WHY IT MATTERS
WATER GROWS THE VINE. TOO MUCH KILLS IT.
Kiwifruit need water, but not sitting around their roots. When a block can’t drain, the rows stay wet, the roots sit in water and the vines go backwards.
Good drainage is an asset to your orchard. We design it, put it in and keep it working.
WHAT POOR DRAINAGE COSTS YOU
Wet feet and failing vine health
Lower fruit yield
Disease
Downtime when you can’t get on the block
Wheel ruts
WHAT WE DO
ONE TEAM FOR THE WHOLE JOB.
Design.
Every block is different. We design the system around your land, your vines and how you run the orchard: the soil, the fall, the rows and where the water has to go.
Install.
Subsurface drainage pipe, laid under the canopy with low-clearance gear, to a laser-controlled depth and fall.
Maintain.
Hydro jetting clears out the pipes already in the ground. Ripping opens up compacted rows.
Support.
A wet patch, or an old system nobody has a plan for? We track it, find the fault and fix it.
HOW IT WORKS
GIVE THE WATER SOMEWHERE TO GO.
The right system, properly installed, drains surface water away faster.
ROOT ZONE
SHINGLE
NOVAFLO PIPE
Water away from the roots. Excess water moves out of the root zone, which improves plant health.
Pipe below, shingle above. Novaflo land drainage pipe is laid below the surface with shingle over it, so the ground above stays open and water can drain down into the pipe.
Surface water too. Open drain sumps at the ends of the rows help clear surface water fast after a big downpour.
Built for your block. Spacing, depth and fall are set to suit the ground. Runs now go in at 20 m or 10 m spacings, not the old 40 m.
No damage going in. Low-clearance gear works under the canopy and in close to the posts, without damaging the crop.
Illustration
FOUR STEPS
HOW IT GOES IN
1
Design the runs.
We work out where each drain goes and where the water ends up.
2
Trench to a laser grade.
Laser-controlled hydraulics hold the depth and fall.
3
Pipe in, shingle over.
Novaflo feeds in behind the digging chain and shingle follows.
4
Closed up, left tidy.
The row is levelled off and ready to work.
JOBS WE’VE DONE
KIWIFRUIT BLOCKS WE’VE DRAINED.
JUST UNDER
7,800 m
Ōpōtiki
Novaflo laid through the orchard rows, with the correct fall to keep water moving away from the block.
JUST UNDER
1,700 m
Pakowhai, Hawke’s Bay
The block was waterlogged, with some vines struggling and others already lost. We laid Novaflo through the affected area to move water away and help the soil get back to the right moisture levels.
KEEP IT WORKING
ALREADY HAVE DRAINS? WE KEEP THEM WORKING.
A drain only helps if water can get through it. Roots, silt and ochre build up in the pipes over time.
Hydro jetting. High-pressure water goes up the pipe and blasts the blockage out.
Find the fault. A tracker on the end of the hose shows where a pipe is blocked, broken or collapsed, so we can mark it and fix it.
Plans on record. We hold drainage plans for much of Hawke’s Bay going back to the 1960s.
Orchard ripping. Our tracked ripper cuts a deep line down the row and breaks the pan, so surface water can get down to the drains. It busts up wheel ruts too.
4,000+
psi at the jetter
60
litres a minute
300+
metres of hose
Regular flushing keeps a system working. Ask us about a maintenance run.
QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS GROWERS ASK
Can you put drains into an orchard that’s already planted?
Yes. Our low-clearance gear works under the canopy and in close to the posts, without damaging the crop.
How far apart do the drains go?
It depends on the ground. Spacing, depth and fall are set to suit your block. Runs now go in at 20 m or 10 m spacings, not the old 40 m.
What pipe do you use?
Novaflo land drainage pipe, laid below the surface with shingle over it.
How do you get the fall right?
Laser-controlled hydraulics hold the depth and fall as the trencher moves down the row. We’ve been laser trenching since the 1970s.
We already have drains and the block is still wet. Can you help?
Yes. We hydro jet the pipes, track where a line is blocked, broken or collapsed, and fix it. If the ground is compacted, ripping lets surface water get down to the drains.
Do you work outside Hawke’s Bay?
We’re based in Twyford, Hastings, and work across Hawke’s Bay. We’ve also drained a kiwifruit orchard in Ōpōtiki. Ring us and we’ll talk it through.
What does it cost?
Every block is different, so we look at yours first. The quote is free.
TESTIMONIALS
"If you want the job done he does the whole job from start to finish. Excellent communication with both Vern and the boys. Great teamwork. I am a truly satisfied customer and would use him every time.
KEN APATU, HASTINGS
REQUEST A QUOTE
WATER PROBLEM? LET’S HAVE A LOOK.
Third-generation family business, more than 50 years’ experience.
Ring for a free quote: 06 879 6238
More than drainage: Mole ploughing · Trenching · Earth moving · Water intakes and springs