Almond bloom is fast approaching with the relatively warmer temperatures seen throughout the producing areas of the west so for this winter. Almond Board of California’s (ABC) Chief Scientific Officer Josette Lewis said growers are busy planning for successful pollination. “It’s a little bit like last year where we had really warm temperatures, not a lot of rain,” she said. “Great bee flight hours, really fantastic and almost ideal conditions for pollination last year.”
Communication, planning and a reminder about tank-mixing certain products can help producers ensure an environment that will set bees up for success in their orchard. “Bees, unfortunately, have been an increasing cost for almond producers…it’s over 15 percent of the production costs,” Lewis said. “There is a lot of ain points for growers this year. Keeping costs down but also getting the most from your inputs is important.”
Listen to Lewis’ full interview.
ABC has funded many research projects on pollination best management practices over the years. All of the research and guides can be found online at Almonds.com.
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