with something specific.
Ready when you are
Tell us about the work
Block size, variety, location and what you need doing — that is enough for us to come back with something useful.