IN YOUR ORCHARD
TIME TO CONSIDER
Time to Consider welcomes Blue Diamond Regional Manager, Trent Voss! Trent Voss grew up in the Hughson area in the Central Valley where his family farms almonds and peaches. He’s fourth generation in the area. He earned his bachelor’s in Ag Studies from Stanislaus State University while also receiving his PCA and CCA licenses. Voss served as a PCA for Wilbur Ellis for 10 years in Hughson. He jumped at the chance to join Blue Diamond as a regional manager since it opened better conversations with growers. Voss said, “I grew up in a farming family and have worked as a PCA for several years in Stanislaus and Merced Counties. My experiences have taught me the importance of relationships. I joined Blue Diamond Growers to build lasting relationships with growers, so they have a partner to turn to when needed. Being an advocate for farmers is a core principle of mine, and I am happy to represent the growers of Blue Diamond .”
Harvest Considerations Harvest is coming! Harvest is coming! I know it may not be as serious as the British invading, but it can still be a highly stressful time for growers. By channeling my inner Paul Revere I’d like to go over some points to keep in mind as we enter this busy time.
Irrigation is vital before and after harvest. Kernel weight will continue to increase through the month of July. Depending on the water situation, irrigating at 100% ET will lead to full kernels at harvest. While the normal practice for many growers is to decrease applied water at the initiation of hull split in an effort to mitigate hull rot, trees under excessive water stress during the harvest period can have a reduced kernel weight. Returning to normal irrigation right after shaking is important, not only for tree stress, but for next year’s crop as well. According to the UC Davis Publication “ Drought Tip: Drought Management for California Almonds (ucanr.edu) ,” https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8515.pdf severely stressed post-harvest orchards had a 52% reduction in bloom density and a 94% reduction in fruit set, resulting in a 73.6% reduction in the following year’s yield. Those on drip irrigation can apply water as soon as the almonds are clear of the drip line. Those with sprinklers or flood will have to pre-plan, so harvest is done in a timely manner to be able to get back to normal irrigation. Always keep in mind, the first irrigation for next year’s crop starts after this year’s harvest.
• As growers enter the home stretch, pest management still needs to be at the forefront of mind. Navel orangeworm , one of the leading causes of rejects, needs to be addressed prior to harvest. An insecticide application made at hull split will help reduce the level of damage. Growers with a high Navel orangeworm population may have to look at a second application, depending on the insect flight and hull split timings. Please consult with your PCA on the correct timing and products for your orchard. Timely harvesting can also reduce Navel orangeworm damage by avoiding the late generation flights of the insect. Keep in mind however, shaking before the nut has fully matured can result in “peelers.” Shaking too early can also cause problems if your crop is stockpiled after harvest due to excessive kernel and hull moisture. • As the summer temperatures increase so does Mite pressure. In a year where input costs are high, it may be a hard decision to make an extra treatment for mites. Not treating a mite flare up can result in reduced production
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ALMOND FACTS
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