Soil pH along most of the California coast north of Los Angeles ranges between 7.3 and 8, which is generally higher than many edible and ornamental plants prefer.  In some cases, availability of micronutrients such as iron is severely limited in soils above pH 8, leading to deficiency symptoms in plants.  Other plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons, azaleas, and hydrangeas prefer acidic soil conditions (pH 6 and below).

To investigate potential soil pH reduction over time, UCCE Farm Advisors Jim Downer and Ben Faber applied coffee grounds, lemon waste, peat moss, pine needles, oak leaves, and municipal yardwaste in addition to elemental sulfur to soil with an unadultered pH of 7.8.

Preliminary findings indicate that the combination of organic material plus elemental sulfur reduces pH to a greater degree and more quickly than either the amendment or sulfur alone.  We have seen the greatest effect thus far with elemental sulfur plus coffee grounds, chipped lemon waste, or peat moss.  the long term trend so far has been none of the organic amendments alone have affected pH much.  Traditionally it has been thought that oak leaves, pine needles and coffee grounds should have a significant effect on pH.  It does not seem to be the case.

Lemons that are to be ground and spread

Spread coffee grounds

An increasingly sought after health product are the fruit and flowers of elderberry – Sambucus mexicana. It is a nutraceutical which has more antioxidants than other dark fruit like blackberry and pomegranate. It's a California native, but it is estimated there may 30 species worldwide. And some are not that edible because of hydrogen cyanide which can lead to displeasing reactions. The bulk of production is in Europe – Hungary, Germany, France and much of the other countries. They make, jams, wines, topping for yogurt, pies and other tasty things. Most of the elderberry that comes into the US comes from Europe. Oregon used to have large commercial plantings, but the big players today are Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Minnesota. Rather than selling pills made of elderberry, growers are finding consumers want the juice. 

It's hard to find statistics on elderberry – acreage, sales, number of growers, etc. - but it's a growing industry, with varietal selections and a harvesting machine developed. The trees get to about 30 feet in height, handle drought and wet feet, alkaline soil. They are attractive to bees and other beneficials. The fruit is attractive to birds which might be a food safety issue. It would also bring back some windbreaks that have disappearing. 

To read more about the potential market go to:

Elderberry Market Research - Center for Agroforestry

www.centerforagroforestry.org/profit/elderberrymarketreport.pdf

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has released the 2015-2016 California Agricultural Statistics Review. The Review provides an overview of the state's agricultural statistics and weather highlights, as well as county-specific and crop-specific data. Overall, California continues to lead the nation as the largest agricultural producer and exporter despite the challenges posed by a fourth consecutive year of drought.

Highlights from the report are as follows:

• California's agriculture sales decreased by 16.8 percent between the 2014 and 2015 crop years for a total of $47.1 billion in cash receipts.
• California continues to lead the nation in exports, at $20.7 billion.
• California exported nearly 26 percent of its agricultural volume. Overall, California's agricultural exports have grown more than 120 percent during the past decade.
• Fruit and nut crops accounted for 36 percent of gross cash volume in 2015.
• California is the leading agricultural producer in the U.S., representing nearly 13 percent of the U.S. total.
• In 2015, California was home to 77,500 farms, with an average 329 acres — which is smaller than the national average of 441 acres.
• Nearly 27 percent of California farms generate more than $100,000 in commodity sales; the national average is 20 percent.
• The top five agricultural counties in California were Tulare, Kern, Fresno, Monterey and Stanislaus.
• California is ranked as the number one producer of avocados in the U.S. and produced between 60 and 75 percent of the national production of avocados, which accounted for 93 percent of U.S. receipts.
• California avocados ranked 28^th in the state based on total value. 

The entire California Agricultural Statistics Review is available online. 

At a recent CA Avocado Society meeting there was a discussion about bout flowmeters and their selection. Flowmeters measure the volume of water moving through a full-flowing closed pipe and as such are one of the key components of an irrigation system whether drip, microsprinkler or full pressure systems. They are essential for managing irrigation efficiently and for monitoring the performance of the irrigation system.  Managing irrigation efficiently requires: (1) knowing how much water the crop has used since the last irrigation (irrigation schedu7ling); and (2) operating the irrigation system to apply only the amount of water desired.  A flowmeter gives the grower the information needed to apply only the amount of water required.

A critically overlooked benefit of a flowmeter is that it makes it possible to identify changes in flowrate during the season (measured at the same pressure), which may indicate problems such as clogging of emitters or filters, leaks in the system or problems with the pump or well.

There are several types of flowmeters and each has their pluses and minuses. Propeller meters are the most commonly used, but can pose two potential difficulties: debris in the water and a small loss of pressure which can be a problem with low flow systems.  Alternatives are magnetic meters, ultrasonic, turbine and venture meters.  Proper selection is based on pipe size, range of flow and pressure loss.  But as with everything it depends on proper installation and maintenance.

Attached is a nice little overview by Larry Schwankl on how to choose a flowmeter for your situation.