Your source for orchard news & information in the Sacramento Valley
After a long and bumpy ride, Kasumin 2L has received final EPA approval and will be available for walnut blight control in 2018. Here are some do’s and don’ts for using Kasumin 2L during the blight management season. Continue reading
All eyes have been on almonds during the recent cold snap, but the recent weather has reminded Bill Krueger, Farm Advisor Emeritus in Glenn County, of a similar cold snap in 2006 and the resulting damage to olive bloom. Here I have republished an article Bill wrote of his 2006 olive bloom observations. Continue reading
Generally, when I am working with growers on a problem related to potted-tree establishment, the cause is lack of water movement into the potted media, creating tree stress. This results from the difference in soil particle size at the boundary between the orchard soil and the tree’s potting soil. Continue reading
How are we doing on chill so far this year? Because there is not a CIMIS station close to Yuba City, Janine Hasey calculates chill based on a temperature recorder at the UCCE office in Yuba City. Chill data will be updated weekly. Continue reading
There are a few nights in the upcoming 10-day forecast that predict temperatures at 32°F or lower. This post contains resources if you need information about frost protection. Continue reading
Band canker has been an increasing problem in young almond orchards in recent years. Some hot spot areas have suffered high damage and occasionally required the replanting of an entire pollenizer variety. Symptomatic trees have gumming on the trunk. In the first year of infection, gumming may show as a ring or band around the trunk (hence its’ common name). Keep reading for the latest research results. Continue reading
It’s time for your annual pollinator safety reminder. It is safe to say that most everyone knows to avoid insecticides when honey bee colonies are in the orchard. Continue reading
Peach twig borer (PTB) larvae damage new shoots and, if the timing of their generations is just right, can feed on almond kernels at hullsplit causing shallow surface groves on the kernel. Oriental fruit moth (OFM) damage looks similar and its best to monitor both pests with pheromone traps to determine if either of them have the potential for nut damage. Continue reading
Droughty winters prompt questions about winter irrigation in orchards. The questions seem simple: Should I irrigate this winter? If so, when should I irrigate? How much water should I apply? The answers to these questions aren’t quite so simple. Continue reading