Sacramento Valley Orchard Source

Selecting a rootstock when developing an orchard is a decision that will impact tree health and yield for the rest of the life of the orchard. Read more to learn what the University of California has learned from decades of testing rootstocks to understand their limitations.

Crop failure in years with extreme bloom weather (cool or hot) challenges successful prune growing in California. A new bloom weather model is a good starting point to predicting crop potential and, eventually, managing risk of crop failure.

Walnuts are one of the highest chill requirement tree crops in California but recent winters have fallen short of the chill needed for a tight, economical walnut bloom. With funding from the California Walnut Board, dormancy breaking treatments are being tested in California's conditions using products used to compensate for inadequate chill in other crops and countries.

An excerpt from The Almond Doctor on a tree's response to flooding.

It is looking like spring outside, and prune bloom is picking up. Keep reading for prune orchard management tasks to keep in mind this month.