May/June 2022 - 8

COVER STORY
Wider mow strips and a
strong cover crop stand
helps reduce herbicide
use. Photos: Matt Hannon
down the dust. Aside from creating a
mulch-like layer after mowing, timing
orchard activity with a recent irrigation
can prevent dust - the soil is just damp
enough that dust isn't kicked up, but just
dry enough to prevent soil compaction.
That layer also helps keep down a
lot of the weeds. In the spring, when
summer weeds are starting to establish,
the Gemperles have found that the
weed growth is slowed, including - if
not especially - the herbicide-resistant
varieties, such as mare's tail, fleabane
and nutsedge, which is the least
problematic at harvest.
Navel orangeworm, however, is
different. Gemperle Orchards is very
diligent about winter sanitation, shaking
trees in the winter and blowing the
mummies into the cover crop, or
sweeping them into the middles and
mowing them in.
" I'll actually till them in as I'm planting
a second planting of cover crops, "
said Christine. " That keeps our navel
orangeworm population down, at least
within our orchard. "
8 MAY/JUNE 2022
There is still one navel orangeworm
spray done at hull split. There was a
temporary application of a second
spray, but seeing that it made little
difference, it was scrapped and remains
at one spray.
" As far as an insecticide, that's all we
do for the year, that one spray, " she said.
Every year is different, and while
that could change, so far it has been
good. The same is true for fungicide
applications - they're applied only
when they absolutely need to be.
This year, because it didn't rain at all
during bloom, the tractor never even
left the barn.
Trial, error and finding
what works
Christine Gemperle is a member
of the Biomass Working Group, one
of many subcommittees under the
Almond Board of California, and
represents Blue Diamond Growers.
The Gemperles have recycled two
orchards, the wood chips from which
were spread throughout the field and
around the property.
May/June 2022

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