Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
Navel orangeworm (NOW) damage in the 2017 almond crop was painfully bad in many blocks in the Sacramento Valley. It cost some growers hundreds of dollars per acre, slowed crop processing (more money lost) and may be an issue in some international markets due to aflatoxin concerns. Continue reading
Irrigation Evapotranspiration (ET) Report for Tehama, Butte and Colusa county CIMIS stations. Continue reading
Will you need to thin prunes this year? In order to keep fruit from falling through the sizer, you need to do some legwork and estimate your fruit set. If needed, thinning should occur roughly around the same time as … Continue reading
Interplanting existing prune orchards where established trees don’t fill their space is a long accepted practice to increase grower income while limiting costs compared to complete orchard removal and replanting. This is often done in older orchards either by interplanting … Continue reading
How are we doing on chill so far this year? Because there is not a CIMIS station close to Yuba City, Janine Hasey calculates chill based on a temperature recorder at the UCCE office in Yuba City. Chill data will be updated weekly. Continue reading
There are a few nights in the upcoming 10-day forecast that predict temperatures at 32°F or lower. This post contains resources if you need information about frost protection. Continue reading
Band canker has been an increasing problem in young almond orchards in recent years. Some hot spot areas have suffered high damage and occasionally required the replanting of an entire pollenizer variety. Symptomatic trees have gumming on the trunk. In the first year of infection, gumming may show as a ring or band around the trunk (hence its’ common name). Keep reading for the latest research results. Continue reading
Peach twig borer (PTB) larvae damage new shoots and, if the timing of their generations is just right, can feed on almond kernels at hullsplit causing shallow surface groves on the kernel. Oriental fruit moth (OFM) damage looks similar and its best to monitor both pests with pheromone traps to determine if either of them have the potential for nut damage. Continue reading
Droughty winters prompt questions about winter irrigation in orchards. The questions seem simple: Should I irrigate this winter? If so, when should I irrigate? How much water should I apply? The answers to these questions aren’t quite so simple. Continue reading