The Big Three in Prunes
The three most important management decisions dictating fruit size and crop size (and therefore grower returns) are 1) cropload management, 2) irrigation, and 3) nutrient management (especially potassium). Continue reading
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Monterey Maladies and the Need for Careful Irrigation Management
Over the past eight years, Sacramento Valley growers have encountered challenges managing Monterey almond trees: yellowed curled leaf, leafing failure, flowering failure, and Bot/Phomopsis dieback. Continue reading
Be Careful with Almond Variety-Rootstock Selection
Almond variety and rootstock selection is a quarter century investment. Evaluating the compatibility of different varieties and rootstocks together is critical to deciding whether a combination will be successful. Continue reading
Walnut Winter Management UCCE Resources
If you haven’t already, look at your orchard operation: take some time to Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan. Read for an overview on resources on topics on spray calibration, sanitation, codling moth mating disruption, pests, and more. Continue reading
Wet winter concerns: Phytophthora and waterlogging
Excessive water, caused by rain, flooding, or even overirrigation, is a challenge for orchards and can cause two very different problems: waterlogging and Phytophthora infection. Given that we had bountiful rain this winter and orchards with standing water were common, continuous monitoring and collaboration with your PCA or farm advisor will be increasingly valuable. Continue reading
Healthier Orchards with A Careful Start of Irrigation in 2023
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
Example 1 and 2 – Healthier Orchards with A Careful Start of Irrigation
More details on the examples in “Healthier Orchards with A Careful Start of Irrigation in 2023.” Continue reading
April Prune Orchard Management Considerations
Read this article for prune orchard management tasks to keep in mind in April. Continue reading
Management Practices for Improved Water Capture
In the middle of a drought, there are several management practices that may improve the retention of limited water resources. Read ahead to learn how groundwater recharge, winter cover crops, organic matter, and tillage can affect your water conservation plan. Continue reading
Late-season Irrigation Management in Prune
Producers should strive to maintain sufficient tree water status to maintain any current crop-load as well as overall tree and orchard health to help support crops in the coming years. Spring freezes and reduced water supplies have significantly affected production. When considering late-season irrigation strategies for prune trees, both the current and following season’s crops must be considered. Continue reading
Drought Strategies for Walnut Orchards
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
Irrigating Freeze Damaged Almonds in a Drought
Record low temperatures on February 24 severely reduced nut set and limited almond yield across thousands of acres of orchards in the Sacramento Valley. The following are our best suggestions for irrigating to bring the remaining crop to market, and ensure good crop potential for next year. Continue reading
Spring- Preparing for Extreme Events: Frost
An April frost can have potentially devastating results. The last severe spring frost occurred in April 2008. During a frost event, there are many factors that influence whether or not frost damage will occur in a particular orchard. This article provides guidelines should a spring frost occur. Continue reading
Mechanical Pruning Trial in ‘French’ Prune – Through Year Four
Work continues at the Red Bluff mechanical pruning trial initiated in 2019, thanks to the California Prune Board. Continue reading
Has It Been a Wet Winter?
The 2021-2022 water year, which began on October 1st, got off to a promising start. Precipitation patterns brought snow to the mountains and rain to the valleys in amounts not seen for a few years. Unfortunately, a relatively dry January snapped us all out of dreams of a “normal” year and brought us back to our new (drier) reality. Continue reading