- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Wet and wacky winter weather may wreak havoc on the almond crop, but UC Cooperative Extension advisor Franz Niederholzer has promising words for farmers concerned about adequate pollination, reported Heather Hacking in the Chico Enterprise-Record.
“You don't need them to all be pollinated,” he said. A pollination rate of 40 percent would make a great year. Twenty five percent will still produce a decent crop.
The heavy rain, wind and cold temperatures that have characterized January and February 2017 could be overcome with just a bit of warm, sunny...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Along the highways and byways of rural California, blossoms are beginning to pop on almond, peach, plum and nectarine trees. California growers have reason to be hopeful, reported Heather Hacking in the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Warm temperatures and sun ensure bees will be out pollinating the crop, rather than holing up in their hives, as they do when temperatures dip below 55 degrees or wind is swifter than 4 to 7 miles per hour.
Hacking spoke to a UC Agriculture and Natural Resources expert about the promising almond pollination season.
"The overlap is very good this...