how are they planted?

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How are they planted?

Plantings are designed to be an integral, multiple purpose part of the farm plan. To achieve this various combinations and distributions of a standard 'hedge' are used. The common hedge consists of 2 rows of trees, 2m apart and within row spacing of 1.5m, to give 1,333 plants per kilometre of hedge. This is the equivalent of 2,667 trees per hectare of land fully planted out.

Hedge width and density has been designed to take advantage of the mallee growth habit and to suit proposed harvesting equipment. Contour plantings or alley farming systems can be designed to suit each individual planting location.

Farmers commonly plant along the contours and in alley farming systems, where the trees are arrayed in belts of varying widths apart (depending on farm equipment, paddock size etc). The hedge or belt formation maximises productivity, increases the capacity to reduce water tables and allows for agriculture to be practiced between the hedges. These are designed to harvest extra water and provide shelter to stock.