Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
Dani Lightle, UCCE Orchards Advisor, Glenn, Butte & Tehama Cos.; Cynthia Creze, PhD Student, UC Davis; & Amélie Gaudin, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis Almond growers have indicated interest in the use of cover crops, but grower surveys indicate … Continue reading
Adapted by Luke Milliron, UCCE Orchard Systems Farm Advisor, Butte, Tehama, and Glenn Cos., Dani Lightle, UCCE Orchard Systems Farm Advisor, Glenn, Butte, and Tehama Cos., Toby O’Geen, UCCE Soil Resource Specialist, UC Davis Did you enjoy the popular UC … Continue reading
In research conducted by Themis Michailides, winter pruning (February) resulted in higher infection rates than fall pruning (October). Continue reading
Consistent technique helps improve the accuracy of stem water potential (SWP) measurements. Keep reading for tips on bagging, measuring, and properly determining the SWP endpoint. Continue reading
Allan Fulton, UCCE Water Resources Advisor, Tehama, Shasta, Glenn and Colusa Counties; and Luke Milliron, UCCE Orchards Advisor, Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties. Advanced guidelines for walnut are provided in Table 1 (below). These guidelines consider the actual orchard measurements … Continue reading
Allan Fulton, UCCE Water Resources Advisor, Tehama, Shasta, Glenn and Colusa Counties; and Luke Milliron, UCCE Orchards Advisor, Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties. Experienced Pressure Chambers Users As a person gains experience with using the pressure chamber, they become more … Continue reading
Allan Fulton, UCCE Water Resources Advisor, Tehama, Shasta, Glenn and Colusa Counties; and Luke Milliron, UCCE Orchards Advisor, Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties. SWP Levels Vary Among Orchard Crops What do the pressure chamber measurements mean? The range in stem … Continue reading
Plan to join us for this integrated orchard management short course featuring UC faculty, Cooperative Extension specialists and farm advisors, and USDA researchers who will provide an in-depth, comprehensive study of all phases of walnut culture and production. Registration for California residents opens September 4th. Continue reading
Continue to brush up on your pressure chamber technique with tips on selecting leaves for SWP measurement, weather conditions, and other FAQs. Continue reading
I was called out in mid-July by a PCA to evaluate a single sick walnut tree. The tree was said to have unusual symptoms and be surrounded by completely healthy trees. Indeed, the tree was surrounded by healthy, uniform trees, while the single tree in question had multiple scaffolds with patches of dead leaves. Continue reading
Boron is a weird nutrient in orchard crops, particularly in California. It’s needed in very small amounts, and some crops, like almonds, do not tolerate soil levels much above 1 ppm. To complicate things, boron tends to be deficient in some parts of the valley. Continue reading
The beginning of almond harvest is upon us in the Sacramento Valley, and while the bulk of the in-season pest management decisions are behind us for 2018, now is the time for a key activity in your year-round IPM Program – harvest samples. Continue reading
Stem water potential is a direct measure of water tension (negative pressure) within the plant. Continue reading to learn more about the basic concept of stem water potential and measurement in the field. Continue reading
These updates are provided as reference information for Sacramento Valley orchard pest and natural enemy activity. Continue reading
Irrigated agriculture acreage in the northern Sacramento Valley has grown substantially over the past decade, with gains largely driven by new orchard plantings. Despite these substantial gains in irrigated agriculture, actual water demand has remained relatively stable. This video showcases many irrigation management technologies on-display at a walnut irrigation field day conducted in June 2018. Continue reading