Online Tools for Orchard Establishment and Management
There are several online tools and phone applications that can facilitate the process of site evaluation and planning for a new orchard. Read this article to learn more. Continue reading
Yearly Archives: 2021
April Almond Orchard Management Considerations
Read this article for almond orchard management tasks to keep in mind in April. Continue reading
Irrigating with lower quality water? What to consider first.
Given low precipitation this past winter and low surface water allocations, many growers may be faced with the difficult prospect of using lower quality water for irrigation this season. What should be considered before irrigating with lower quality water? Continue reading
Previous South Sacramento Valley ET Reports- March 2021
Irrigation Evapotranspiration (ET) Report for Woodland, Davis, Dixon, and Verona CIMIS stations. Continue reading
March Almond Orchard Management Considerations
It is looking like spring outside, and almond bloom is winding down. Keep reading for almond orchard management tasks to keep in mind this month. Continue reading
March Walnut Orchard Management Considerations
It is looking like spring outside! Keep reading for walnut orchard management tasks to keep in mind this month. Continue reading
Prune Bloom Review, 2020
While it’s hard to be certain what caused the light prune crop in 2020, warm temperatures before and after bloom might have been a contributing factor. Continue reading
Emergency Use (Section 18) Approved for Almond Bacterial Blast Material
Bacterial blast (Pseudomonas syringe), although thankfully not a problem every year (hopefully including 2021), can be tremendously damaging to almond yields. For example, significant crop damage was reported in the Sacramento Valley in 2017 and 2018, and in the San Joaquin Valley in 2017 and 2019. These grower reports of past crop loss supported a Section 18 emergency request for the use of kasugamycin on almonds during bloom. Continue reading
Hive Strength and Bee Health/Safety
A large almond crop at harvest requires good bee activity at bloom in the orchard. Read to learn more about best practices for keeping bee hives in your orchard strong and healthy at bloom. Continue reading
Krymsk 86 rootstock: Superb anchorage in gale-force winds
The aftermath of gale-force winds in the southern Sacramento Valley last week has further highlighted the importance of selecting prune rootstocks with good anchorage. In commercial orchards and trials alike, Krymsk 86 rooted prune trees consistently withstand applied force better than most other rootstocks. Continue reading
What new research into carbohydrates is teaching us about California orchards
Orchards up and down the Central Valley sit bare and leafless during winter. But just because we can’t see active growth with our eyes, doesn’t mean the trees themselves aren’t active. Recent years of research by the Zwieniecki lab (the Z Lab) at UC Davis, including the Carbohydrate Observatory, have been shedding light on what is happening in orchard trees during their yearly cycles, including during this dormant period. This research has been used to better explain how trees may be counting winter chill and spring heat. Continue reading