We invite you to watch and share the below video for a sneak peek look into an update on the tomato fields!
Crop Report: May 3, 2023
Tomatoes
Organics – Transplanting completed! Plants continue to mature and looking very good.
Pear Tomatoes – Transplanting completed. Plants are looking good and developing as expected.
Conventional Tomatoes –Transplanting continues. Early plantings are looking good. Mid-season plantings are starting to get transplanted. Overall growing conditions and transplanting conditions continue to be very good. The weather has been cooperative with the warm temperatures.
Peaches
Modesto/Madera/Kingsburg – As the fruit continues to develop the warmer weather has encouraged the smaller fruit to start terminating. While some orchards seem to be heavier set the crop appears to be lighter than expected in some early blooming varieties. Very little thinning will be needed in some orchards while others will require heavy thinning. Most growers will hold off on thinning as long as possible due to the inconsistency of the crop. Some growers have started irrigating. Growers continue their normal cultural practices as fruit continues to progress.
Organic – Kingsburg – Thinning is complete in the Calaveras and will start thinning the Ultras next week. The Stanislaus have been slow moving but the warmer weather has helped. They won’t be thinned for another couple weeks after the slough.
Madera- Peaches are finally starting to move with the warmer weather. Smaller fruit is starting to fall off the tree. The crop doesn’t appear to be real heavy at this time. Crews are busy suckering, cutting dry limbs and weeding. Trees are being irrigated and nutrient sprays will go on next week.
Marysville/Yuba City – Crop continues to look good. Sloughing off has not started but with this week’s warmer temperature it should start next week. There is some mixed maturity in the crop. Late Ross and Kingsburg are lighter but will still need to be thinned. Ross, Loadel, Stanislaus, and Lilliland promise to deliver a full crop. Too soon to tell on the Klamath as many still have their jackets on.
Pears
River and Linden – Trees have leafed out. Small pears can be seen throughout the orchards. Warm weather this week has been ideal for growth. Cultural practices continue in all orchards.
Mendocino and Lake – Lake County full bloom was called over the weekend. Almost a month later than last year, but two weeks later than normal. Bloom was plentiful. Warm weather this week has been ideal.
Grapes
Bunch count numbers for the Madera district came in at 28.5. This is a good indicator, but we will continue to monitor how thing progress. Warmer weather is a welcomed trend and is helping move this grape crop along. Irrigating continues in both districts. Crop protection material continues to be applied along with all cultural practices.
Cherries
The first full bloom, on the Willamette Valley floor, was April 24th. This is two weeks later than average. The late varieties and high elevations in Washington and Oregon will bloom in May. Estimated first harvest delivery is plus or minus 5 days from June 23rd. It is a very even bloom. The high temps this week have moved the bloom from first white to full bloom in 1-3 days. At this time growers are optimistic about the crop potential.
Apricots
Warmer weather is helping to push this apricot crop along. The District Manager and Plant Manager will be taking a tour next week to assess hail damage. Crop potential continues to look adequate for our pack plan, but there is still concern with how hail damage will impact production. We are a few weeks away from taking 5-pound samples. All cultural practices including mowing and irrigation continue in all orchards.