IN YOUR ORCHARD
applying Extinguish ® or Clinch ® at least 4 weeks ahead of harvest for best results or Altrevin ® closer to harvest. Product and application details impact ant control efficacy and should be understood and followed for best results. For bait to work, ants must be attracted to it. Wet or old (opened 1-2 weeks) material is not effective as a bait. Check with your PCA for materials, rates and timing details. More information is available at: www2.ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/almond/Ants/. • Weeds: Eliminating weeds with postemergence herbicides followed by preharvest close mowing of dead weeds reduces orchard floor trash and helps with nut drying. Traditionally this has meant a glyphosate (Roundup ® , etc.) burndown followed by mowing. With the growing number of glyphosate resistant weeds, an additional herbicide (Rely ® , etc.) is commonly tankmixed with glyphosate when following this approach. Check with your PCA regarding PHI and rates. Nutrition: Take a July leaf sample from each orchard as a final report card on your nutrition program for the season. Check out the new UC protocol on leaf sampling in the Nitrogen BMP publication from the Almond Board of CA Nitrogen Best Management Practices from the Almond Board of CA (almonds.com/sites/default/files/2020-12/ ABC_Nitrogen_8.5x11_vmags.pdf). Decisions that commit hundreds of dollars per acre are made using results of leaf sampling. The person sampling should be trained and trusted. Make sure chloride and sodium are included in the analysis list so possible buildup of these toxic elements is monitored. Set a date with your PCA/CCA to evaluate the entire report, postharvest, and plan a fertility program for 2022. In the short term, spot check the leaf N levels. If your July nitrogen (N) leaf levels are good (2.5% N or higher), late season N fertilizer should not improve yield in 2021 compared to no additional N, based on field trials and experience. If you are considering adding fertilizer N soon after harvest, double check irrigation water nitrate
levels before fertilizing. To calculate the pounds of N/acre- foot of irrigation water, multiply ppm nitrate nitrogen by 2.74. If the lab sends your irrigation water analysis results as ppm nitrate, multiply by 0.62 to get lbs N/acre-foot of water. See Table 1 (pg. 5) in Nitrogen Best Management Practices from the Almond Board of CA (see link above) for a chart showing lbs N/acre from ppm water N and water volume. Harvest is the time to assess orchard boron (B) status and hulls, not leaves, are the tissue to sample. Take a hull sample for B analysis from windrows across the orchard just before pickup. A sample from each variety is a good idea. With more groundwater used around the Central Valley this year, hull B levels may be up in many blocks. These hull B lab results are important in planning a postharvest B nutrition program this fall and, perhaps, into next year. Fall/winter planning: Consider a fall planted cover crop to improve rainfall capture (penetration) this winter and spring. This will help leach salts deeper in the soil and increase profile water storage this winter. The general target timing is to have the seed planted by the end of October, but planning before harvest will help get the job done later this year. Information on cover crop best management practices is available at: almonds.com/ sites/default/files/2021-06/ABC_CoverCropBMP_8.5x11_ vmags.pdf Make plans to attend the Almond Board conference Dec 7‑9, 2021 in Sacramento. Information at: almonds.com/about-us/ programs-and-events/almond-conference
Best wishes for a safe and successful harvest!
Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa and Sutter/ Yuba Counties
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