Good Growth with a Good Crop

The Objective Crop Estimate of the 2012 almond crop released today;

2.1 Billion Pounds  

This would be a record crop, but up only 3% from last year.  It is 5% more than the Subjective Estimate that was released in May.

What does it mean for almond prices?  Time will tell, but it is not a figure much larger or smaller than was anticipated.  I do not expect a large price change in either direction.  As an industry we have been able to sell these large crops at prices that are affordable by consumers and provide growers a fair return.

Today's picture shows an almond tree with a good crop and nice new growth.  A large crop demands a lot of resources from the tree and can result in limited new growth.  We help the tree by providing adequate water and nutrients.  This tree shows good vigor and will be ready for a repeat performance next year.

Peach Silver Mite effect

Friend or Foe?  Frequently a very tiny mite called the Peach Silver Mite will establish itself in an almond orchard.  Their feeding activity causes the leaves to have a silvery appearance.  When I see the discoloration I use my 14X lens to verify their presence.  I also look for the presence of Predatory Mites because their population can increase by feeding on the Silver Mites.  When I see silver mites I immediately think "Predator Food". Sometimes the predators will build up a large enough population to control the very destructive two-spotted and Pacific spider mites (Tetranychus spp.) which can cause defoliation of almond trees.  Very seldom, if ever, is it necessary to treat for Silver Mites.  Determining the need to spray for mites involves regular checking to monitor the population dynamics of the destructive Tetranychus mites, the predator mites, and the more benign Silver Mites.

Bucket Auger & Power Auger

The hot weather season has arrived and we are very busy with irrigation.

Water management and irrigation have a greater impact on production than anything else we do as farmers. Efficient use of water can enhance production while conserving a precious resource.

I use several technological tools to determine the water needs of the trees.  Two companies, PureSense and ClimateMinder, have established sensors in our orchards to measure the  moisture content of the soil at several depths and climatic information.  The real-time information is available via the internet.  At another ranch, we use Neutron Probe technology to measure soil moisture content at various depths.  That information is gathered weekly and sent to me by email.

Because the sensors are at fixed locations, I use the tools in the picture to verify what the sensors are saying and to see how their information relates to other locations in the orchard.  I have used my bucket auger for years and it is an excellent tool.  However, it requires a lot of time and effort so fewer samples are taken.  The power auger was the suggestion of my friend Floyd Perry from Butte County.  It is faster and easier so allows me to look at several locations in a short amount of time.

These two basic tools see a lot of use during the irrigation season.

Verticillium Wilt is a soil-borne fungal disease that sometimes affects young almonds. The fungus grows inside the tree and can result in death to part or all of the tree. The first two pictures here show the classic external and internal symptoms of this disease. On this 40 acre block about 15 trees are affected so far.

2nd leaf tree with Verticillium wilt

Most of the infected trees are in a small area that was too close to buildings to be fumigated with Telone prior to planting. In the first picture, you can see in the distance that most of the orchard is doing well. The last picture shows part of the non-fumigated area where the trees are weak or have died. These two pictures illustrate the importance of preplant fumigation in orchard replant situations.

Internal brown necrotic area, symptom of Verticillium Wilt

Regulations or restrictions that would prevent us from performing preplant fumigation could have a devastating impact on our ability to establish new orchards.

Area not fumigated prior to planting

As the nuts fill out they become heavier.  The limbs bend over and fill the space between the rows.  Tractor work becomes difficult and hazardous.  This is no time for inexperienced drivers.  Here we are applying a spray which includes a fungicide (target: rust, scab, and alternaria), insecticide (target: Peach Twig Borer and Navel Orangeworm), and a miticide (target: mites). My hope is that this will be the last spray necessary for this season.  Besides the risk and discomfort to drivers, traveling through the orchard after the beginning of hull split (late June) knocks a lot of nuts off the trees.

The process of solidification of the nut meats continues to advance from the tip of the almond toward the base.  This is visible as the gelatinous material becomes opaque.  As this process continues the nuts become heavier.  This is an early-harvesting Nonpareil nut.  Interestingly, the later-maturing Monterey and Woods Colony nuts are just as far along in this process.

Here are our young Candycot trees.  They are trained to a "V" trellis.  Growing the limbs at just the right angle increases fruitfulness and assures penetration of sunlight for even ripening and better fruit color.  Like almonds, Candycots are not self fertile and so we plant two varieties together to pollinate one another.  In this orchard, Anya and Yulia are planted in alternating rows.  Anya leaves are a darker green and the trees are a little less vigorous.

Oat Hay Ready to Load

More Oat Hay

Hey, look at all that, uh, hay!

Each bale about 900-1000 lbs.  Ready to be delivered to cows to be turned into milk.

Growing oat hay has been interesting, much more passive than nuts and fruit, but kind of fun for a change.

Now it is time to get this field ready to plant to almond trees this fall.

Chandler Walnut Nutlets

Walnut bloom is wrapping up and the nutlets are expanding.  It is way to early to guess at crop size.  Even later in the season walnuts are difficult to estimate because of the size of the trees and the nuts are similar in color to the leaves.  This is a triple cluster in the center of the picture.  Lots of doubles and triples will generally mean a better crop, but it is too early to know how many are there.  (Pretty picture though!)

4th Leaf Almonds

NICE!

Freeze Damage on young Tulare Walnut tree

The cold dry December we had in 2011 caused freezing damage on some young walnuts.  This is a walnut entering its' second leaf.  The lowest buds are OK but the upper part of the tree will need to be removed.  If left behind, the tree would grow around the dead wood and create a weak trunk.  The roots are unaffected and the tree will regrow vigorously. The interesting thing is that the freeze damage happened seemingly at random to only 11 trees on 30 acres.  Good soil moisture during the cold winter months, and not pruning too early are freeze-prevention measures for young walnuts.

Subjective Crop Estimate Released Today

The results of this years subjective crop estimate were published today.  This is a telephone survey of a few hundred almond growers asking their estimate of crop size.  The resulting estimate for this year’s crop is 2 billion pounds of almond meats (shelled nuts). The survey is conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.  If the estimate is correct, that would put the crop at slightly less that last years production of 2.03 billion pounds.  Last year the subjective estimate was 1.75 billion pounds, so the growers underestimated last years crop.  Judging from what I see in my little part of the world, I think the crop will be higher than the estimate once again.