jan-feb-2020

IN YOUR ORCHARD putting down potassium (K) to avoid possible scattering of fertilizer by sweeper blower. High rates of dry material (for example, 400 to 500 pounds 0-0-50) are not advisable on low CEC soils due to leaching risk. Looking ahead, consult with your CCA about a cost- effective program to maintain adequate orchard K fertility, particular if no dry K fertilizer went on before bloom. This could be important for future production. Almonds use a lot of K (90 to 100 pound K2O per 1,000 pound kernel crop). Big crops mean big crop K use and export from the orchard. When summer leaf levels drop to one percent K or less, yield the following year will suffer and it will be too late to fix the problem by the time you read the lab report. Don’t fall behind on K. Irrigation With rain in the forecast and most reservoir levels just below or above historical averages, water news could be worse. If winter rainfall is limited by location or year, irrigation water should be applied during the winter to wet the soil profile to five-foot depth ahead of bud break. This may be a common practice in drier regions of the San Joaquin Valley and may not be needed this year. While first irrigation is probably not until March at the earliest in many regions, it’s a good idea to timing of irrigation start. Root health through the season can be influenced by first irrigation timing. If the first irrigation goes on too early and extends soil saturation beyond natural winter conditions, root health can suffer. Irrigation (not frost control) water should not be applied until the soil can hold any applied water without saturation. Irrigation management is also important. If it has been a few years since this was done, check the distribution uniformity of your irrigation system this spring. For details on this practice and others related to irrigation system health and performance, see micromaintain.ucanr.edu . Planning Consider a meeting with your PCA/CCA to plan out economically sustainable crop management programs under several nut price scenarios for the coming year. With a good to decent water situation (to date, knock knock) and modest production versus bearing acreage growth since 2011, there is a potential for a big crop in 2020, weather permitting. Wishing good bee activity and warm temperatures at bloom in orchards up and down the state in 2020. 4 6 A L M O N D F A C T S