This report covers conditions and observations made on Thursday, February 25, 2016.

Taken in the Modesto area of Stanislaus County, photos for today’s report show the developing nutlets in the Sonora variety, the jacket stage and beginning of nutlet development in the Nonpareil variety and a down-the-row shot of a Nonpareil and Aldrich orchard in the final stages of bloom.

Bright, clear skies covered the Northern San Joaquin Valley on Thursday. Overnight lows in the mid 40s gave way to daytime highs in the mid 70s. Calm winds and warm temperatures allowed bees to work for seven solid hours as trees continue to shed petals.

Very few flowers remain intact in most varieties in the central region. The early blooming Sonora has no viable flowers left and has lost most of its petals. Nonpareil, Monterey, and California-type pollinators have fewer than 10% of their flowers presenting for pollination and will have none remaining after the weekend. Carmel continues to be a day behind the Nonpareil and should also have no viable flowers remaining by Monday. Butte and Padre are now down to around one-third of their flowers presenting for pollination and should have little remaining after the weekend.

Bee keepers will start removing hives from orchards next week. Growers continue to rake fallen mummy nuts into rows to flail mow them, destroying any potential worm habitat.

By Brian Noeller