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). The post The Big Three in Prunes first appeared on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source.    ..read more

Clarissa Reyes, Orchard Systems Advisor, Sutter-Yuba, Butte & Placer Countie Jaime Ott, UCCE Tehama, Shasta, Glenn & Butte Counties Becky Wheeler-Dykes, UCCE Glenn, Colusa & Tehama Counties In February 2024, the Sutter-Yuba and Tehama Walnut Day meetings featured panel discussions focused on the current economy of the walnut industry.    ..read more

These updates are provided as reference information for Sacramento Valley orchard pest and natural enemy activity. The post Integrated Pest Management Update – July 22, 2024 first appeared on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source.    ..read more

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. The post Timing almond harvest in 2024 first appeared on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source.    ..read more

Rising production costs continue to squeeze profit margins for prune growers. The five percent rule can be an effective principle for improving profits, advocating for small improvements across multiple aspects of an operation rather than striving for large gains in one or two areas. The post Find Small Improvements: The 5% Rule first appeared on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source.    ..read more

Carpophilus beetle (Carpophilus truncatus) is a small insect that causes severe damage to almond kernels. Humid conditions increase the emergence and rate of development, leading to multiple generations within a season. The post Carpophilus Beetle: What We Know first appeared on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source.    ..read more

Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa and Sutter/Yuba Counties Sudan Gyawaly, UC IPM Advisor, Sacramento Valley David Haviland, UCCE Entomology Advisor, Kern County Hull split for the 2024 almond crop is just ahead.    ..read more

The SacValleyOrchards team has started posting pest monitoring reports/updates for major walnut and almond pests for our region The post Pest Reports Available on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source Website first appeared on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source.    ..read more

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. The post Monterey Maladies and the Need for Careful Irrigation Management first appeared on Sacramento Valley Orchard Source.    ..read more

Jaime Ott, UCCE Tehama, Shasta, Glenn, and Butte Counties Since this spring (2023), we have found prune brownline disease (brownline) in three Sac Valley orchards on Krymsk 86 rootstock.    ..read more