By Paul H. Betancourt
Copyright February, 2012
Let me tell you what keeps me up at night and gives me heartburn.
The weather during almond bloom.
During the next few weeks the almond trees start blooming. It is a beautiful sight. Sheryl thinks that being in the trees during bloom on a sunny day is like being in a fairyland. We have even had picnic lunches out in the trees during bloom on nice days. When the petals start to fall it looks like it is snowing gently. It can be fabulous.
BUT-during the few weeks of bloom we set our crop for the year. This is crunch time in the orchard. Almond blossoms are very tender. Each individual blossom only lasts three days. If the bees don’t pollinate it in those three days-it is lost. Rain causes mold. Wind causes the bees to stay safe and snug in their boxes. It’s not just the blossoms. Too much rain on the young shoots can cause a disease called ‘shot gun’ where the leaves are peppered with little holes.
So, you can see what keeps me tossing and turning this time of year. Farmers need perfect weather to set a crop. This is the one chance to make a crop for this year. There are no ‘do-overs’. If the blossoms do not set-we are done for the year. So, farmers watch the sky and the weather reports. We do what we can to prepare and we say a prayer.
There's a 70% chance of rain forecast tonight.
I'll keep you posted.
I hope Y'all have a great week.
P
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