Developing an Almond Orchard for Top productionDeveloping an Almond Orchard for Top production

John Edstrom UC Farm Advisor, Colusa County

Vigorous 3Vigorous 3rdrd leafleafVigorous 3Vigorous 3 leaf leaf treestrees

producedproduced1,200 lbs/acre1,200 lbs/acre

44thth 2,500 lbs.2,500 lbs.

55thth 3,000 lbs3,000 lbs..

… in Kern and Colusa

Too wide a spacing?Non‐vigorous growth?Wrong rootstock?Wrong rootstock?Too much pruning?

For each 10% inc inFor each 10% inc incanopy shaded area

500 lbs more crop produced

Canopy filled early

Today'sToday's motto should bemotto should beToday sToday s motto should be …motto should be …Fill the Canopy FastFill the Canopy FastFill the Canopy FastFill the Canopy Fast

Economics of almond productionEconomics of almond productionEconomics of almond production Economics of almond production demand early yields/returndemand early yields/return

Canopy/fruitwood development depends onCanopy/fruitwood development depends on::Canopy/fruitwood development depends onCanopy/fruitwood development depends on::

Sit P tiSit P tiSite PreparationSite PreparationSoilSoilTree Spacing & DesignTree Spacing & DesignVarietyVarietyyyRootstock Rootstock PruningPruningPruning Pruning NutritionNutritionIrrigationIrrigationIrrigationIrrigation

Complete field work earlyComplete field work earlyRipper shanks break up compactionRipper shanks break up compaction Compost, OMCompost, OM

Apply lime if soil pH below 6.0 … always?Apply lime if soil pH below 6.0 … always?

Ready to plant by FebruaryReady to plant by February

Early planting promotes root growthbefore bud break...produces larger trees

fills canopy sooner…fills canopy sooner.

Berms/mounds in fall + herbicide

Machine planting saves time

Prune to 34-40 inches, whitewash, add carton

but, requires high degree of skill & precision ………

Stan “the GPS planlooked good on paper”

Almond and walnut trials at Nickels showedno advantage to slip plowing – drip & micros

For Arbuckle soils pre-plant soil fumigation questionable

…only small increase in deep roots

“Tile” drainage may protect roots from river seepage, or shallow water table.

Spacing critical to early yieldsSpacing critical to early yields

Stanislaus County Spacing TrialStanislaus County Spacing Trial

Spac g c t ca to ea y y e dsSpac g c t ca to ea y y e ds

Stanislaus County Spacing Trial Stanislaus County Spacing Trial

800 lbs

Big yield difference yr 4-6 due to spacings for peach root

Variety Combinations &Variety Combinations &Planting DesignsPlanting Designs

N 1 N 2 N

Nonpareil Monterey Nonpareil Fritz NonpareilNonpareil-Monterey-Nonpareil-Fritz-Nonpareil

50% - 25% - 25%

Preferred choice

Planting DesignsPlanting DesignsPlanting DesignsPlanting DesignsN 1 N 2 N 1 N 3 N 50% -25% -12% -12%N 1 N 2 N 1 N 3 N 50% 25% 12% 12%

Non Monterey Winters Fritz

N 1 N 2 N 3 N 50% -16% -16% -16% Non Monterey Aldrich Carmel*

N 1 2 N 1 2 N 33% -33% -33%Butte Aldrich Wood ColonyButte Aldrich Wood Colony

*Sonora pollen preload hives

Orchard Designs for GamblersOrchard Designs for GamblersIf Nonpareil price remains much higherIf Nonpareil price remains much higher

N FF NN N N

If Nonpareil price remains much higherIf Nonpareil price remains much higher

N NN NW A FFN N N

N N FFFF N N

N N N

W A FFN N NN

NN N NA FF WN N N

N FF NFF N N

N N FF

A FF WN NN N

NN N NW A FFN N FF

N FF NN N N

N N FF

W A FFN NN N

N N NA FF WWN N FF

3/4 Nonpareil, 3/4 Nonpareil, 1/4 Fritz

A FF WW

2/3 Non, 1/9 Winters,1/9 Aldrich,1/9 Fritz1/9 Fritz

Orchard Designs for GamblersOrchard Designs for GamblersIf Nonpareil price remains much higherIf Nonpareil price remains much higher

N FF NN N N

If Nonpareil price remains much higherIf Nonpareil price remains much higher

N NN NW A FFN N N

N N FFFF N N

N N N

W A FFN N NN

NN N NA FF WN N N

N FF NFF N N

N N FF

A FF WN NN N

NN N NW A FFN N FF

N FF NN N N

N N FF

W A FFN NN N

N N NA FF WWN N FF

3/4 Nonpareil, 3/4 Nonpareil, 1/4 Fritz

A FF WW

2/3 Non, 1/9 Winters,1/9 Aldrich,1/9 Fritz1/9 Fritz

Less pollen but 3 types close by

PA Hybrid Krymsk 86 Lovell M2624PA Hybrid Krymsk 86 Lovell M2624

Root Development at 2Root Development at 2ndnd leafleafRoot Development at 2Root Development at 2 leafleaf

Krymsk 86 Lovell M2624Krymsk 86 Lovell M2624

Select strong scaffolds,Select strong scaffolds,T b tt th k thi dT b tt th k thi dTwo better than weak thirdTwo better than weak third

NO!NO!NO!NO!

Bark InclusionBark Inclusion

A id li b b kA id li b b kAvoid limb breakageAvoid limb breakage

’t t li b l ti’t t li b l tiwon’t correct poor limb selectionwon’t correct poor limb selection

Limb tying for heavy crops… Limb tying for heavy crops…

2 year old Nonpareil 

Short Prunedat 1st winter

Medium Prunedat 1st winter

Long Prunedat 1st winter

Stanislaus Pruning Trial SiteStanislaus Pruning Trial Site

Pruned Untrained & Unpruned

Pruning is DwarfingPruning is Dwarfing

Test Sites Pruned vs UnprunedTest Sites Pruned vs UnprunedStanislaus Colusa

pruned unpruned pruned unpruned

Kern

pruned unpruned

More pruning = less fruitwoodMore pruning = less fruitwood

Accumulative Yields lbs/acreAccumulative Yields lbs/acreAccumulative Yields lbs/acreAccumulative Yields lbs/acre

C l 1 C l 2 K St i lColusa 1

21 yrs

Colusa 2

13 yrs

Kern

13 yrs

Stanislaus

10 yrs

7’ x 22’ 16’ x 22’ 21’ x 24’ various

Unpruned 35,000 22,000 22,300 18,467p , , , ,

Pruned 34,000 22,600 20,700 17,507

Mechanical Topping ?Mechanical Topping ?

Reduces crop on bearing trees

Adds fruitwood to NB treesbut, may inc shade.

Affect on yield unknownec o y e d u o

Speaking of yield, get the crop to hullerSpeaking of yield, get the crop to huller

Nitrogen Trial N, K, Zn, B + others ?

Low N

High N

Row crop vs old orchard soilearly N rate varies 0-4oz/tree

Irrigation Trial g1.0 Et vs 1.25 Et..if water infiltrates

Single hose dripSingle hose drip Subsurface dripSubsurface drip

MicroMicro--jet + dripjet + drip Double hose dripDouble hose drip

2-2.5 ft sandy, 3-4 ft clay soilIf frost risk high

Technologies to optimize water use and tree growthTechnologies to optimize water use and tree growth

Probes for soil moisture status

Pressure chamber measurestree water stress

DendrometerDendrometerlimb growthlimb growth

Q ti ?Questions?