November/December 2023 - 12

CROP MANAGEMENT
I
&
BY DOUG OHLEMEIER
ASSISTANT EDITOR
How important is the dormancy
period?
This is an extremely important time to take note
of the previous season's lessons from leaf tissues
analyses and grade sheet quality ratings to adjust
nutrition, irrigation, pest and disease management
for the next growing season.
What advice would you provide
growers of the major nuts on
dormancy?
Nut mummy sanitation, diseased canopy sanitation,
weed control, irrigation system maintenance and
pest scouting are worthwhile dormancy activities
that will improve efficiency and improve nut quality
when it comes time to harvest next season.
What should growers do during
the winter to ensure adequate
chill hours?
Chill is needed to accumulate the carbohydrates
the tree will need at bud break to bloom and leaf
out uniformly. Growers should track chill portion
accumulations to better understand observed
bloom uniformity and end-of-season yield variability
and crop quality. Tracking chill portions is helpful to
make decisions on the use and application timing of
rest breaking agents.
12 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
EFFECTIVE
DORMANT
STRATEGIES
A look at winter sanitation,
chill and irrigation inspection
The recommended activities of mummy hygiene,
cleaning diseased canopies, controlling weeds,
maintaining irrigation systems and scanning for
pests during dormancy can help growers properly
care for their trees during dormancy. National Nut
Grower recently talked with Mae Culumber, nut
crops farm advisor with Cooperative Extension
Fresno County, about what growers can do during
this important time that will improve the quality of
their almonds, pistachios, pecans and walnuts and
efficiencies of their next season's harvests.
What actions should growers
take to weather the dormancy
months?
1) Perform orchard sanitation to prepare the
orchard for next season's crop. Dead and dying
branches and unharvested 'mummies' provide
inoculum sources for pests and disease.
Remove dead and dying branches, and nut
mummies from the canopy.
2) Survey weeds to evaluate the previous year's
management program success and shortfalls,
select appropriate herbicides for weed species.
3) Irrigation system inspection and maintenance
are essential to maintaining distribution uniformity
and overall efficiency of the irrigation system.
Check for leaks and replace clogged emitters,
backwash filters, flush lines, and amend the water
with the appropriate materials to get the system in
good working order for next season.
4) Look at yield, tree leaf and nut hull nutrition
analyses to construct a nutrient management plan
for next season.
K
Q
C
U
November/December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2023
