This report covers the conditions and activities observed from March 11, 2023, to March 16, 2023. This will be the final report covering bloom for 2023. The next crop report is scheduled for Monday April 3, 2023. Additional updates will be posted as needed.
Orchards throughout the state are all past the peak of bloom and are rapidly pushing leaves with warmer weather settling over California. Butte and Padre orchards peaked over last weekend right before a massive storm to swept across the state. Very few petals remain in the earlier blooming soft-shell varieties as high winds from the storm blew them off. As bloom finished up growers are left to speculate on the size of their crop. In the coming weeks as the crop matures and trees begin to shed nutlets, growers will start to have a better idea of their crop size.
Poor bee flight hours continued into the last week of bloom. The week started with warmer humid weather at the beginning of the week that led into a large rainstorm that produce heavy down pours and strong winds. Warm weather returned after the storm, but there were few viable flowers to pollinate. The warmer weather also leads to potential for fungal growth.
Growers who made a disease treatment prior to the storm were protected from new disease growth and mainly focused on orchard cleanup. Growers who were not able to treat before the storm moved into their orchards and began treating once the storm clouds dissipated. Growers in all areas suffered from downed trees caused by the wet soils and high winds. Fertilizer applications have increased with the emergence of leaves and will continue into the growing season.
By Trent Voss
Photos By: John Aja, Ben Goudie, and Mel Machado
