Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
With weather forecasts for the upcoming winter months leaning heavily toward another wet and cold winter, the weeks immediately following harvest present the best time of the year to plant cover crops to reap their various benefits in the months ahead. Should El Niño bring heavy rainfall back to the region, any on-farm water capture that can be done should be done to keep as much water locally banked as possible. Continue reading
A ten-acre Butte County Walnut Variety Trial was planted at the Chico State Farm in May of this year through a collaboration between Chico State, UC Davis Walnut Improvement Program, and UC Cooperative Extension. This variety trial aims to identify new varieties that will perform exceptionally well in this region and will share its progress over the years. Continue reading
Damage can occur with sudden autumn freeze, before trees go into dormancy. With sudden autumn freeze occurring in three of the last five years, preparations for these freeze events need to be a regular part of every walnut grower’s summer and fall orchard operations. Continue reading
With funding provided by the Almond Board of California, through assessments paid by almond growers, the University of California has conducted regional field trials in the major almond growing areas of the Central Valley for over 50 years. Read more for an update on Regional Almond Variety Trials Continue reading
Blast is a challenging disease to control, given the limited number of available tools. This year, symptoms were common even in orchards which had received one or more copper dormant sprays (copper-resistant Pseudomonas populations are common throughout the state). Continue reading
Almonds have a strange relationship with boron. With its effects on both yield and tree health, dialing in the boron levels in your orchard is well worth some attention. Continue reading
Don’t sleep on K for your orchard(s). It could cost you! Continue reading
With high fruit sets and good growing conditions in 2023, maximize grower income by focusing on harvest timing and field sizing. The keys to a timely harvest are 1) get the largest, high-quality fruit to the dryer and 2) field sort to keep small, low value fruit out of the bins. Continue reading
Hullsplit timing varies among tree water status, varieties, geographic regions, and weather conditions. Understanding NOW activity and hullsplit status is vital for timely insecticide applications. Research and field experience tell us that spraying earlier, rather than later, is the most effective strategy for reducing NOW damage. Continue reading
Good production of large fruit and sustained tree health are critical to maintaining profitable production. The following points highlight problems contributing to orchard decline. Continue reading
Bloom date and cropload per tree still have the largest influence on harvest date and fruit size potential, but knowing GDH30 accumulation can be used to fine tune harvest and thinning planning. However, given cooler weather in the 30 days following 50% full bloom, knowing growing degree hours can better inform thinning planning. Continue reading
The extremely wet winter this year has likely helped growers to kill more overwintering navel orangeworms (NOW) than in warmer and dryer winter years. However, a wet, cold winter will not kill all NOW, and being complacent might result in a bad NOW year. Continue reading
There is no more important activity in prune growing than checking the crop load in late April (or early May this year?). Knowing the crop load (fruit/tree) in an orchard is the most critical piece of data needed to decide if shaker thinning is needed. Continue reading
A careful approach to irrigation in 2023 is one way to both save money and help ensure you have a healthy and productive orchard. Continue reading
More details on the examples in “Healthier Orchards with A Careful Start of Irrigation in 2023.” Continue reading