IN YOUR ORCHARD
TIME TO CONSIDER
Have you ever noticed that the “Time to Consider” articles fall under the “In Your Orchard” section of the Almond Facts Magazine ? Well, I thought I would switch it up this issue and not just talk about what is happening in the orchard, but what happens when your almonds leave the field. The correct title for this issue should probably be called “In Your Test Room,” because I’m going to take you behind the scenes of how your product is graded at Blue Diamond Growers.
Now, I can’t forget about the orchard entirely since we are in an important part of the year, I’ll start by going over Navel Orangeworm management and considerations for a wet harvest. Navel Orangeworm is always the primary topic during these harvest months. By the time this article comes out, your hull split spray will most likely have already been applied to your Nonpareil crop. Growers who may be in high pressure areas, or who have experienced high damage in the past, will need to target the hull split on the pollinizer varieties as well. When doing multiple hull split applications chemical selection is very important. Rotating chemicals to prevent resistance and Pre-Harvest Interval (PHI) need to be factored in when making that choice.
Figure 1: Navel Orangeworm Larva. Photo credit: Mel Machado
We all have been praying for rain for the last couple of years and we sure got it over last winter. I know we are praying for it to continue, but when you receive rain, you have to learn to deal with the mud. With the possibility of having a wet harvest, here are a few key points if we arrive at that situation.
1. If you are planning to shake when rain comes through, don’t! Shaking almonds with rain in the forecast will only cause problems down the road. 2. If you have already shaken and the almonds are on the ground, keep them flat. Do not sweep them until they have dried a bit, as sweeping wet nuts into wet soil will not help them dry.
3. If the nuts are already in the windrows, “pick them up and put them down.” In other words, run the crop through a conditioner to remove the leaves, soil and other debris in the windrow. This helps the almonds get as dry as possible. If a conditioner is not available, you can run the crop through a harvester, but spreading it back on the ground is a better option than allowing the crop to sit in a wet windrow mixed with leaves and soil. While the moisture in the windrow is the most apparent problem, it is the heat created by microbial activity in the wet windrow that actually causes the greatest losses. 4. Finally, communicate with your huller and Regional Manager about your wet product so we can help you navigate the next steps and know if the product will need to go to the dryers.
Figure 2: Shaker Operation. Photo credit: Mel Machado
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ALMOND FACTS
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