This report covers the conditions and activities observed from February 12, 2021 to February 18, 2021. Written updates will be posted regularly on Fridays throughout bloom and will have a more regionalized focus. Additional updates will be posted as needed.
Bloom is progressing at a steady pace throughout the state. The central region is a day ahead of the northern region. Progression in the southern region, from Madera and south, is about four or five days behind the central. However, the southern region appears to be more consistent, both in terms of bud set and bloom stages, than the north and central. In those areas bloom progression, in the early blooming varieties, has varied greatly within each individual orchard. Within the same row of trees it is possible to see 40% open flowers at one end, and 5% open flowers at the other. Consistency is better within orchards in the southern region. Late blooming hard shell varieties appear much more consistent within the orchards and appear to have nice overlap throughout the state. Except for the Independence variety bud set in general is down in the early bloomers across the state, but growers remain optimistic. Read more…