jan-feb-2020

IN YOUR ORCHARD in with post-emergent herbicides due to wet spring weather. They eventually killed the vegetation, but the dead weeds provided good vole habitat. The dead weeds had to be raked out the next fall to allow preemergent herbicides to reach the soil. Before spraying preemergent herbicides, make sure old, dead weeds and leaves are removed. The old organic matter ties up the herbicide and reduces weed control. Final pest management note: Pre-bloom (dormant or delayed dormant) spraying does not provide any control of NOW or spider mites. The NOW overwinter inside the mummies and can’t be reached by pesticides, and the spider mites overwinter deep in bark cracks on the trunk or in the soil near the tree base and are likewise protected from pesticides. Spraying for these key pests before spring is a waste of time and money. Pollination Good bee activity in an orchard is essential to setting a good crop. This means renting strong hives, caring for the hives and bees while in the orchard, and avoiding spray timings and materials that could harm the bees and their brood. You have heard this before, but it is worth repeating as this is the foundation of successful almond growing in California. Hive details are important to the best possible bee activity in the orchard. A strong hive should contain at least eight healthy frames. A healthy frame is greater than 75 percent covered with bees on both sides of the frame of comb or four bees per square inch of frame. An 8-frame hive is two to three times more active in pollen collection (pollination) than a four frame hive. Pollination contracts should be written to include hive strength details. Bee brokers, knowledgeable third parties, can be hired to confirm hive strength. More bees are needed in cold, wet weather compared with warm, dry conditions. UC recommends at least two strong hives (minimum of eight frames) for good bloom conditions and three strong hives for poor bloom weather (cold and wet). Hive placement is important for even pollinization across the orchards. Place hive drops no further apart than a quarter of a mile for blocks larger than 40 acres. Placing hives further apart can result in less pollinization of the flowers more than an eighth of a mile from any hives. Place The New Schmeiser V-Blade Roller combines all the advantages of a durable V-Blade with a Rear Roller to provide groove-free smoothing and reduced loose dirt at the row ends. Contact us for complete details. GET EVERY NUT ‡ ZZZ WJVFKPHLVHU FRP Because every nut counts! C M Y CM MY CY CMY K TGSV-Blade20154.5x5FINAL.pdf 1 12/12/14 2:42 PM 4 0 A L M O N D F A C T S