Brittney Goodrich provides an update on what almond growers can expect in the 2024 pollination season. You can find the economic calculator here. Come to an upcoming extension meeting! Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) Mention of an agrichemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of research findings. Always follow the label. The label is law. Find out more at ipm.ucanr.edu. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s...

Navel Orangeworm (NOW) wreaked devastating impacts on the California almond industry in 2023. I sat down with Dr. Franz Niederholzer (UCCE Colusa) after harvest to discuss what had happened and what needs to be done to win the war against NOW in 2024.

Dr. Andreas Westphal provides an update on tightening regulations and the latest research progress for nematode management in walnuts and other orchard crops.

Mel Machado (Blue Diamond Almond Growers) discusses important considerations for timing almond harvest, including grower objectives, varieties, and nut quality.

Pistachios are very salt tolerant, at least compared to most of the other orchard crops that are grown in California. However, this does not make them immune to the effects of salinity. Daniele Zaccaria recently wrapped up a four year study examining the water use of trees under varying levels of soil salinity and found that water use decreases as soil salinity increases. This has major implications for tree health and water use post SGMA. Listen to find out more. The views, thoughts, and...

Drew Wolter (UCCE farm advisor intern) and Luke Milliron discus why the postharvest weed survey helps form the backbone of an integrated weed management program.

Whole orchard recycling is thepractice of incorporating recycled wood chips from oldorchards into soil priorto planting a new orchard. While this can change or improve howthe new orchard grows and the soil properties for the site, there are still various thingsgrowers need to consider if adopting this practice. Cameron Zuber (Merced and Maderacounties) has compiled some insights on managing application and incorporation ofwood chips,fertilization, diseaseswith regards to whole orchard...

Mating disruption has been found to reduce NOW damage in almonds by, on average, 50%, however we think it is most effective when it is applied in blocks that are 40 acres or larger. This means that a lot of growers who may be interested in mating disruption feel like they may not be able to use it due to their small blocks. A collaborative partnership between the Almond Board of California, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Land IQ, and Blue Diamond Growers have put...

Pacific flatheaded borer has recently become a pest of concern in walnuts, though it has been known to damage walnuts for a long time. Jhalendra Rijal has been researching its biology and control methods and has provided us with an update on his findings. Mention of an agrichemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of research findings. Always follow the label. The label is law. Find out more at ipm.ucanr.edu. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the...

Daisy Hernandez has been conducting research on Ganoderma adspersum as part of her doctoral dissertation. She shares some more things that she’s learned since our last episode on this wood decay fungi, as well as a few tips for growers who are replanting in sites with known G. adspersum issues. Upcoming Extension Meetings: Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views,...

Whole orchard recycling (WOR) is becoming commonplace in almonds, and we have several research trials scattered across the state examining best practices and potential benefits from this practice. It has not been looked at as extensively in walnuts, which will contribute much more biomass to the soil. Luke shares the results from some of this trials in this episode. Upcoming Extension Meetings: Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions...

Phoebe discusses some research she has conducted with Greg Browne (USDA plant pathologist) on examining phosphorus fertilization in newly planted almond orchards. Upcoming Extension Meetings: Sacramento Valley San Joaquin Valley (scroll to the bottom) The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the University of California. The material and information presented here is for general information purposes...

Dr. Katherine Jarvis-Shean (UCCE Yolo, Solano, and Sacramento) and Luke talk about the early testing of treatments for low winter chill in California walnut orchards.

Franz Niederholzer (UCCE Colusa and Sutter-Yuba) and Luke talk about March almond, prune, and walnut tasks in the Sacramento Valley.

In this episode, Phoebe talks with Sam Sandovol Solis, a professor of water management at UC Davis, about the 2023 water outlook. It’s looking a lot better than the previous years, but we aren’t out of the woods yet. A previous episode on irrigation system maintenance with Tom Devol has an anecdote about how much water can be lost with a few leaks. Listen to it to learn tips on irrigation system maintenance and where Tom sees the most problems. Sac Valley Meetings:...

Phoebe discusses the 2023 bee outlook with Brittney Goodrich, an agriculturlal economics Professor of Cooperative Extension at UC Davis. Like in previous years, there are some issues affecting the health and size of the bee colonies in the United States, and Brittney shares some work she’s done to help growers possibly save money while ensuring they meet the bee stocking rate to satisfy crop insurance requirements. Listen to find out more! Sac Valley Meetings:...

IPM Advisors David Haviland, Dr. Jhalendra Rijal, and Dr. Sudan Gyawaly look back on the 2022 almond, walnut, and pistachio highlights from the south, middle, and north of the Central Valley respectively.

Leaffooted bugs are a sporadic pest in orchards, but when they appear they can cause serious damage. There are few management guidelines as it is believed that this insect was less of a pest in the past due to widespread useage of broad spectrum insecticides. As the nut crop industries have moved to more selective insecticides, an IPM success to be sure, plant bugs have increased in prevalence, or so it is believed. Houston Wilson, the tree crop entomology specialist with UC Riverside, has...

Roger Duncan discusses his research over several years showing that in some situations compost may not improve orchard performance and grower bottom line.

Leslie Holland, Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin, Madison, shares the results of some of her work examining fungicides to suppress Botryosphaeria infections in almond pruning wounds as a Ph.D. student at UC Davis. Leslie shares what works, as well as the key tip to dealing with fungal infections in orchard crops: preventing the infection from occurring in the first place. Mention of pesticide use does not constitute a pesticide recommendation. Always follow the pesticide...

Bacterial canker can be a serious disease affecting young Prunus species. It is closely connected to weather and tree health. Mohammad Yaghmour discusses what conditions lead to bacterial canker and what growers can do to lessen its severity. Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel Gordon for the music. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts,...

Call or text 530-487-5991 to ask questions for Phoebe and Luke to answer or provide feedback about adapting the 1 Minute Challenge

Luke discusses the recent history of sudden autumn walnut frost events in California’s Central Valley, how to prevent damage ahead of the next sudden frost, and how to rehabilitate damaged orchards.

Measuring soil moisture by hand with the “feel” method, or with modern senor technology can be a powerful irrigation management tool. I sit down with Allan Fulton (UCCE Irrigation Advisor) to discuss how to measure and interpret orchard soil moisture. Thanks to the Pistachio Board of California and Almond Board of California for their generous financial support. Music by Muriel Gordon.

Kadie Britt discusses research results from a project examining the effects of cover crop on overwintering NOW larvae mortality. Upcoming meetings: Introduction to Irrigation Management series to be held in Madera (Nov 7), Bakersfield (Nov 14), and Modesto (Nov 16). Best Management Practices for Soil Health to be held at the Kearney Ag Center in Parlier (Nov 16). Thank you to the Almond, Pistachio, Prune, and Walnut Boards of California for their kind donations. Thank you to Muriel...