Rethinking Orchard Floors: What Role Should Cover Crops Play in Kiwifruit Systems?

 

For most in the kiwifruit industry, the orchard floor has traditionally been about access and tidiness - mow it, spray it, keep it green. But as pressures increase around input costs, soil health, water holding, and regulatory scrutiny, more growers are questioning whether that undervalued strip between rows is actually a missed opportunity.

Cover cropping is nothing new. What is new is how it’s being applied in permanent horticultural systems like kiwifruit - with more emphasis on multifunctionality, longer-term benefit, and system-wide resilience.

So let’s look at cover cropping not as a box-ticking sustainability gesture, but as a practical, profit-aligned tool. What are we actually trying to achieve between the rows - and how do we do it without compromising productivity?

What's the Point? Setting Clear Objectives

The first mistake many make with cover crops is planting them without a clear objective.

Are you looking to:

• Reduce nitrogen inputs?
• Improve water holding?
• Suppress weed pressure?
• Reduce erosion on slopes or around young plantings?
• Provide habitat for beneficials?
• Or simply manage a compaction issue showing up in vine performance?

Each of these goals may require a different species mix and management plan. And in a high-value, high-control system like kiwifruit, “just sow something green” isn’t good enough.

Shade, Root Zones, and the Limits of the Orchard Floor

Let’s talk realistically about light.

In a mature canopy system, even with regular pruning and management, the inter-row receives very limited sunlight from late spring through late summer. If you're on a pergola or T-bar system, light levels can drop below 30% in peak season. That means most broadleaf species, especially flowering ones, will struggle - or disappear entirely - by early summer.

So what survives? Shade-tolerant grasses (like turf fescue or creeping red fescue), and some hardy legumes or herbs with strong basal growth (like strawberry clover, chicory, and occasionally plantain). Expect a strong flush in spring and early autumn - but mid-summer biomass will be limited.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, a slow-growing, low-maintenance understorey may be ideal, especially if it’s providing coverage without competing heavily for water and nutrients.

How Long Do They Last?

The lifespan of a kiwifruit cover crop is often misunderstood.

Many assume they’re sowing an annual crop to be resown each year. But in the right conditions, a well-structured perennial orchard mix (think creeping red fescue, turf ryegrass, chicory, clovers) can persist for 2–4 years, sometimes longer.

The key is early establishment - getting the crop in before canopy closure and allowing roots to properly develop. Once established, these swards become surprisingly self-sustaining. Mulching practices, mowing height, and traffic patterns all influence longevity.

If your mix is only lasting 12–18 months, it might be a sign that species selection, light levels, or compaction are not being properly considered.

Financial Viability: Is It Worth It?

For high-performing growers, every square metre of orchard has to justify itself.

So where does cover cropping stack up financially?

Here are some angles worth considering:

• Input Substitution: Nitrogen-fixing legumes like clover and vetch can reduce synthetic N requirements by 20–40 kg/ha/year. That’s real savings—especially as fertiliser prices fluctuate.
• Moisture Management: In drier regions or on sandy soils, cover crops can reduce evaporation and improve infiltration. That can be the difference between a stress period and consistent fruit sizing.
• Erosion Control: On sloping blocks or in young plantings, effective ground cover can save thousands in rework and lost soil fertility after a big rain event.
• Weed Suppression: A dense, competitive sward reduces the need for herbicide passes. Less chemicals, fewer passes, lower cost.
• Soil Resilience: Harder to measure short-term, but healthier soils mean better root function, reduced compaction, and improved water and nutrient use efficiency.
  
  

So yes, it can stack up - but only if it’s integrated properly. A poorly chosen or poorly timed cover crop can create more problems than it solves.

Sowing Timing and Technique: Getting it Right

In New Zealand’s kiwifruit-growing regions, the best window for sowing is post–Hi-Cane in spring, when residual canopy is low and soil temperatures are warming. If you’re trying to establish in late autumn or mid-winter, expect slower germination and reduced success.

Some key technical notes:

• Drill don’t broadcast: Uniform seed depth (no deeper than 20 mm) is critical due to the wide range of seed sizes in these mixes.
• Rolling not mowing: If you need to knock the crop back for access, rolling retains more leaf area and recovery potential than mowing. If you must mow, set high - gumboot height minimum.
• Watch your gear: Heavy traffic compacts root zones fast. Avoid repeat tracking over the same line if you're trying to build soil.
  
  

So Where to From Here?

Cover cropping in kiwifruit isn’t about chasing a silver bullet. It’s about asking better questions and designing smarter systems.

Questions worth pondering:

• Are you getting the most from your orchard floor - or is it a dead zone?
• Could a resilient understorey reduce your reliance on N or chemical sprays?
• What would a 3–5 year cover cropping strategy look like - not just one sowing?
• Are there areas in the orchard (headlands, margins, new blocks) where trialling a cover approach could provide measurable value?
  
  

Final Thoughts

We’re at a point in the kiwifruit industry where every operational decision is under the microscope - costs, returns, compliance, and resilience.

Cover cropping won’t be right for everyone. But when aligned with your broader orchard goals, it has the potential to reduce inputs, increase ground resilience, and improve long-term soil function - all while keeping your system tidy and fit for purpose.

If you're curious about how to approach it in your orchard - get in touch. Even better, come out and see how some of the country’s leading growers are integrating these systems. The results speak for themselves.