JD Van Deventer's Kwekery/Nursery
Cultivar;Excellence
Clone Number; ES 1071
Origin;ARC, Infruitec, 1995
Royalties/ Levies; ZAR 6.78 L
Yield; good,
Fruit use; fresh, drying
Type;semi-free
Shelf-life; 4 weeks at -0.5C
Water requirements; 36 inches of water per tree per year or about 1508760mm per hectare
Sun requirements; full sun (at least 6-8 hours daily). Morning sun is best as it helps dry out the cold morning dew
Chill hours; 200 to 400 hours
Pruning; Prune to keep the tree short, and ensure that the branches don't block out sunlight for the rest of the tree.
soil requirements; deep,sandy clay (if it can be amended to drain well) or loam soil with a pH of about 6.5 is best.
Soil depth; 30cm deep at least, loose soil is recommended
Fertiliser requirements; 10-10-10 fertiliser can be sprikled around the base at a distance of 21cm from the trunk
Pollination requirements; self-fertile
Successful test-crosses; not necessary
Bloom time;August
Harvest time;December
Vigor; moderate to strong
Size and shape;semi upright
Tree age; will start to fruit at 2 to 4 years, but will only produce significantly once they mature to 4 years.
Average life span; approximately 20 years (maximum) depending on the rootstock used.
Susceptibility to pests and diseases; normal
General notes; bruises if harvested late