Fresno, Calif., (April 16, 2018) – Growers continued to irrigate oats, triticale, wheat, and winter forage as they started to head out. Dry-land barley, triticale, and wheat benefitted greatly with the recent rain that arrived in March. All grain fields received fertilizing and treatment for broadleaf weeds as needed. Rice fields were getting prepared for planting.
Alfalfa fields started to grow rapidly in the warm spring weather. Fields where sprayed for weeds and Selma District reported some growers started to cut and windrow for hay production. Ground preparation continued for the upcoming corn, cotton, melon, and tomato season. In the Huron area, processing tomatoes started to be transplanted. Garlic and processing onions were growing quickly. Onions grown for seed continued to be planted. Garbanzo bean crop showed good growth and was being cultivated. Alfalfa seed was exported to Australia and Hong Kong.
Almond and various stone fruit orchards completed blooming. Growers applied bloom sprays, foliar feeds and fungicides before the expected rain. Orchard floors received herbicide treatments and avenues were prepared for irrigation. Almond exports were slower as processors waited to see if the frost damaged the crop. Grapevines started to push leaves and were treated for mealy bugs and powdery mildew as needed. Vineyards continued to be pushed out and replanted with nut crops. Pistachio and walnut growers did some weed control, as trees were still dormant. Pomegranate orchards were pruned. Almonds, dry cherry, dry figs, pistachio, pomegranates, prunes, raisins, and walnuts were exported to Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Chilean and Peruvian table grapes were re-exported to Canada.
Preparation for spring was in full force, with ground being prepared for fresh market tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Parsley, spinach, fennel, and radicchio were all growing well. Asparagus harvesting continued, with prices competing with imports from Mexico. Head, leaf, and Romaine lettuce harvest started towards the end of the month; prices were lower than expected. Carrots were in all stages of production around the County, and some carrot tops were mowed. The freeze set beck the strawberry growers but regrowth has been good. Blueberries finished blooming and fields were starting to be treated for weeds. Pepper and lettuce seed was exported to Australia, Brazil, China, and Germany.
Citrus continued to be harvested and packed. Groves that were harvested, were treated with herbicides, pruned and topped. Pollinator-exclusion netting was placed on mandarin blocks to prepare bloom. Grapefruit, lemons, navel oranges, and tangelos were exported to Australia, Belgium, China, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Polynesia, Guatemala, Honduras, Republic of Korea, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and United Kingdom.
Bee shipments were starting to be gathered up and stacked, to be moved to citrus and plum orchards. Other shipments started to return to the States where they came from. Smaller beekeepers started moving their colonies into alfalfa to build up the colony numbers. Ranchers started branding and marking calves. The foothills started to green up from the rains, creating good conditions for grazing. Sheep were being moved out of alfalfa and into retired farmland. Egg production started to ramp back up after the winter lull.
