Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
For three winters, we have been studying the impact of a number of dormancy breaking treatments to give growers tools to deal with low chill winters. This previous winter-spring, we put Dormex at 2% and 4% head-to-head. Continue reading
Sensitivity to a lack of nitrogen will vary from orchard to orchard. We know that trees have much more nutrient storage capacity than annual crops, but how much of this can be relied upon to meet nitrogen demand, and when might it not be appropriate? Continue reading
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. Continue reading
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. Continue reading
With 41 California counties officially in a drought emergency and water allocations significantly reduced in many areas, many growers and managers are stuck with less water than walnuts use for prime production levels. Read this article for more information about how to manage walnut irrigation in drought years. Continue reading
Late winter to early spring is the time of year that pocket gophers are usually cranking up their Barry White playlist. This reproductive pulse generally results in three to five young per litter, roughly doubling to tripling the population of gophers that feed on almond roots and crown. Reducing gopher populations ahead of this reproductive pulse is the most time-effective way to reduce gopher damage in your orchard. Continue reading
Recent years have brought hot temperatures, heat waves, droughts and rain that have broken records. What does that mean? And what can we do to plan for it in almond orchards? Continue reading
Read this article for walnut orchard management tasks to keep in mind in October. Continue reading
Read this article for walnut orchard management tasks to keep in mind in June. Continue reading
Deer mice are rarely a problem in orchards in California, but when present they can cause damage to irrigation lines and nuts in almond trees, as we found on a recent farm call. The mice were taking advantage of cracks in the shrink-swell soil to more easily create their burrows, which we may see more of in the future as more orchards with drip irrigation come into bear on these shrink-swell soils. Continue reading
Read this article for walnut orchard management tasks to keep in mind in May. Continue reading
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
Read this article for walnut orchard management tasks to keep in mind in April. Continue reading
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
Here’s your chance to influence the direction of walnut rootstock development! Tell UC and Fresno State your preferences in rootstock attributes and how much you’d value those enhanced characteristics.
Take this anonymous survey. It should take less than 10 minutes to complete. Continue reading