January Almond Assessment
By Travis Goldman, CCA, CAIS The 2022/2023 winter has been a significant change of pace for all of us in California. Just last year I was writing rehydration irrigation recommendations and schedules for the month of January to combat dry soil profiles to prevent stress before vascular rehydration. This January I am faced with a […]
Water Use Efficiency: Cutting Out the Excess
By Travis Goldman Hortau’s polymer tensiometers have redefined how fields can be managed year-round with real time data. The power of knowing when a field needs water and when water can be turned off enhances the efficiency of an operation. Having precision irrigation data directly cuts out excess pumping. There are a lot of promises […]
SWEEP GRANT- Improve Your Water Use Efficiency
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is expecting to launch grant rounds by the end of 2023 to help California farmers increase their water use efficiency. The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) provides financial assistance in the form of grants (Up to $200,000 per farming entity) to implement irrigation systems that reduce […]
Mid-Season Tactics for Soil Rehydration in Mature Almonds
In years when heat waves occur in Early May and June, it is important to ensure that the soil profile maintains adequate moisture for your orchard to utilize. This can be dramatically different for every orchard depending on field characteristics. However, for most growers this means being able to percolate water at least 12” to […]
Drought Management Strategies for Young Orchards
New plantings can be tricky especially in a year where water quality and quantity are low. Ensuring that your trees are well taken care off can become a balancing act while combating hot weather, mitigating various salts and providing the correct amount of water for transpiration. As stewards of the land, we are very aware […]
Rehydrating soils after a loss in deep moisture
It is that time of year where the heat turns up and crops begin pumping water out at an ever-increasing rate. Some, too many, decide that watering unto 12-18 inches will suffice for keeping the plant healthy and delivering enough water for maximum plant growth. Others are so possessive of their deep moisture that they […]
