UMC NEWSLETTER
Frost Control in Almonds/Stone Fruit and the Critical Role of Dew Point
Spring frost events are among the most costly weather hazards for tree fruit growers in the San Joaquin Valley-
Compost and Soil Health
Composting is the process of recycling organic materials into an amendment that can be used to enrich soil and plants
Photosynthesis and Respiration
This is absolutely the most important thing that we can do as almond producers, is to keep out of that negative area as much as we possibly can. There are many cultural practices that we can do to lessen the time our trees are in this negative state.
Petal Fall & Starting Fertilization
Most everybody should be starting and/or completing their second Bloom/Petal fall spray. These fungicides we have available now worked well, even with some of the rain and disease infection periods that we have had, our team is out scouting has not noticed much disease.
Super Bowl Sunday and Impending Bloom
It is Super Bowl Sunday and again it is kickoff time for the almond season because Bloom is upon us again.
Hilltop Newsletter
Now that the 2024 almond season is almost over and stockpiled almonds are nearly processed, we’re finding that this year could be as high as last year for NOW (Navel Orangeworm) damage. Early in the season, NOW trap counts and damage in outside row early splitters started off lower than the previous year. But after multiple heat waves, with over 50 to 60 days above 100 degrees from early July through early October, the risk for major damage increased. In several blocks with later harvest dates, I saw above 25% NOW damage. On the other hand, I also saw blocks with less than 1% damage across all varieties.
West Coast Nut Interview With Cody Alldrin
"Precision in irrigation management is saving the state so much water while increasing yields per acre, leading to an increase in the ration of almonds produced per gallon of water applied." - Cody Alldrin, grower
CAN YOU SPRAY YOUR WAY OUT OF NON-SANITATION?
My name is Dirk Ulrich, I've been invited to work with the team at Hilltop as an agronomist to help answer growers questions that are needed throughout the year. My roots are deeply embedded in almond farming, I bring over 30 years of invaluable expertise to the almond farming community. Having grown up on an almond farm and graduating from Cal Poly with a degree in pomology, my journey has been marked by a passion for nut cultivation. As the owner of Ulrich Management & Consulting, my commitment, along with my team is to provide specialized guidance for almonds and other nuts in the Central Valley is unparalleled.