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Crop Report: March 5, 2024
Tomatoes
Organics – Transplanting has begun. We got started mid-week and will be planting through
the rest of this week, weather permitting. There’s a less than 50% chance of scattered rain
forecasted for the end of this week.
Pear Tomatoes – Have not started transplanting yet.
Conventional Tomatoes – Have not started transplanting yet.
Peaches
Modesto/Madera/Kingsburg- We have had significantly less chilling hours compared to this time last year, but still adequate for Yellow Cling Peaches. We are currently at 75% of average for rainfall this year. Due to the recent warmer temperatures, our peach bloom is moving fast. Ross and Late Ross are anywhere from 30%-40% in bloom. Calaveras are about 50% bloom. Later blooming varieties are starting to show some pink bud. Some growers continue to prune. Crop protection materials are being applied in preparation
for the upcoming rain.
Organics – Kingsburg, American and Calaveras varieties are at full bloom while the Ross is at 5%-10% bloom. The Stanislaus are starting to show some random blooms.
All other varieties are still working on bud break.
Madera – The American and Calaveras Cling Peach varieties are about 50%-60% bloom with pink bud starting in all other varieties. Pruning is complete. Trees are being roped and fields are being mowed and disced. The next storm system is supposed to bring cold temperatures, so fields are being prepped for frost protection. Bloom potential looks good.
Marysville/Yuba City – Northern peach trees are blooming. Ross, Late Ross, Calaveras and Vilmos are all in pink bud stage or blooming. Later blooming varieties such as Loadel’s still have tightly closed bud swells. Growers are starting bloom sprays, pruning, and others can be seen with crews, tying up their trees to support the coming crop. Chilling hours are extremely low this season. The Verona Station in Yuba City has recorded just over 700 hours. Peaches do best with 800 to 1000 hours of chilling.
Pears
River and Linden Districts – Winter chilling hours are substantially lower than same time last year. 2024 – 804 hours compared to 1,248 in 2023. Growers pruned orchards over the winter. Wet weather only slowed them down a few times. Lots of buds can be seen on the trees. Most buds are still tight, some cracking can be seen, and there are some swollen buds here and there.
Mendocino and Lake Districts – Buds are slowly starting to crack in the Ukiah area. Lake county growers are applying their delayed dormant sprays. Bud counts look to be average.
Pacific Northwest – A month away from bloom. Plenty of buds.
Grapes
All vineyards have been pruned and tied. Starting to see vineyards move out of dormancy.
Cherries
Cherry buds in the Pacific Northwest are a month or more away from starting to bloom. We are optimistic for a full crop. There are plenty of buds to set full crops of cherries. Current crop timing: Degree days, east of the Cascade mountains, are behind last year and ahead of the 30-year average. West of the Cascade mountains the degree days are ahead of last year and the 30-year average.
Apricots
Blocks located in the Patterson and Westley area seem to be in various phases of bloom. Some are further along with others lagging behind. Maturity in each block appears divergent as well, which is not ideal. Chill units have not been where we would like them to be, but precipitation has been adequate. Crop potential looks promising for some, but others could come up short. We have a ways to go before we will know just what is out there, but as of today it looks like we may end up a little lighter than optimal.
Apples
Current crop timing: Degree days, east of the Cascade mountains, are behind last year and ahead of the 30-year average. West of the Cascade mountains the degree days are ahead of last year and the 30- year average.