Hard water scale on apples in the Yakima Valley
Hard water scale on apples was costing a Washington orchard its top grade: even with acid added to the spray water, mineral deposits formed on the fruit and would not rub off. Only around half the crop made the highest grade in a normal season. The irrigation pond feeding the sprayers also suffered algae blooms, and snails were clogging the filters. One HydroFLOW® custom 12 inch unit was fitted to the pipe carrying spray water from the pond and evaluated over two months. Scale then formed as a fine powder that rubbed off easily, the pond cleared within two weeks, the snails went and the grower now expects more than 90% of the crop to reach the highest grade.
The Challenge
- Hard water scale on apples formed even though acid was added to the spray water
- The deposits did not rub off and reduced the grade of the fruit
- Only around 50% typically received the highest grade in an average season
- Floating algae blooms affected the irrigation pond
- Snails clogged the irrigation filters
The Solution
- Unit installed: one HydroFLOW® custom 12 inch unit
- Installation point: spray water supply pipe from the irrigation pond
- Trial: two months
- Previous treatment: acid added to the spray water
The hard water scale on apples was addressed at a single point, where spray water left the irrigation pond for the orchard. The signal changes the way scale forms, so deposits arrived on the fruit as a fine powder that rubbed off easily rather than a hard film. The fruit, the pond and the filters were all checked over the two month evaluation.
Testimonial
“The pond has never been this clear and the white powder washes right off the apples. Initial processing results are the best I’ve ever seen.” — Orchard Manager
