Nonpareil just starting to split

When looking at the high percentage of hull split in trees on the edges of orchards it is easy to get excited and think that harvest is just a few days away.  However, you do not have to venture far from the edge to find that there are plenty of Nonpareil that have barely begun to split. We have to wait until nearly all of the nuts are ready to shake or we will leave too many behind. At the same time, early harvest will take the nuts out of potential harm from worms or weather. When to begin shaking is a judgement call that needs to be evaluated often as the nuts mature.

Mowing can be a very dusty operation, especially in a drip irrigated orchard where sprinklers do not moisten the soil. The result is a clean surface to harvest from and the weeds will not grow again since the hoses have been moved to the tops of the berms. These are 3rd leaf trees.

One of our irrigation systems developed an infestation of slime bacteria. I collected this amber colored debris (bacterial masses) in a water bottle by flushing several drip tubing lines.

We injected chlorine into the system to kill the bacteria.  Here Eduardo is checking the chlorine levels at the far end of the irrigation system.

This is one of three fox pups who, along with their mother (such a vixen!), have made themselves at home living under a storage shed.  Look out rats and mice!

Hull split is progressing very rapidly. These nuts are further along than most because they are on an outside tree with sun exposure, but the rest of the nuts will be at this stage soon. The extreme heat last week accelerated split. We are applying sprays to protect the opening nuts from Navel Orangeworm and Peach Twig Borer.