Sac Valley Orchards

Dr. Rich Rosecrance and Karla Caldera, Department of Plant Science, California State University, Chico Potassium (K) plays a major role in prune production—fruit size, sugars, and dry-away. Many growers use foliar potassium to supplement soil programs, but results can be inconsistent. Recent field trials using rubidium (Rb) as a tracer help explain why. The results show ...

Jaime Ott, UCCE Tehama, Shasta Glenn, Butte Counties The Bottom Line: – Despite warm weather near Improved French bloom, most orchards have a heavy crop this year. – We have high GDH30 values, so expect an early harvest and poor crop sizing. – To maximize fruit size despite the warm weather, consider thinning before reference date and targeting a modest ...

Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba Counites Bottom line: In many prune orchards in the Yuba City/Gridley area, it looks like a decent to good crop set, but early bloom + warm post-bloom weather may deliver: early reference date (April 13-16 this year?) a relatively poor fruit sizing year (early thinning, where needed, should improve final dried fruit ...

Curt Pierce, Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor, Glenn, Tehama, Colusa, and Shasta Counties If you are using a pressure chamber or FloraPulse sensors to manage your prune irrigation, you may be interested in our new online tool for stem water potential (SWP) measurements. Tables have been developed and published by UC to determine baseline SWP values, which ...

Domena A. Agyeman, UCCE Agricultural Economic Advisor; Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties Becky Wheeler-Dykes, UCCE Orchard Systems Advisor; Glenn, Tehama and Colusa Counties Cropload management is one of the most important practices in prune production. Timely and appropriate (fruit per tree) thinning can improve fruit size, enhance quality, increase market price, and ultimately boost grower return. However, with ...