Aaron began planting sandalwood on his farm in 2000 after sourcing three lines of superior large nut cultivars from seed sellers who at that time did not realize the potential for the sandalwood nut industry and also wild trees on his farming property. He has since expanded that to around 7 lines of potentially genetically superior nuts. The learning curve for orchard design has been a steep one as it is the first in the world dedicated to nut production. For detailed insight into the lessons learnt in sandalwood nut production, Aaron's experience can be accessed through a number of fact sheets he has published for prospective growers. He is also available to consult prospective growers on all matters pertaining to sandalwood production.

Information in the following areas is essential for would be producers to consider:

• Row/tree spacings - planning is essential to ensure orchard design allows for efficient nut production and harvesting. A number of different row spacings, tree spacings and host species choices have been trialled since 2000 on Aaron's farm.
  
  
• Host choice - host species selection is extremely important as the wrong choice can lead to slow sandalwood growth rates, lower nut yields and reduce the potential for machinery trafficability at harvest.
  
  
• Pests - a hardy plant itself, it is predominantly the sandalwood host species where pest problems occur. Particularly with certain species of Acacia which are more susceptible than others to wood borers and rust. There do exist some pests for the sandalwood itself.
  
  
• Sourcing desirable genetics - because the sandalwood is essentially a wild crop, there has been no breeding programs focused on improving the yield and quality of the nut itself. That was until Aaron began the world's first nut breeding program in 2000 selecting for large nuts and high yields. Since those first trees have now entered fruiting age further selections have been made from those initial plantings and so the refining process of this genetic improvement continues. Aaron is now in the enviable position of being able to offer improved genetic lines of sandalwood to other would be growers. Some lines are yielding nuts in excess of 30mm in diameter or slightly larger than a 20 cent piece.
  
  
• Weed control - weed control practices are a key management area in which to increase the success of orchard establishment. Unsuccessful outcomes in establishment due to weed infestations are avoidable. Care must be taken with herbicide use as sandalwood trees are particularly sensitive to some.
  
  
• Fertilizer - whilst sandalwood does not require any nitrogen fertilizer it does benefit from the addition of other nutrients.
  
  
• Harvesting/Post harvest handling equipment - Aaron has visited a number of macadamia operations in Queensland and has fathered the mechanisation of harvest through to handling of the sandalwood nut.