Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
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
This spring, I received many calls regarding the failure of vegetative buds to push, particularly in the Monterey variety. Affected trees are characterized by an entire scaffold that failed to leaf out, even though trees bloomed as usual and, in … Continue reading
A new UC Cooperative Extension podcast that focuses on growing orchard crops in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys is now available. Continue reading
These photos show various symptoms observed on trees that were intentionally over-irrigated throughout the season. Continue reading
KATHERINE JARVIS-SHEAN & BRAD HANSON Weeds in young orchards compete with trees for orchard resources – sunlight, water and nutrients, setting back growth and yield. Weeds can also create cover for vertebrate pests which can then damage tree trunks (Figure … Continue reading
Irrigation Evapotranspiration (ET) Report for Tehama, Butte and Colusa county CIMIS stations. Continue reading
As soil treatment options become increasingly limited, more restrictive and less effective, the priority to identify a genetic solution to solve or reduce the replant issue is of increasing interest. One genetic solution is to find or develop rootstocks to help manage soil related problems. Also of interest are root and tree characteristics imparting canopy size control, good anchorage and little or no root suckering. In 2011, University of California Farm Advisors and campus based faculty designed and planted 3 large rootstock experiments to evaluate 29 prune rootstocks. Continue reading
After a long and bumpy ride, Kasumin 2L has received final EPA approval and will be available for walnut blight control in 2018. Here are some do’s and don’ts for using Kasumin 2L during the blight management season. Continue reading
All eyes have been on almonds during the recent cold snap, but the recent weather has reminded Bill Krueger, Farm Advisor Emeritus in Glenn County, of a similar cold snap in 2006 and the resulting damage to olive bloom. Here I have republished an article Bill wrote of his 2006 olive bloom observations. Continue reading
Generally, when I am working with growers on a problem related to potted-tree establishment, the cause is lack of water movement into the potted media, creating tree stress. This results from the difference in soil particle size at the boundary between the orchard soil and the tree’s potting soil. Continue reading
It’s time for your annual pollinator safety reminder. It is safe to say that most everyone knows to avoid insecticides when honey bee colonies are in the orchard. Continue reading
Luke Milliron, UCCE Farm Advisor, Butte, Tehama, and Glenn Counties; Bob Johnson, PhD Candidate Rizzo Lab, UC Davis Plant Pathology In March of 1995 a four-day storm with winds reaching nearly 65 mph and a deluge of six-inches resulted in … Continue reading
Allan Fulton, UCCE Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor, Tehama, Colusa, Glenn & Shasta Counties; Luke Milliron, UCCE Orchards Advisor, Butte, Tehama & Glenn Counties The dormant winter season is a time when evapotranspiration (ET) is low and it is an opportunity … Continue reading
Allan Fulton, UCCE Water Resources Advisor, Tehama, Glenn, and Colusa Counties; Luke Milliron, UCCE Farm Advisor, Butte, Glenn and Tehama Counties & Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa and Sutter/Yuba Counties Tree and crop development progresses through multiple phases during the season … Continue reading
Janine Hasey, UCCE Farm Advisor, Sutter/Yuba/Colusa Counties, Greg Browne, USDA Plant Pathologist, UC Davis, Astrid Volder, Plant Sciences, UC Davis and Bruce Lampinen, UCCE Walnut Specialist, UC Davis 2017 brought unprecedented high and fluctuating water flows in the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, damaging … Continue reading