Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
Facing a fourth consecutive year of drought conditions across California, and pressures to preserve existing water reserves has led to more California growers taking interest in incorporating some form of agriculturally managed recharge (AG-MAR) into their water management plans. Read further to learn how cover crops can help divert runoff from winter storms into groundwater basins for future use. Continue reading
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
Historically, the recommendation from UC almond experts for the ideal time to shake was as soon as 100% hull split occurred throughout the orchard, however, these considerations vary widely among varieties and locations. Potential challenges that growers should consider when timing harvest include pest and disease management, nut removal/drying time, and nut quality. Continue reading
With continued tight nut markets and high input costs, it’s worth considering all nutrient input options in an effort to lower costs and maintain production. Sustainable nutrient management includes assessment of irrigation nitrate, adding compost manure amendments or almond shells, and using nitrogen-fixing cover crops. 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
Successful new plantings are key to the economic future of an almond growing operation. Any setbacks in new, non-bearing orchard growth or health can be costly, distracting and stressful. Weed management is a major management focus and potential stress point in young orchard development. Continue reading
Prune prices to California growers are influenced by world production volume that can change, dramatically, from year to year. Read this article for recommendations about how to prepare for next year. Continue reading
Given that N fertilizer mismanagement have increased significantly and the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) have implemented new regulations to prevent agricultural runoff from impairing surface waters, it only makes sense to use available tools to improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE). This article provides more information about what tools are available. Continue reading
Plan for the worst, hope for the best. That’s a tough, solid, strategy as the 2021 season winds down and growers and PCAs look to 2022. Read this article for some considerations when following this strategy. Continue reading
Read this article for almond orchard management tasks to keep in mind in October. Continue reading
Read this article for almond orchard management tasks to keep in mind in June. Continue reading
When prices are lean almond farming is tough business. Read this article to learn about nutrient management considerations when prices are low. 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
This tutorial introduces the challenges that soils with variable water holding capacity and uncertainty about effective root zones of crops poses to on-farm water management. We consider how these weekly reports of crop ET can be related to site specific … Continue reading
Because the percentage of ant damage is related to how long the nuts remain on the orchard floor, planning for ant management this season is vital. The size of this year’s crop will likely translate into longer periods of almonds sitting on the orchard floor waiting for pick up – especially for growers that depend on contract harvesters. Continue reading