The HIA funded project 'Improving fruit quality and consistency in cherries through maximised nutrient availability' or as we call it for short, Cherry Soll Health Project has the long term goal of improving soil health and ultimately fruit quality through an alternative nutrient management regime.

Soil health has different meanings to different people and situations. Most define soil health as being fit for a purpose, in this case cherry production, whilst sustaining soil biodiversity and the soil ecosystem. At the same time a healthy soil maintains or enhances water and air quality. It's a complex system that is complex to measure. What we can do is measure how different management practices affect indicators of soil health and how these impact on longer term tree productivity and fruit quality. Trial sites are commercial cherry orchards in the Derwent Valley and Huon Valley and include the cultivars 'Sweetheart', 'Staccato' and 'Lapins'.