Jul 12, 2023Blue Diamond reports on almond crop progress
Blue Diamond Growers released its almond crop progress report for July 3, detailing weather impacts, signs of hull split and harvest preparations.
Irrigation and harvest prep
Grower activities include irrigation and harvest preparations during the month of June. Orchard water needs were mitigated due to the mild temperatures the reason experienced. The report indicated that growers were diligent about timing irrigation “during the final week of the period to ensure adequate moisture levels in the root zones as the temperatures climbed and water requirements increased,” according to the report from Blue Diamond.
Signs of hull split
Blue Diamond’s report indicated that the first signs of hull split were reported in the San Joaquin Valley during the final week of the period, specifically along the west side region.
“Growers and the Pest Control Advisors (PCAs) have been on the lookout for hull split in blank nuts, those in which the kernel failed to develop. Blanks typically split approximately two weeks ahead of ‘sound’ nuts that contain fully developed kernels and thus serve as an indicator of the hull split and proper timing for Navel Orange Worm (NOW) mitigation measures,” the report stated.
Additionally, there has been an increase in moth capture in the traps used to monitor the NOW life cycle ahead of the split. “Treatments to control NOW are timed to the hull split, which typically occurs in the first days of July in early harvesting varieties,” detailed the report. The next few weeks will be critical, as PCAs will monitor temperatures, which can impact insects, crop development and treatment timing in orchards.
According to the report, observers reported that orchard removal operations continue. “In some cases, orchards have harvestable crops, but stand abandoned waiting for machinery to arrive to pull and grind the trees,” the report detailed.
For more information, read the full Blue Diamond report that is available online.
